Hong Kong travel ban to be lifted from April but UK arrivals must still isolate for one week

Hong Kong will next week lift a ban on flights from nine countries, including the UK, and reduce quarantine from two to one week, for arrivals to the territory.

The easing of travel restrictions, which comes into force from 1 April, signals a shift away from the “Covid zero” strategy after Hong Kong went from a Covid success story to the world’s worst Omicron wave.

Chief executive, Carrie Lam announced on Monday that travellers from the UK will be able to enter Hong Kong with a negative PCR test.

Restrictions on social gatherings, mask-wearing, and business and venue operations will also begin easing in three phases from 20 April, Lam added.

She said: “People may be desensitised to Covid positive numbers. I would urge the members of the public to be more patient with this timetable and roadmap. As long as the trend is coming down in four weeks’ time we should be able to resume normal life.”

Hong Kong is still not a viable holiday destination for UK visitors, with one week of quarantine still mandatory for all arrivals, regardless of vaccination status.

Travellers will be allowed to leave quarantine after one week only if they test negative on day six and seven.

The full list of nine countries which will have travel bans lifted is; the UK, Australia, Canada, France, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and the US

Tourists have been unable to visit Hong Kong since the start of the pandemic, with many also choosing to stay away in 2019 due to the territory’s violent clampdown on pro-democracy protestors.