Hong Kong Drops Most Of Its Covid Entry Restrictions For Tourists

In an effort to boost its tourist economy and attract travelers, Hong Kong has made the decision to eliminate most of its Covid restrictions. This marks a significant shift after nearly three years of strict Covid measures for tourists.

International tourists are no longer required to hold a Vaccine Pass or undergo mandatory on-arrival testing.

As a Special Administrative Region of China, Hong Kong has had relative autonomous power and maintained strict lockdown and curfew rules during the pandemic.

John Lee, the leader of Hong Kong, announced these changes ahead of the New Year, looking towards 2023 in hopes of regaining its international status and aligning with other global financial hubs in Asia.

Hong Kong is following in the footsteps of China, which recently reopened its economy and ended the cycle of lockdowns in urban centers and its quarantine policy.

Despite a recent spike in cases on the mainland, Hong Kong has eased its restrictions.

As of December 29, the following measures apply to tourists arriving in Hong Kong:

• No Vaccine Pass
• No more Covid testing on arrival
• No isolation for close contacts of infected individuals
• No post-arrival quarantine
• No more mandatory testing between days 0 and 5

Travelers can now enjoy the fact that they are not required to show a Provisional Vaccine Pass upon arrival and undergo several Rapid Antigen Tests for the first five days of their stay. If a tourist receives a positive result within that five-day window, they were previously required to quarantine until a negative test result.

Lee also confirmed that vaccination status will no longer be an official requirement for entry into Hong Kong.

The only remaining measure is a pre-departure test as per The U.S. Consulate for Hong Kong. This means a PCR test within 48 hours of arrival or a Rapid Antigen test 24 hours before boarding.