A tourism sector representative on Thursday said Hong Kong will probably need a few more months to reach its full capacity to receive tourists, partly because of a manpower shortage and cash flow problems.

Timothy Chui, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, made the comment a day after it was reported that a 3,000-member business delegation from the mainland had planned to stay overnight in Hong Kong for its annual general meeting, but had to change to a day trip because there were not enough tour guides, coaches and drivers here.

On an RTHK programme, Chui also said coaches have been left idle for three years during the pandemic and they're not in a fit state to take to the roads again.

“Many coaches are still parked at the Kwai Chung Container Terminals. Since we have just started to resume our businesses and the coaches had been left there for three years, they can’t resume services before they undergo major maintenance,” he said.

“Coach companies and travel agencies had ‘used up their bullets’ in the past three years. We will face difficulties when businesses resume, for example, in terms of cash flow,” said Chui.

He said the tourism sector will hopefully be better prepared to receive more visitors by May.

Speaking on RTHK’s Hong Kong Today programme, tourism professor Haiyan Song from Polytechnic University warned the authorities against encouraging mass tourism.

“When tourists increase so drastically, it also brings certain pressure to Hong Kong. For example, traffic congestion, crowdedness… actually it will also cause many other negative impacts, for example in carbon emissions and wastage,” he said.

He said arrival numbers should reach pre-pandemic levels by the middle of next year, and authorities should aim to attract high-end tourists, provide quality services, and consider the sustainability of Hong Kong as an international destination.