Hong Kong airport cancels flights, 10-week protests hurting tourism sector
Travel Biz News ——
Hong Kong : All flights out of Hong Kong have been cancelled for Monday in unprecedented disruption after thousands of anti-government protesters occupied the airport terminal building, following another weekend of clashes with police, according to the South China Morning Post.
Hong Kong International Airport cancelled all departures today ( August 12 ).More than 200 flights were cancelled amid a city-wide strike on August 5 .
It was the 10th consecutive weekend that protesters had taken to the streets in a movement that began over opposition to a bill allowing extradition to mainland China.
US State Department warned citizens visiting Hong Kong to “exercise increased caution”, upgrading its previous advice to “exercise normal precautions”.
Several other nations – including Australia, the UK, Ireland, Singapore and Japan – have also issued heightened travel advisories.
Hong Kong is one of the world’s most visited cities, but experts say the disruption is hurting its tourism sector .
For 10 weeks now, anti-government rallies have frequently ended in violent clashes with police – and some would-be visitors are concerned the city may be more dangerous than before.
According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, preliminary figures have shown a “double-digit decline” in the number of visitor arrivals in the second half of July.
Tourism in Hong Kong, one of Asia’s most popular travel destinations and a global financial hub, is bound to suffer due to these violent riots, experts said.
Hong Kong tourist numbers and hotel occupancy rates have been shaken amid the mass and violent protests.
The tourism industry is one of the major pillars of Hong Kong’s economy, contributing around 5% of the city’s GDP. A large majority of Hong Kong’s visitors come from mainland China. In January to June 2019 alone, mainlanders made 27 million visits to the territory.
Cathay Pacific said Saturday it will comply with new rules from China banning staff who support Hong Kong’s protesters from working on flights to the mainland or through its airspace.
The Hong Kong carrier also confirmed it had suspended a pilot charged with rioting and fired two ground staff for misconduct apparently related to the protest movement that has engulfed the city.
Meanwhile, Yang Guang, spokesman of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, has strongly condemned violent protesters attacking police stations and officers, including those who used petrol bombs.
“These acts jeopardise Hong Kong’s rule of law and social order, and are a serious threat to people’s lives and Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.” He said Beijing would “resolutely support the police force and judiciary”.
Similarly, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government condemned violent acts of protesters, Xinhua reports.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said her priority is to “stop the violence” rather than make political concessions as the city’s protest movement pressed on with a demonstration at the airport.
A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 under the principle of “one country, two systems,” which promises the city certain democratic rights not afforded to people on the mainland.
Source: Xinhua / SCMP / Agencies Photo : CGTN
Aug. 12 , 2019
