<轉載自2012年8月29日 明報 社評>
內地宣布6個城市非戶籍居民來港旅遊毋須回原居地辦證,特別是深圳410萬非戶籍居民可以辦理「一簽多行」,使內地潛在來港旅客,一下子多了約1400萬人。這幾年,內地旅客來港持續增加,市民生活已經受到影響,內地再放寬自由行,許多人都認為香港不可能接待那麼多旅客,擔心整體質素會進一步變壞。來港旅客之多,確實在挑戰本港的承受力,不過,就一個旅遊城市而言,出現旅客摩肩接踵、聯袂成蔭景况,應該是夢寐以求的事,然而,承受力仍然是現實問題,政府應該雙管齊下,一方面與內地密切合作,適度調節旅客數量,另一方面要提供足夠配套設施,讓旅客得到物有所值服務的同時,市民生活質素不會被拖低。
市民生活受擠壓 對「旅客大軍」有怨懟
這次6個城市(北京、天津、上海、重慶、廣州和深圳)放寬自由行,其實是內地一項便民措施,讓非戶籍居民毋須返回原居地辦理出境證件,香港是這項便民措施適用地區之一,並非內地刻意放寬來港自由行。事實上,內地旅客對本港所造成影響,不但本港居民有切身感受,內地當局也了解情况,所以,過去一段時間已經沒有增加居民可以自由行來港的城市數目,以免香港吃不消。
2003年SARS重創香港經濟,當時不少人擔心香港一沉不起,此際內地開放自由行,讓部分城市居民自行來港旅遊,成為香港經濟一顆還魂丹,隨着更多城市居民來港自由行,對香港經濟復蘇和持續發展,起到實質推動作用。這個自由行復蘇經濟模式,台灣馬英九政府也在仿效。內地旅客自由行對香港經濟的貢獻,無可置疑,不過,香港各項設施,原來只為約700萬市民設計和提供服務,現在數以千萬計內地旅客不同程度地佔用,所起到擠壓效應,在一些層面已出現喧賓奪主情况,市民不僅感受到,不少人更有怨言。
事實上,市民日常生活都受到大量旅客的影響,例如一些購物熱點已被旅客佔據,本港居民購物因為不夠豪氣,被零售業者冷眼看待;港鐵車廂擠塞,特別假日和長假期為然;至於茶餐廳因為生意好而加價、旅客搶購奶粉和日用品,使價格上漲,也是不少市民的親身體會。職是之故,近年不少市民對內地旅客有抗拒情緒,今次內地的便民措施適用於香港,有團體遂要求政府拒絕這些內地旅客。
香港是一個旅遊城市,理應期望旅客愈多愈好,這樣才生意興旺,經濟活躍,外國不少城市對旅客求而不可得之際,香港卻要閉門拒客,在全球旅遊板塊,可謂咄咄怪事。不少人說香港是福地,就旅遊這一塊,說明香港得天獨厚的優越地位。目前擺在政府、業者和市民面前的問題,並非惆悵不夠生意,而是盤算如何以有限的設施,接待更多旅客,賺取更多收入和惠及香港經濟而已。所以,香港面對的是不一般的問題,而是happy problem,一個使人愉悅的困擾。
強化承受力 盤算為市民 政府要善用旅遊推動經濟
雖然如此,在盡量接待旅客的同時,政府有責任維持高質素服務,保持市民享有的生活質素。按目前情况和旅遊業可預見前景,有5點值得政府注意。
第一,政府要面對和接受香港承受力有限的事實,在各項設施有進展之前,暫時不應再催促內地開放更多城市居民來港自由行,以免出現一些服務爆煲和帶來不可預估的事故。
第二,目前每日來港內地旅客,平均約10萬人,過境通道擠塞,旅客排隊耗時愈來愈長,若要旅客對港第一印象良好,入境過關時間必須適度,因此,過境設施要改善,處理人手要足夠。
第三,政府要規劃適度分散旅客人流。基於購物是內地旅客重點節目,政府可藉規劃,引導發展商在全港各區設立更多大型商場,並且區分一定檔次,讓各類消費能力的旅客有落腳點,減輕目前旅客過度集中少數鬧區,形成人潮擁擠的情况。這個也是發展地區經濟的出路,例如,近年東鐵線的上水等地區,因為內地人士跨境購物日多,區內商業活動已經轉型,這種模式,若引導到西鐵沿線,則天水圍等地區經濟也有望發展起來,可解決天水圍居民長途跋涉到市區上班等問題。
第四,鑑於旅客消費、購物,一定程度確抬高了物價,影響一般市民的生活,房委會應該思考維持旗下商場的傳統商舖,讓商戶在較合理租金下經營,減輕對普羅階層的衝擊。
第五,近年內地人熱中來港買樓、孕婦來港分娩等揭示的問題,反映政府有必要思考制訂政策措施,確保本地居民優先得到服務,方向應該是分隔市場,簡而言之,在一些環節設立「二元市場」,讓本地居民無虞或缺,例如規定永久居民有優先購買奶粉的權利等,以消弭市民對旅客的怨懟和矛盾。
Editorial
HK Plagued by a "Happy Problem"
THE mainland authorities have announced that non-permanent residents in six cities will be allowed to visit Hong Kong without having to return to their home provinces to make their applications. Shenzhen's 4.1 million non-permanent residents can even apply for multiple visits. So all of a sudden Hong Kong's potential visitors have increased by 14 million.
