Xiangjiang Guanlan: Hong Kong People's "Going North" Consumption Becomes a New Trend | West Kowloon | Hong Kong | Xiangjiang
Hong Kong, August 19th (China News Agency) Question: Xiangjiang Guanlan: Hong Kong people's "northward" consumption has become a new trend
China News Agency reporter Xiang Luping
A few months ago, a photo became popular in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. A number of passengers from different directions in the MTR carriage came back to Hong Kong from Shenzhen with "Master Bao" Dim sum. That was the early stage of the comprehensive resumption of personnel exchanges between the two places after the epidemic, and this phenomenon of "reverse shopping", which was different from before the epidemic, was quickly spread as a new thing and became a topic of discussion in people's leisure time.
To this day, the phenomenon of Hong Kong residents heading north for consumption has not only not decreased, but has also formed a new trend. According to data from the Hong Kong Immigration Department, the number of Hong Kong visitors to the mainland in July exceeded 4.68 million, far exceeding the 2.97 million mainland visitors during the same period. Hong Kong media and social media platforms have emerged with many guides sharing how to eat, drink, and have fun in mainland China.
Objectively speaking, prices in Hong Kong are generally higher than those in mainland China. Coupled with the recent weakening of the renminbi against the Hong Kong dollar, it is natural for Hong Kong people to pursue cost-effectiveness and consume in cities within Guangdong Province such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Zhuhai. There are many options for dining in mainland China, with good quality and affordable prices. Hong Kong people, who are busy with work on weekdays, take advantage of this opportunity to indulge in delicious food, which can also be a source of joy.
The popular commercial districts in Shenzhen, adjacent to Hong Kong, such as Luohu International Trade and Old Street, the vicinity of Futian Convention and Exhibition Center, and the coastal city near Shenzhen Bay, are all popular consumption destinations for Hong Kong people heading north. Smart and hospitable merchants take advantage of the situation and even offer coupons that can be obtained with a "return to hometown certificate". No wonder some people from Shenzhen lament: on weekends, there are too many people around who say "Hong Kong Pu"!
For Hong Kong people who love culture and art, going north to visit museums, browse bookstores, and watch movies is also the best choice. As far as the author knows, some Hong Kong high-ranking officials are particularly enthusiastic about visiting bookstores in Shenzhen and praise the innovative design of Shenzhen's bookstore layout, with a large number and complete variety of books. And some "Hong Kong drifters" who live in Hong Kong are never tired of watching domestic movies in Shenzhen.
The lives of residents in Guangdong and Hong Kong have been brought closer, and people who frequently travel between the two places can almost achieve a seamless connection. Convenient transportation is a prerequisite for all of this. Whether it is the implementation of "Hong Kong vehicles heading north" in July this year or the newly opened Liantang/Xiangyuanwei Port, the seventh land port on the Hong Kong Shenzhen border in February this year, both provide Hong Kong people with more diverse travel options for "heading north".
The latter is equipped with "direct pedestrian and vehicular" facilities, which means that passengers can also take public transportation, drive or walk directly to the checkpoint. Starting from August 14th, MTR will also introduce a "flexible travel" arrangement for passengers traveling between the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station and Shenzhen Futian Station of the high-speed rail. Passengers can change to a maximum of three designated trains on the same day for free. The two stations are already only a ten minute drive away, and the convenience brought by the high-speed rail's move towards "subway" undoubtedly increases its attractiveness.
It is worth mentioning that this "northward" consumer group is showing a trend of youthfulness. Taking the popular "internet celebrity" beverage stores in mainland China in recent years as an example, young people in Hong Kong also favor this type of product with multiple choices and new forms. At the same time, social media platforms in mainland China are gradually entering the vision of Hong Kong youth. Earlier, an organization conducted a survey on the usage habits of social media among Hong Kong students, and the results showed that the usage rate of Little Red Book has increased to 33%.
After the outbreak of the "northward" consumer epidemic, there has been a resurgence, which to some extent reflects the changing lifestyle of Hong Kong people and the mutual support between the two regions. The one hour living circle in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area has now become a fact.
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