Relaxed Covid Rules Help Some Businesses, Not All'

The hospitality sector on Thursday welcomed the relaxation of social distancing rules, saying it will hopefully finally improve their income.

Eateries can now provide dine-in service from 6pm-10pm for the first time since the Omicron outbreak began in early January.

Wong Kit-lung, who heads the Institution of Dining Art, said his group's restaurants are almost fully booked for the next two weeks – which bring businesses almost back to pre-pandemic level.

But he told a Commercial Radio programme that since only four people are allowed per table, traditional Chinese restaurants may not benefit as much – even though they can now host banquets for a maximum of 20 guests.

"If the 20 people have to sit at five tables, not everyone would rush to make a booking for Chinese restaurants – even for Mothers' Day," he said.

The relaxation of Covid rules also means local tours can return, with the Travel Industry Council saying it’s received some 70 agencies’ applications to host them.

Council chair Gianna Hsu said bigger tours are capped at 100 and each client has to do a rapid test beforehand, but the rule does not apply to smaller groups that allow a maximum of 30 people.

But she said on an RTHK programme that local tours alone won't revive the industry without the resumption of cross-border travel.

Meanwhile, the head of the Licensed Massage Association, Chow Chun-yu, said an estimated 2,000 massage parlours are reopening on Thursday, and bookings are quite full for the upcoming week.

He called on the government to allow them to reopen spas and sauna rooms as soon as possible because these are their main source of income.