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Thursday, August 15, 2019, 14:16
Hong Kong hotels in crisis as protests deter mainland visitors
By Bloomberg
Thursday, August 15, 2019, 14:16 By Bloomberg

This undated photo shows a view of the Conrad hotel and Shangri-la hotel amid other office buildings in Hong Kong. (XAUME OLLEROS / BLOOMBERG)

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s hotel industry is struggling with a collapse in bookings after thousands of protesters shut down flights from the territory’s airport this week in an escalation of months of clashes with police.

Revenue from room sales is set to plunge as much as 50% this month, according to Yiu Si-wing, a Hong Kong lawmaker representing the tourism industry who said visits from the Chinese mainland that usually account for 80% of arrivals are down most as people fear for their safety.

The slump will deal a further blow to an economy that’s already contracting after months of unrest and fallout from the US-China trade dispute. Yiu said hotel occupancy rates that averaged 90% in the first half will fall by a third or more and that arrivals from the mainland could slow to a trickle.

Revenue from room sales is set to plunge as much as 50% this month, according to Yiu Si-wing, a Hong Kong lawmaker representing the tourism industry who said visits from the Chinese mainland that usually account for 80% of arrivals are down most as people fear for their safety

READ MORE: Finance secretary: HK economy under pressure

“The impact on tourism is huge,” he said in an interview, estimating that half of mainland visitors due in August are likely to cancel or defer their plans. Yiu cited factors such as a reported attack by protesters on a man suspected of being a security agent from the nearby city of Shenzhen. The incident was the top-trending topic on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Jason Wong Chun-tat, chairman of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong told China Daily the travel industry was facing unprecedented difficulties arising from the controversy over the now-defunct extradition bill. 

ALSO READ: HK travel sector facing unusual difficulties

He said the sector expects the SAR government to offer short-term relief measures to lift them out of the hardship. In the long term, he hopes to see publicity campaigns being launched overseas about the latest situation in Hong Kong to offset the negative image the ongoing protests have brought to the city.

Mainland residents planning trips to Hong Kong expressed concern about the risks of traveling through the airport.

Grace Huang, a 20-year-old Wuhan University student, said she was reconsidering a one-day layover in the territory on her return from a visit to Canada. “I fear I’m going to be beaten,” she told Bloomberg by telephone.

Beijing resident Jasmine Ji, 23, said she’d delay a trip to Hong Kong to complete an application for permanent residency in a city where she previously graduated from university.

“I won’t fly to Hong Kong airport until the situation and protests are settled there,” she said.

The protests, which have raged since June, entered a new phase this week as they shut down one of Asia’s busiest hubs, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights. Demonstrators who initially hit the streets to oppose a now-shelved extradition bill, now have a host of demands.

InterContinental Hotels Group Plc, the UK owner of the Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn chains, said the protests contributed to a slowdown in business travel in China. The company’s stock is down almost 10% from a record reached at the end of July.

Other companies with exposure to Hong Kong are also getting hit. Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd, owner of the Four Seasons, and New World Development Co, which runs hotels including the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, have seen their shares fall more than 20% from last month’s highs.

ALSO READ: Mainland companies reconsider IPOs as HK unrest persists

Room rates in Hong Kong are falling as a result of mounting safety concerns, according to Yiu.

A standard room this weekend at the upscale Conrad Hotel, owned by Hilton Worldwide, is priced at HK$1,530 (US$195) - more than 40% cheaper than the same booking two months later, according to prices on its website. Conrad didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Websites for hotels owned by Marriott International Inc and Shangri-La Asia Ltd showed similar discounts.

“The recent travel advisories and warnings issued by several countries have caused some cancellations from our overseas leisure, group and corporate guests,” a Shangri-La Group spokesman said. “We have also seen a decline in the number of local patrons coming to our restaurants and outlets.”

ALSO READ: HK's hotel woes likely to get even worse

The tourism sector is one of the hardest-hit by the ongoing protests, which have caused Hong Kong’s economy to contract 0.3% from the previous quarter. Retail sales by value tumbled for a fifth straight month in June and sentiment among small and medium-sized enterprises have plummeted to record lows.

The MSCI Hong Kong index of stocks has suffered a 10-day losing streak, its worst since 1984.

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