Survey: HK retail industry supports reimplementation of ‘multiple-entry’ for Shenzhen residents

Hong Kong’s retail industry believes the resumption of issuing “multiple-entry” permits (一簽多行) to Shenzhen residents would benefit the economic recovery of the retail sector.  

Hong Kong Department Stores and Commercial Staff General Union, a union affiliated with the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, conducted a survey between 28 December 2023 and 5 January 2024, interviewing members in the form of an online questionnaire to understand their opinions on the above measure, and 392 valid responses were received.

According to the survey, almost 70% of interviewees support reinstating the issuance of the “multiple-entry” visas, while over 60% of them agree that such a policy would be able support to the local retail industry. 

However, the survey concluded that merely reinstating the policy may not be able to demonstrate a significant economic impact as in the past as the Chinese retail and tourism industries continue to develop and diversify. 

As such, the union called on authorities to emphasise more on the uniqueness of Hong Kong in terms of tourism experiences, societal specialties and product qualities, to further incentivise tourists to visit Hong Kong. 

Additionally, the union said that it received negative comments from various tourists regarding Hong Kong’s tourist spots as “never changing” (十年不變) and “the notable ones have been visited” (要去的都去過了). As such, the union advised that apart from hosting short-term festive events, it’s important to avoid the “homogenisation” of different districts so that tourists would find new experiences during each visit. 

Citing capacity and parallel trading issues due to an increased number of mainland tourists, Hong Kong’s government suspended the “multiple-entry” policy in 2015 and replaced it with a “one trip per week” policy. The reinstatement of the policy would lift such travel restrictions on Shenzhen residents.  

Apart from the reinstatement, the union said the government should closely monitor the flow of pedestrians, obstructions to the roads, transportation capacity, as well as inflation concerns as the number of tourists increases. 

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