The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, will depart for Xi'an in Shaanxi Province on March 12 (Tuesday). He will meet with officials of Shaanxi Province and Xi’an, and will attend a briefing session that the Hong Kong Tourism Board has arranged for the local tourism sector. Mr Yeung will then depart for Qingdao in Shandong Province on March 13 (Wednesday), meeting officials of Shandong Province and Qingdao and attending a briefing session for the trade.
 
     Under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), which was implemented on July 28, 2003, in accordance with the main document of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, eligible residents of designated Mainland cities can apply for an endorsement to visit Hong Kong in their individual capacity. With the expansion of the IVS to cover Xi'an and Qingdao from March 6, 2024, designated Mainland cities eligible for the IVS will be increased to 51.
      
     Mr Yeung will return to Hong Kong on March 14 (Thursday) evening. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau, will be the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Ends/Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Issued at HKT 12:00

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