HK adds Xi'an, Qingdao cities to Individual Visit Scheme

The expansion will help boost tourism and benefit industries such as hotels and retail.

The Individual Visit Scheme will include Xi'an in Shaanxi Province and Qingdao in Shandong Province, effective 6 March, the government announced.

Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung said the expansion will boost tourism and benefit industries such as hotels and retail.

He also noted the expanded scheme's facilitation of residents from both cities to experience Hong Kong's distinctive cosmopolitan allure with greater flexibility and convenience.

With populations exceeding 10 million each, Xi'an and Qingdao are expected to bring a surge of high-value-added overnight tourists to the region.

The scheme, introduced in 2003, allows residents from designated Mainland cities to visit Hong Kong independently. Initially introduced in four Guangdong cities, the scheme expanded gradually, encompassing 49 Mainland cities by 2007.