Hong Kong bets on eGames to boost tourism numbers

As overall visitor numbers dropped 4.5%.

South China Morning Post reported that travel restrictions on Shenzhen permanent residents visiting Hong Kong had “a greater and longer” adverse impact on the city’s tourist arrival figures than expected last year, according to a senior Hong Kong Tourism Board official.

Executive director Anthony Lau Chun-hon said on Wednesday that the number of Shenzhen visitors with a one-visit-per-week permit declined 29.4 per cent to 8.88 million people last year from 2015. This dragged down overall visitor numbers to Hong Kong by 4.5 per cent to 56.65 million people last year.

"To boost tourism, Lam added, the board was in talks with relevant parties on the mainland and in Taiwan to bring eGames – competitive international e-sports video gaming – to Hong Kong," said SCMP in the report.

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