Hong Kong’s restaurants are expecting business to fall by 25 per cent from usual levels this Easter weekend due to an exodus of residents, but some of the pain will be offset by an increase in the number of mainland Chinese customers, an industry leader has said.
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The prediction on Friday came as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu visited the fishing village of Tai O, where he offered assurances to businesses that he was determined to improve the economy.
Crowds thronged border crossings as the four-day holiday began, with more than 656,000 outbound trips recorded on Friday.
“We can see that the number of people leaving Hong Kong far exceeds those coming in,” Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said. “I predict a drop of 25 per cent in business compared to usual periods.
“However, this is not as bad as last year, which saw a drop in business of over 30 per cent.”
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Wong said two factors would contribute to a slightly better performance this year: an increase in the number of mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong and a greater willingness among residents to spend.