Market vendor Mr. Chan eagerly showcases the deserted Tung Choi Street in Kowloon, once brimming with tourists and hustle. His silver earrings, necklaces, and scarves now gather dust, as the past three years have taken a toll on his business. Prior to the pandemic, he would keep his stall open until 10 p.m., but nowadays he is forced to close at 7 p.m. With the end of the quarantine period, Mr. Chan hopes for a swift change that would revive his business, which heavily depended on tourism.
In recent days, Hong Kong has taken steps to reopen itself to the world, starting with the lifting of the mandatory three-day hotel quarantine. Furthermore, the city has announced a global banking summit in November and plans to launch a “market recovery campaign,” giving away 500,000 million airline tickets valued at approximately $254.8 million to both global visitors and residents. These initiatives aim to revive Hong Kong’s status as an international business and travel hub, although some locals express skepticism about the timing of these changes.
The announcement of the end of quarantine was met with jubilation by Hong Kong’s residents, who have endured over two years of oppressive pandemic measures. The strictest quarantine rules required incoming travelers to spend 21 days in a self-paid hotel room, with only Hong Kong residents allowed entry. Those coming from regions or countries with high COVID-19 cases faced the possibility of being quarantined in a government facility. Unsurprisingly, travel to and from the financial hub hit record lows.
Since the announcement, travel-starved Hong Kongers have rushed to book flights online, causing long waiting periods on websites such as Cathay Pacific and Expedia. However, despite the surge in search for flights from Hong Kong to Tokyo and Osaka, the interest in flights to Hong Kong itself remained unchanged, indicating potential deterrents such as the remaining dining and visiting restrictions for visitors.
Despite these efforts, the city still faces challenges in attracting international travelers. Hong Kong plans to host the International Rugby Sevens tournament in November, but it remains uncertain how many fans will brave the border restrictions. Additionally, the city’s Asian neighbors, including Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, have recently removed travel barriers, making them more appealing alternatives. The ongoing zero-Covid policy in mainland China, from which the majority of Hong Kong’s visitors used to come, further adds to the uncertain forecast.
Unfortunately, the government’s attempts to reopen and revive the city came too late for Maxence Traverse, the owner of Honi Honi Tiki Bar, a restaurant that had to permanently close its doors last year due to the 2019 protests and the pandemic. Although Traverse opened a restaurant in the Tai Hang neighborhood after a six-month hiatus, he continues to struggle to keep it afloat. His story is not unique, as many establishments in the food and beverage industry in Hong Kong have shut down permanently during the pandemic. Even iconic Cantonese restaurants like Mido Cafe, Jimmy’s Kitchen, and Lin Heung Tea House have fallen victim to these challenging times.
Traverse was deeply disheartened when he heard an interview with Hong Kong Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau, where Lo stated that the city would continue to open up unless a new Covid variant emerged. He describes the overwhelming feeling of depression and the realization that Hong Kong has lost so much and cannot rely solely on reopening to restore its former glory.
According to Traverse, providing excitement and renewed vigor to Hong Kong is crucial in rebuilding what initially attracted him to the city 12 years ago. Merely lifting restrictions and welcoming visitors again will not be enough to bring back the thriving atmosphere that has been lost.
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