Shore facilities key to unlocking Hong Kong yacht tourism potential: industry

The success of yacht tourism in Hong Kong partly depends on the availability of shoreside facilities, industry insiders have said, as they called the current lack of convenient landing points for passengers a major obstacle to maximising spending.

Lawrence Chow, chairman of the Hong Kong Boating Industry Association, told a radio show on Tuesday that the government’s plan to allow visiting yachts to anchor freely in five designated areas was a “good start” and a move in the right direction.

He noted that the industry strongly supported the relaxation of entry requirements, which previously demanded that visiting yachts reserve a spot at a private club or terminal.

“Previously, we essentially had no capacity at the yacht clubs, which meant many captains and yachts were unable to enter Hong Kong because they lacked a place to berth,” Chow said.

“The new freedom to anchor will make it easier and encourage more people to bring their vessels to Hong Kong.”

In his policy address last month, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu outlined plans to develop Hong Kong’s yacht tourism.