The rush of mainland visitors in the “golden weeks” boosts Hong Kong’s tourism, but also causes problems, like overcrowding in some hot tourist attractions, and damage to places of interest.

A new proposal for statutory holidays posted on-line by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has raised controversy in the mainland. But in Hong Kong, the government departments involved in tourism, travel agencies and merchants related to the industry remain calm about the adjustment.

On November 1, the NDRC posted a proposal on its official website to collect public opinions about reforming public holidays. The plan suggested that the legal holiday for May Day would be cut to one day from the original seven days.

The six days left over would be used for other traditional Chinese festivals, for example, Tomb-Sweeping Day, the Dragon-Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Day.

Dr Li Sung-ko, an economics professor in Hong Kong Baptist University, said that the new proposal would disappoint tourists from northern provinces of Mainland China because it would be a long and rushed trip for them to travel from their home to Hong Kong within a day.

“However,” Dr. Li added, “the number of tourists from neighbouring areas, like Guangdong Province, would not be influenced even if the proposal comes into effect. Because ‘golden weeks’ are not the major visiting days for travelers in these districts.”

Government officers thought that the new adjustment would not have any negative impact on Hong Kong tourism.

“With the development of the Individual Visit Scheme, which has been implemented in 49 cities in the mainland, tourists from Mainland China tend to visit Hong Kong frequently because of the convenient procedure, especially those from the Guangdong province,” said Ms Hui Pui-shuen, the spokeswoman for the Tourism Commission.

“A lot of tourists come here on ordinary weekends, to avoid the crowded public holidays.”

Ms Hui thought that tourists could enjoy more flexibility in planing their traveling schedules and some tourism services in Hong Kong, like hotels, entertainment facilities, would be under less pressure after canceling the original holiday week for Labor Day.

Merchandisers were optimistic towards this new plan and thought that it would have little effect on their business.

Mr Cheung, a shopkeeper who sells paper money and incense to burn for the dead in Wong Tai Sin, said, “There is a large number of visitors here every day, not only on some traditional festivals or holidays, so I think the plan will not affect my business.”

Ms Lo, the General Manager of a Fortress branch in Mong Kok, said they did not worry about the new plan because it was still uncertain and their customers were from all around the world, not just Mainland China.

Ms Hui said that Mr Frederick Ma Si-hang, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development led a delegation comprising representatives from the Tourism Commission, Hong Kong Tourism Board and Travel Industry Council to an annual meeting with the chairman and officials of China National Tourism Administration on November 14.

Edited by JENNY ZHENG JIALING