The head of the Lan Kwai Fong group on Friday welcomed the government's decision to end restrictions on opening hours for bars and restaurants, but said the end of border restrictions and the return of tourists would making a vital difference to the sector.

Speaking on RTHK's Hong Kong Today programme, Allan Zeman said the end of hotel quarantine was welcome but tourists were not coming under a system that requires three days of medical surveillance, known as zero plus three, during which new arrivals are not allowed into premises such as restaurants.

"I think that's the one missing link at the moment," he told RTHK's Samantha Butler.

"I think once we adjust the zero plus three, the zero plus three has been a huge game-changer of course, but once we get to zero plus zero it'll make a big difference, 'cause tourists are not coming back at the moment because they don't want to be tested, they want to be able to go to establishments, the restaurants, the bars and clubs."

On Thursday, the government announced that it was scrapping rules that force restaurants to close at midnight and bars to call last orders at 2am. The latest easing of restrictions will also see the reopening of public barbecue pits, while people will be allowed to pull off their masks for photographs at events such as weddings.

Officials said the changes were possible because the number of serious Covid cases and deaths remained low, and the healthcare system could handle the pressure. They take effect on Thursday next week.

Zeman said the later opening hours would be especially good for nightclubs, which had effectively operated for only three hours each night because of the restrictions on bars. He expected further strong business during next month's football World Cup, when many games will kick off in the middle of the night.

He said the end of early closing was a "breath of fresh air", adding that the recent easing of restrictions had brought vibrancy back to the SAR and that the administration was moving in the right direction.