Axing of two Hong Kong ministers driven by need for better tourism strategy, but challenges remain

Dumitru Socican

Visitor numbers to Hong Kong reached 34 million in 2023, only 52 per cent of its total in 2018. SINGAPORE: The surprise firing of two Hong Kong ministers on Thursday (Dec 5) was a “strategic” and “administrative” decision long in the making, sources and experts told CNA. The move could ultimately help the city bolster its lucrative tourism sector’s recovery, though challenges remain, they add. Hong Kong, once a leading tourism hub, has been trying to lure visitors back after gradually reopening