The measure to increase the duty-free allowance for visitors entering the Chinese mainland from Hong Kong was extended to all ports on Thursday, after being introduced at limited ports one month ago.
On July 1, the central government raised the duty-free allowance for items brought into the mainland from 5,000 yuan ($690) to 12,000 yuan, with an additional allowance of 3,000 yuan for goods purchased at ports with duty-free stores.
Welcoming the expansion of the measure, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said in a statement on Thursday that the increased allowance is conducive to “enriching the shopping experience of mainland residents during their visits to Hong Kong, boosting the development of diversified tourism and stimulating Hong Kong’s retail business.”
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It also said it would continue to promote the measure and support the travel and retail trades by organizing various promotional events to attract more overnight visitors to Hong Kong and to encourage them to increase their consumption.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board last month launched a summer promotional event — Summer Chill Hong Kong — and distributed 500,000 packages of Summer Triple Rewards for sightseeing, transport, dining and consumption discounts to inbound overnight visitors.
In the first half of 2024, the HKTB recorded about 21 million arrivals in Hong Kong, representing a year-on-year increase of around 60 percent, of whom more than 70 percent were from the mainland.
Short-term frequent travelers who travel between the mainland and Hong Kong or Macao more than once within 15 days are not eligible for the duty-free allowances measure, Shenzhen customs reminded travelers.
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Moreover, all of Macao’s entry border checkpoints to the mainland (except for the "first-line" checkpoint on Hengqin Island) are also included in the upgrade.
Contact the writer at grace@chinadailyhk.com
