Page 6 - Retailers_2014_Summer

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事實上，政府一直未有完整統計內地開放自由行旅遊對香 港整體的貢獻，只是簡單的以旅遊業佔本地生產總值約 4.7%來計算。這顯然是低估了旅遊業對香港經濟、就業 等各個環節的貢獻了，單單是統計處的數字也顯示，自 由行在過去10年，最低限度為零售行業製造了10萬個就 業，僱員的收入增長也明顯上升。

因此，一旦按特首的說法削減自由行數目，對香港多個經 濟環節如運輸物流、旅遊、零售、餐飲和貿易等行業都會 構成衝擊，更甚是會令大量從業員失業，而這幾個行業的 從業員入行門檻向來較低，要他/她們轉行談何容易！

自由行遊客對北區居民日常生活構成的困擾，是可以理解 的。由於這些困擾主要是經常往返香港的深圳居民、本地 和內地的水貨客，因此，政府大可以針對這些“客商＂採 取一些措施，例如將一日多行改為一日一行，對每天往返 多次的本地居民設立“專用通道＂等。

明白有不少同業希望現行的自由行政策不要出現任何變 化，但目前內地開放自由行的城市僅49個，經過這些年 相信想來港自由行的都來過了！反觀未曾開放的城市中， 不少都是高消費城市，如東北的哈爾濱、山東的青島等 等。因此，今日自由行對香港構成的負面反應以及香港的 承受力等問題不獲得紓緩的話，要國家對更多城市開放自 由行更是困難！因此，為了未來更大的發展潛力，刻下， 同業應該共同思考，有何良法去紓解目前的局面和共同催 逼政府提升旅遊設施和接待能力才是善法！

對於將會出現的“佔領中環＂行動，儘管商界已經進行部 署以減少影響，但對於必須依靠外來遊客和舖面去經營的 零售業肯定有影響；加上近期的遊行活動往往演變為激烈 行動，相信影響會較原先估計的為大。就此，本人計劃與 其他商界人士攜手，在公眾媒體表達反對“佔領中環＂這 類激烈和影響香港經濟發展的行動，希望屆時能夠獲得各 同業的支持。

改變本來是好事，但在爭取過程中，如果損害了香港的優 勢，包括社會的和諧、穩定和經濟的發展，受害的是香港 的每一個人。因此，衷心希望各位在任何時候都能夠保持 理性和以大局為重！

As a matter of fact, the Government has not compiled any detailed statistics on the overall contributions generated by IVS. If one looks superficially at the 4.7% GPD value created by tourism, we are under estimating the positive impact of the trade on Hong Kong's economy including employment and other areas. Census & Statistics Department's own data showed that IVS had created and sustained 100,000 jobs and income of this work force had also risen considerably.

Therefore if and when the proposal to cut down on IVS is implemented, the repercussions would be strongly felt in many aspects of the economy including tourism, retail, logistics and transportation, food and beverage as well as trade. As the job qualifications required for these sectors are relatively low, switching jobs for redundant employees would not be easy. The IVS has created nuisances to residents in the New Territories North and this is understandable. Since such nuisance was mainly caused by frequent travellers who live in Shenzhen and local /Mainland traders of parallel goods, the Government could consider measures that specifically target at these "commercial" travellers such as restricting the frequency of border crossing for these visitors from multi to single trip and the setting up of a special counter at the border catering for Hong Kong residents who had to make repeated trips to cross the border daily. It is understandable that many in the retail trade would not want to see any changes to the IVS. So far the Scheme is opened only to 49 Mainland cities and those who want to visit Hong Kong have probably done so already. We should aim for those high-spending consumers from more remote provinces such as Harbin in the Nor theast or Tsingtao in Shandong Province etc. But if we were unable to demonstrate to Beijing that we were address ing the general sent iment agains t Mainland visitors, the IVS would not be further extended to those provinces. We therefore should put our heads together to look for ways to deal with the problem in front of us and urge the Hong Kong Government to urgently improve the tourist facilities and our capability to receive visitors.

The Occupy Central threat will definitely adversely impact on the retail trade which relies on shop fronts to generate business. Lately, we were seeing increasingly agitated public demonstrations and this could have greater impact that we had expected. I am planning to join hands with others in the business community to express objection to the Occupy Central campaign and I hope this would be supported by those in the wholesale and retail sectors.

Making changes should be good but if we upset the harmony of the community and affect the economic stability of Hong Kong, everyone will be a loser. I sincerely hope that for the greater good of all, everyone would remain rational.