Residents from four Guangdong cities - Dongguan, Jiangmen, Zhongshan and Foshan - can visit Hong Kong on an individual basis from Monday, instead of mandatorily joining tour groups as before.

Guangdong residents with permanent household registration in the four cities can now apply for an exit endorsement from the mainland authorities for about HK$20 (US$2.60).

The measure is on a trial basis and the travel privilege will be extended to residents of the entire province no later than July 1, 2004.

As part of the Mainland/Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), the measure is expected to give a much-needed boost to the SAR's tourism, retail, catering and hotel industries.

A recent survey conducted in the four cities showed that 60 per cent of the respondents were interested in visiting Hong Kong for sight-seeing; while 35 per cent had been to the territory at least once, mainly for sight-seeing.

Of the 1,200 persons interviewed, however, about 80 per cent said they did not know how to apply - showing that the move needs wider publicity.

About 36 per cent said if they did visit Hong Kong, they would spend 2,000-4,000 yuan (US$240-US$480) while 35 per cent would spend 4,000-7,000 yuan (US$480-US$843). About 55 per cent said they would stay in low- to middle-priced hotels.

The survey was conducted by the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB).

The political party has proposed that the SAR government ask the central government to further streamline the application procedures and shorten the application time for mainlanders to visit Hong Kong on personal status.

The DAB also proposes allowing all Guangdong residents to come to the SAR in their individual capacity as early as the end of this year.

It suggests that the mainland authorities ease the 6,000-yuan (US$720) restriction on the amount of money each mainlander is allowed to bring to the territory.

The party also pointed out that the travel arrangement need to be better publicized on the mainland; and that Hong Kong should have better planning in the provision of hotel rooms to cope with the expected increase in tourists.

In addition to the four Guangdong cities, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa announced on Friday that mainland authorities had also decided to allow residents of Beijing and Shanghai to travel to Hong Kong without having to join tour groups. No date, however, has been set for when the privilege will be extended to the two cities.

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