'Hotel Bookings Also Needed For Dec 21 Arrivals'

The government on Sunday announced travellers arriving in Hong Kong on December 21 will also be subject to new rules – which take effect a day later – requiring inbound travellers to have made a booking at one of the city’s 36 designated quarantine hotels.

The government said this is to “avoid confusion”, pointing out that travellers expected to arrive on December 21 may have their flights delayed or have to wait longer than expected for Covid-19 test results.

Authorities say that from December 22, inbound travellers can only stay at the designated hotels which will only be used for quarantine purposes to prevent cross infections.

Meanwhile, the government also said some of these designated hotels can start operating for quarantine purposes as early as December 18, once they have completed preparatory work and met all infection control requirements.

"Since the announcement of the Designated Quarantine Hotel Scheme, some designated hotels indicated to the government that they would be able to complete their preparatory work and start operating as a designated quarantine hotel earlier,” a government spokesman said.

“From infection control angle, the government welcomes the proposal as it will minimise the risk of contact between the quarantine guests and the local community.”

The government will arrange designated transport to take travellers from the airport and a testing centre in Tsing Yi to the hotels they have booked.