Hong Kong says yacht scheme spurs new spending
Crhk · 2 SOURCES1 day ago4 MIN
Summary
Transport and Logistics Secretary Mable Chan (陳美寶) said Hong Kong’s new southbound Guangdong yacht arrangement has already brought a fresh tourism and spending pattern, after the first five visiting yachts stayed for several days and their passengers went ashore for leisure activities. She also said more mainland captains are now qualified to navigate Hong Kong waters, while the government is preparing to extend related training online to attract overseas yachts.
Key Points
- Chan said the first voyage took place last Friday, when five Guangdong yachts arrived in Hong Kong and stayed for three to four days.
- The visiting yachts booked accommodation through agents, and passengers went ashore to spend in Stanley, Central, theme parks and other attractions.
- Chan said 32 electronic service accounts have been opened in the Marine Department system, allowing applications for yacht visits to Hong Kong.
- She said 308 mainland yacht captains have passed Marine Department training and assessments to obtain qualifications for navigating Hong Kong waters.
- Chan said the Marine Department plans to commission local training bodies to offer online courses for overseas captains and attract more foreign yachts.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong, the scheme could widen the city’s visitor mix beyond conventional land-based tourism by bringing in higher-spending yacht travellers who stay several days and consume onshore services. The government is also linking the early rollout to longer-term efforts to make Hong Kong waters more accessible to both mainland and overseas yacht operators.