The relaxation of travel permit rules for the six cities (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen) is in fact a measure introduced for the benefit of the mainland people, allowing these cities' non-permanent residents to apply for exit permits without returning to their home provinces. Hong Kong is just one of the areas affected by this policy. The relaxation is not intended especially for Hong Kong.
In 2003, SARS dealt a reeling blow to Hong Kong economically, which left many people wondering whether our economy would ever recover. It was then that the mainland authorities introduced the Individual Visit Scheme, which allowed residents in certain cities to visit Hong Kong on an individual basis, and effectively restored Hong Kong's economic health.
However, Hong Kong's various facilities are designed for the use of about seven million residents only. Now, with tens of millions of mainland visitors sharing these facilities to a greater or lesser extent, Hong Kong residents are feeling that in some respects their entitlements are being encroached upon, and many are not slow to express their dissatisfaction with the situation. This explains why the mainland's latest relaxation of travel controls has led to concerns about its possible effects on Hong Kong, and activist groups are calling on the government not to accept more mainland visitors.
Hong Kong is a tourist city, and as such should try to attract as many visitors as possible. Only then can we do more business and further develop our economy. It can therefore be said that Hong Kong is faced with a problem we should be happy about.
While trying to entertain as many visitors as possible, the government must see to it that they enjoy good service, and Hong Kong citizens' quality of life should not suffer. There are five points the government should pay particular attention to.
First, the government should recognise and accept the fact that Hong Kong's capacity to receive visitors is limited. Before improvements have been made to various facilities, the mainland authorities should not be urged to expand the Individual Visit Scheme to allow more city dwellers on the mainland to come to Hong Kong.
Second, with an average of some 100,000 mainlanders visiting Hong Kong every day, the border crossings are very crowded. The cross-border facilities therefore have to be upgraded.
Third, there must be plans to distribute visitors to different locations. As shopping is a major attraction for visitors from the mainland, the government can through proper urban planning have developers establish more big shopping malls in each and every district in Hong Kong, so that mainland visitors will not flood the downtown areas and make them even more crowded.
Fourth, as tourist consumption and shopping is certain to lead to a general rise in prices and affect the livelihood of the ordinary citizen, the Hong Kong Housing Authority should let the traditional stores in its malls continue to operate at reasonable rents, so that the impact on the grass-roots community may be softened.
Fifth, in recent years, mainlanders have been snapping up properties in Hong Kong, and mainland women have been flocking to Hong Kong to give births. This shows that the government should introduce policies and measures to ensure that, where resources are limited, priority should be given to Hong Kong residents. For instance, Hong Kong permanent residents should have the priority to purchase milk powder. This can help dispel the public's dislike for mainland visitors and resolve the conflicts between them.
明報社評 2012.08.29﹕彈丸之地百川匯聚 Happy Problem困擾香江
內地宣布6個城市非戶籍居民來港旅遊毋須回原居地辦證,特別是深圳410萬非戶籍居民可以辦理「一簽多行」,使內地潛在來港旅客,一下子多了約1400萬人。
這次6個城市(北京、天津、上海、重慶、廣州和深圳)放寬自由行,其實是內地一項便民措施,讓非戶籍居民毋須返回原居地辦理出境證件,香港是這項便民措施適用地區之一,並非內地刻意放寬來港自由行。
2003年SARS重創香港經濟,當時不少人擔心香港一沉不起,此際內地開放自由行,讓部分城市居民自行來港旅遊,成為香港經濟一顆還魂丹。
不過,香港各項設施,原來只為約700萬市民設計和提供服務,現在數以千萬計內地旅客不同程度地佔用,在一些層面已出現喧賓奪主情况,市民不僅感受到,不少人更有怨言。今次內地的便民措施適用於香港,有團體遂要求政府拒絕這些內地旅客。
香港是一個旅遊城市,理應期望旅客愈多愈好,這樣才生意興旺,經濟活躍。所以,香港面對的是不一般的問題,而是happy problem,一個使人愉悅的困擾。
在盡量接待旅客的同時,政府有責任維持高質素服務,保持市民享有的生活質素。有5點值得政府注意。
第一,政府要面對和接受香港承受力有限的事實,在各項設施有進展之前,暫時不應再催促內地開放更多城市居民來港自由行。
第二,目前每日來港內地旅客,平均約10萬人,過境通道擠塞,因此,過境設施要改善。
第三,政府要規劃適度分散旅客人流。基於購物是內地旅客重點節目,政府可藉規劃,引導發展商在全港各區設立更多大型商場,減輕目前旅客過度集中少數鬧區,形成人潮擁擠的情况。
第四,鑑於旅客消費、購物,一定程度確抬高了物價,影響一般市民的生活,房委會應該思考維持旗下商場的傳統商舖,讓商戶在較合理租金下經營,減輕對普羅階層的衝擊。
第五,近年內地人熱中來港買樓、孕婦來港分娩等揭示的問題,反映政府有必要思考制訂政策措施,確保本地居民優先得到服務,例如規定永久居民有優先購買奶粉的權利等,以消弭市民對旅客的怨懟和矛盾。