Mandatory COVID-19 tests for travel to and from Hong Kong, and the daily quota on the number of people who can cross border control points, are set to be scrapped this coming Tuesday, February 7, 2023. 

Three more control points along the Hong Kong-Chinese mainland border, including the Luohu control point in Shenzhen, will also start reopening on February 6. 

Hong Kong media outlet The Standard has reported that the Shenzhen Jinluohu Commercial City Property Management Company Ltd. issued a statement to merchants around the control point urging them to open Monday, February 6. 

A merchant at the Luohu control point told Sing Tao Daily that “the quota for cross-border travel and COVID-19 test requirements will be dropped starting from February 7,” after meeting officials from the Shenzhen municipal government on Wednesday, as reported in The Standard. 

Public transport workers, Immigration Department officers, customs and police are also preparing for the reported reopening. 

On Tuesday, January 31, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee said that details of the abandonment of COVID-19 testing and quotas between the HKSAR and the Chinese mainland would be announced soon.

The news coincides with Lees’ government preparing to unveil a HKD2 billion campaign aimed to boost tourism, business and investment in the SAR. 

The campaign will include 500,000 free airline tickets for visitors and city residents. 

In 2022, Hong Kong’s economy shrunk by a worse-than-expected 3.5% due to the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent strict pandemic restrictions. However, experts have predicted a strong recovery for the city since the lifting of said restrictions.

Luohu Port, previously the busiest land border crossing point between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, is also home to Luohu Commercial City, a market for designer clothes, electronics and more.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a catastrophic effect on the market, virtually rendering it a ghost town. 

READ MORE: How COVID Destroyed This Once-Thriving Market

[Cover image via That’s/Alistair Baker-Brian]