Hong Kong planning marketing blitz to revive tourism by July

The impact of the novel coronavirus on Hong Kong’s tourism sector is unprecedented and the city can hope to start seeing things returning to normal by July, in part by trying to develop new markets, the head of the tourism board told Reuters. The coronavirus crisis has paralysed the global financial hub’s economy, which was already reeling from months of anti-government protests, with travel restrictions to curb the spread of infection grinding tourism to a halt. Dane Cheng, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, said it would focus on boosting local consumer spending and promoting the city to new markets such as India and Vietnam and to Muslim tourists. The tourism sector accounts for about 4.5% of Hong Kong’s gross domestic product and employs around 260,000 people.