Page 11 - aruba-today-20191019

A11
WORLD NEWS Saturday 19 OctOber 2019
In protest clouds, Hong Kong tourists see silver lining

a day after protest vio- visory from the British gov-
lence shut down the entire ernment says, "most visits
rail network, Koch said he'd are trouble free."
enjoyed being "part of his- Edgar Ruiz said he flew
tory." from Mexico "just to see the
"By accident ran into the protests."
protest today," he said. "I wanted to experience
"But it was fun, actually, the it firsthand. This is big!" he
people were all friendly, said. "I want to be telling
helping us through ... they people that I was here
even gave us masks." when this happened, be-
Aside from the risk of stum- cause it is going to be ma-
bling unawares into street jor in history."
battles and clouds of police Even some Hong Kong resi-
tear gas — as some tour- dents are enjoying a respite
ists have to their coughing, from the usual floods of visi-
spluttering dismay — Hong tors, mainly from mainland
Kong remains a pleasant China. The number of total
city. Visitors of either sex arrivals has almost doubled
In this Oct. 10, 2019 photo, people ride in a ferry from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon as the sun sets needn't think twice about over the past decade,
in Hong Kong. venturing out late at night from 36 million in 2010 to 65
Associated Press or while wearing valuables. million last year.
By JOHN LEICESTER tests on tourism is verging ness, he added. For the moment, the U.S. Up on the Peak, Hong
Associated Press on catastrophic for Hong "You think of what you State Department still only Kong-born Isaac Mercado,
HONG KONG (AP) — No Kong, one of the world's could have made and recommends that visitors a 26-year-old banking an-
tiresome wait for hugs and great destinations and what you are making at exercise extra caution. A alyst, was luxuriating in the
kisses from Mickey and Min- geared up to receive 65 the moment," he said. "That similarly worded travel ad- unusual emptiness.q
nie Mouse. No queue at all million visitors a year. difference, yes, it hurts."
for Hyperspace Mountain, On Victoria Peak, restau- Protester leaflets advise,
where thrill-seekers are so rants with knock-out night- "You've arrived in a bro-
scarce that Star Wars' Ad- time views of the city's ken, torn-apart city," and
miral Ackbar speaks to him- neon-lit skyscrapers stand the protests have at times
self in the dark. empty. The snaking lines caused monumental dis-
Tinker Bell gazes out over of tourists for the clicketty- ruptions of traffic and pub-
rows of empty seats on the clacketty 19th-century lic transport.
train to Hong Kong Disney- tram to the top are now just But even when the protests
land that was far busier be- a memory. have involved hundreds
fore tourists were scared off The Dragon Boat Carni- of thousands of people,
by anti-government pro- val in June, when protests they've generally been
tests shaking this interna- started: canceled. A Wine confined to only a few ar-
tional hub for business and & Dine Festival scheduled eas in this semi-tropical for-
fun. for the end of this month: mer British colony of 7 mil-
That's tough for local busi- scrapped, too. Hong Kong lion.
ness but great for Disney received 2.3 million fewer And the tourists who come A demonstrator wears a hat reading "Make Hong Kong great
fans like Yunice Tsui and her visitors in August compared anyway are finding bar- again" during a rally in the Central District in Hong Kong,
7 and 4-year-old daugh- with a year earlier, largely gain-basement hotel rates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019.
ters, adorable in Minnie trips that people from else- two-for-one deals, easy Associated Press
headbands. With an an- where in China are no lon- late checkouts and other
nual pass to the park she's ger making to the semi-au- sweeteners. China legislature blasts US
already toured nine times, tonomous Chinese territory. Visiting this month from Tai-
Tsui is better placed than September visitor numbers, wan, where he works as a Congress over Hong Kong
most to size up the body- due Oct. 31, are unlikely to teacher, South African trav- Associated Press
blow to Hong Kong visitor be any better, given recent eler Winand Koch paid the BEIJING (AP) — China's ceremonial legislature is at-
numbers from the often vio- protest-related violence equivalent of just US$65 per tacking legislation in the U.S. Congress to support pro-
lent demonstrations, now in and chaos. night for a room in a comfy democracy protests in Hong Kong.
their fifth month. "It's deserted," said Dyuti- hotel that was charging A spokesman for the National People's Congress says
"Before June, you'd gener- moy Chakraborty, who runs nearly quadruple that rate the legislation "violates the basic norms of international
ally queue for more than the Gordon Ramsay Bread when he first checked a law and international relations" and "grossly interferes
30 minutes for each ride. Street Kitchen & Bar op- few months back. Of all in China's domestic politics."
For the last few times since posite the Peak Tram. The his trips to Hong Kong, the The spokesman, Zang Tiewei, is the latest Chinese of-
July, we've been here tram now closes at 10 p.m. two-day stay with his sis- ficial to criticize the legislation passed this week by the
about two-to-three times, instead of midnight, be- ter, Betro, was "one of the U.S. House of Representatives.
every time it's about a five- cause of "potential demon- best," he said. One of the bills would require annual reviews by the
to-six minute wait to queue strations and protests in the "I've never seen Hong Kong U.S. secretary of state of Hong Kong's special econom-
up for a ride. There are cer- nearby area." this quiet before," he said. ic and trade status, providing a check on Beijing's influ-
tainly less people, I would "Normally, there would be a "We didn't have to queue ence over the territory.
say 60% less. Kids are very huge queue," Chakraborty anywhere. We could get in China's foreign ministry has threatened to take un-
happy because after a said on a recent weeknight. everywhere." specified countermeasures if the measures are passed
ride, they can go queue up "Since the protests started, Trundling along with suit- in the Senate.
for another one and play it has been like this." cases through crowds of Zang said Friday that a potential Chinese legislative
again." The eatery has lost nearly demonstrators, hoping to response depended on the bills' progress.q
The impact of the pro- half of its weekday busi- catch a train to the airport