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Hongkongers urged to visit Mongolia, enjoy its wide open spaces www.scmp.com
Mongolia hopes to add more flights to Hong Kong, increase visa-free travel and boost tourism, the country’s top diplomat in the city has said.
“Hong Kong is one of the largest transport hubs of the Asian region and Mongolians really enjoy using Hong Kong [to get to] other destinations as well,” Consul General Khulan Onkhoon said.
She said she also aimed to promote Mongolia as a destination to more Hong Kong residents, especially those who enjoyed the outdoors and wide open spaces.
In an exclusive interview with the Post, Khulan said state-owned MIAT Mongolian Airlines was planning to expand flights to Hong Kong to two a day next year. It now operates nine flights a week during summer and five a week during winter.
Tourists take in the views from a 40-metre-tall stainless steel statue of Genghis Khan on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. Photo: AP
Tourists take in the views from a 40-metre-tall stainless steel statue of Genghis Khan on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. Photo: AP
She said demand currently exceeded supply, and some travellers found it hard to get seats to Hong Kong. Many Mongolians travelled to India, Australia and Singapore through Hong Kong, she added.
Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways, which code-shares with Mongolian Airlines, sent a delegation to Mongolia over the summer to explore strengthening aviation collaboration, she revealed.
Hong Kong authorities have been pushing to restore the city’s position as a leading aviation hub, after being severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As of last month, eight airlines had agreed to launch 11 new routes under a subsidy scheme managed by the Airport Authority, while Hong Kong International Airport’s HK$141.5 billion three-runway system is scheduled to start operating this month.
On expanding tourism cooperation, Khulan said she hoped to attract more visitors amid a “Go Mongolia” campaign promoting its vast natural scenery and nomadic culture.
One way would be to allow longer visa-free travel.
Hong Kong and Mongolia currently allow up to 14 days of visa-free travel between the two jurisdictions, whereas Macau residents get up to 90 days.
“This two-week visa-free period is sufficient to maintain people-to-people exchanges, but it can be prolonged to develop exchanges further,” she said.
Mongolian businesses were also keen to establish partnerships with Hong Kong tourism operators, she said.
Earlier this year, the consulate hosted its first tourism road show bringing businesses and entrepreneurs together to explore potential for cooperation, and more such events were coming up soon.
Khulan cited statistics showing that more than 16,000 Mongolians visited the city last year, whereas only around 2,400 Hong Kong residents went to her country.
She said she hoped Hongkongers who were keen on hiking and other physical activities would consider visiting her country.
“Mongolia is one of the few countries with untouched nature, and we want to give the opportunity to Hongkongers to visit Mongolia, to experience its untouched nature and feel the fresh air,” she said.
The consulate has also begun bringing more cultural events to Hong Kong.
It took part in the city’s Asia+ Festival over the last two years, and a group of Mongolian artists will hold an exhibition to show and sell their works.
“Hong Kong is not only a financial and investment hub, we also see Hong Kong as a cultural hub,” she said.
BY: Connor Mycroft joined the city desk as a reporter in July 2023 after completing the Post’s year-long Graduate Trainee Programme. Originally from Canada, he spent three years teaching English in mainland China before
Published Date:2024-11-04
