Budget pleases tourism bosses, but more help welcome
Tourism sector bodies have mostly welcomed initiatives for the industry in the government's budget, although some want more help as firms recover as the pandemic eases. Financial Secretary Paul Chan announced in his blueprint on Wednesday that licensed travel agencies and firms providing passenger transport services can benefit from a 100-percent loan guarantee scheme expected to be worth some HK$2.7 billion. The Tourism Board is also getting extra funding of about HK$200 million to step up efforts to stage international meetings, conventions and exhibitions to attract high value-added visitors to the city. The Travel Industry Council on Thursday said it generally agrees with and supports the budget, and that plenty of resources are being allocated for attracting visitors. But it expressed disappointment that the government isn't setting up a fund to help with the trade's resumption of business. "There is not enough help to support the sector in resuming business and facing difficulties. In fact, our trade is still in the early stages of recovery, and our sector is facing problems such as cash flow and staff recruitment," the council said in a statement. Tourism sector lawmaker Perry Yiu agreed with the council, also noting that the government doesn't have any measures to support hotels. He said officials should also help improve the tourism sector's capacity to receive tourists. For its part, the trade's regulator, the Travel Industry Authority, said measures in the budget provide tourism practitioners with a favourable business environment and give full impetus to the industry in its recovery.   The Tourism Board, meanwhile, thanked the government for earmarking resources for it to stage and support mega events.