Clement Kwok, the company’s CEO, said that while Hong Kong continued to be affected by “weaker long-haul travel,” there were “positive signs of recovery.”
“An increasing number of overseas visitors to Hong Kong have realized that Hong Kong remains an attractive destination for both business and leisure travellers,” Kwok said.
Most of the 23 million visitors who came to Hong Kong between January and August travelled from mainland China, while fewer than 2 million came from long-haul markets, including the United States, Canada and Australia. This was about 1 million fewer long-haul tourists than in the same time period of 2019.
Across town in Central, the city’s business district, the Upper House is a five-star hotel with serene, minimalist interiors and rooms that start at US$600 a night. The property has tried to lure guests with offers such as complimentary extra nights and curated wellness experiences.
“It has taken time for international tourism to come back to Hong Kong,” said Kristina Snaith-Lense, the hotel’s general manager. “Our No. 1 long-haul leisure market is the US, followed by the UK. And it’s coming. It’s just slower than anyone anticipated.”
AIRLINES SLOW TO RESTORE SERVICE
During the pandemic, global airlines drastically cut flights connecting Hong Kong to the rest of the world. Airlines have been slow to restore service.
The number of seats between Hong Kong and everywhere else is down 18 per cent this October, compared with the same month five years ago, according to Cirium, an aviation data company. But the drops to and from certain regions are startling: a 34 per cent decline in seats for connections to North America and a 41 per cent decrease in those to Europe.
Some airlines, like Lufthansa, have slashed the number of seats by more than 60 per cent. British Airways, which flies 42 per cent fewer seats now than in 2019, is halving service from London to Hong Kong. (A spokesperson for British Airways told The South China Morning Post that operating costs had risen because of the closure of Russian airspace.)
Others, like American Airlines, haven’t resumed flights to Hong Kong. The airline discontinued service in December 2021, citing soft demand in Asia.
However, United Airlines, currently the only US carrier with flights to Hong Kong, will soon operate more flights than it did before the pandemic. Later this month, it will offer a second flight from Los Angeles, in addition to two daily flights operating from San Francisco.
Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president for global network planning and alliances, said that the additional flights to Hong Kong would give customers more flexibility.
“Coming out of the pandemic, the increased service will provide more connectivity and optionality to one of the world’s premier business destinations,” Quayle said.
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways, which has struggled with pilot shortages, said it aimed to have all of its pre-pandemic flights back by early 2025 and would be increasing the number of flights between Hong Kong and North America next year. And ongoing work on a third runway system at Hong Kong International Airport, which would significantly boost the airport’s capacity, is scheduled for completion by the end of this year.
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