New yacht travel scheme makes waves but can Hong Kong cash in on marine economy?

AdvertisementHong Kong economyHong KongHong Kong EconomyNew yacht travel scheme makes waves but can Hong Kong cash in on marine economy?Boat owners and maritime experts say Hong Kong must seize the opportunity to upgrade marine infrastructure to attract mainland yachts7-MIN READ7-MIN ListenLam Ka-singPublished: 8:30am, 30 Jul 2026Updated: 8:34am, 30 Jul 2026For the first time, veteran sailor Thomas Wong Kam-chuen and his partners set sail from Hong Kong on their 46-foot yacht on a two-day trip earlier this month to a holiday island in Zhuhai, testing the waters for more leisure travel to mainland China.After a five-hour voyage from the Causeway Bay typhoon shelter on a sunny weekend, they anchored their Danish-built yacht, DBX2, at Guishan Island, went ashore for a seafood lunch with beer and stayed overnight.

“Food is really economical. We had 11 people, and a seafood meal was only HK$112 [US$14] per person. If you eat seafood in Hong Kong, it is at least HK$600 to HK$700 a person,” said the 79-year-old structural engineer, who has 52 years of sailing experience.

DBX2 joined nine other vessels in a flotilla organised by the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club in collaboration with the Zhuhai Yacht Association, with the early batch of sailors navigating Greater Bay Area waters under a new individual yacht travel scheme.Thomas Wong (rear, black shirt) and his friends enjoy a seafood feast on Guishan Island. Photo: HandoutThe trip was made possible after Beijing approved the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau individual yacht scheme in June, allowing Hong Kong owners to sail their vessels to designated ports as part of a broader “yacht economy” strategy for the Greater Bay Area.

The bay area is a central government initiative to link Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in neighbouring Guangdong province into an integrated economic powerhouse.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.

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