Latest data has revealed that the recent wave of demonstrations in Hong Kong, against the controversial extradition bill, has had the effect of deterring people from making plans to visit the city.
In the four-week period from 16th June – 13th July, which was marked by a two million strong demonstration accompanied by a general strike and riots on 16th June, the siege of police headquarters on 21st June, the storming of the Legislative Council building on 1st July and riot police charging a group of protesters with batons on 7th July, flight bookings to Hong Kong from Asian markets fell by 5.4% on the equivalent period last year.
In the first fortnight (16th – 29th June), bookings fell 9.0% and in the second (30th June – 13th July), 2.2%.
This sharp set-back in bookings reversed a positive trend in which bookings for the first six and a half months of the year were 6.6% up on 2018.
