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Visa waivers to boost Guangzhou air travel

Guangzhou’s aviation industry is likely to gain ground on Hong Kong as transit flyers can soon land in the Guangdong capital for three days without a visa.

Victor Cheung

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Guangzhou’s aviation industry is likely to gain ground on Hong Kong as transit flyers can soon land in the Guangdong capital for three days without a visa.

The State Council has reportedly approved a scheme to grant visitors who transit in Baiyun airport 72-hour visa waivers for travel within Guangdong.

The policy will be implemented next month, Guangzhou-based Information Times said. It predicts the move will boost the short-term tourism industry following similar policies in Beijing and Shanghai.

The move may also post a challenge to Hong Kong’s position as the dominant regional aviation hub, according to Law Cheung-kwok, director of aviation policy and research at Chinese University.

“Passengers, especially those in business who use to transit in Hong Kong, might switch to using Guangzhou, for either cost or convenience. As direct trade between the mainland and the world intensifies, more and more people may want to go to the mainland rather than work offshore in Hong Kong.”

He said while international flights to and from Guangzhou are limited now, the airport is expanding, with a third runway expected to be in service in 2015 and a second terminal up and running by 2016. The airport carried 48 million passengers last year, up 7 percent from 2011.

Hong Kong’s airport carried 56.5 million passengers last year, up 4.7 percent, with more than a third being transit flyers.

“In contrast, Hong Kong’s third runway is still under public debate, and even if it could start building today, it will take about 10 years to complete,” Law said.

The SAR holds 80 percent of the market share in handling Pearl River Delta’s international air traffic, but according to the Hong Kong 2030 master plan, the figure will drop to 65 percent in the face of strong competition from cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

The Hong Kong Airport Authority said while it awaits the formal announcement of Guangzhou’s measure, it does not believe there will be a substantial impact to the city’s air traffic (CTA: and Pigs can fly).

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