Cathay Pacific Buys Back Qatar Airways’ 9.57 % Stake to Consolidate Hong Kong Hub
‘Park & Fly’ Facility at HK-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Draws 400 Mainland Bookings Ahead of Launch
National Games Cycle Race to Temporarily Close Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, Disrupting Airport Access
Latest News
Hong Kong Laureate Forum Opens, Showcasing City’s Strategy to Lure Global Science Talent
The Hong Kong Laureate Forum opened on 5 November, gathering Shaw Prize winners and 200 young scientists as part of a broader push to attract global R&D talent. Backed by fast-track visa schemes and new cross-border lab policies, the event highlights Hong Kong’s efforts to diversify its economy and create smoother mobility pathways for highly skilled migrants.
Mainland’s New Talent Exit Endorsement and Visa-Free Transit Ports Poised to Super-charge Hong Kong’s Talent Pipeline
Beijing has expanded its ‘talent exit endorsement’ nationwide and added four Hong Kong-linked control points to China’s 240-hour visa-free transit scheme, while also introducing document-free facial-recognition e-gates at key Shenzhen border crossings. The moves, welcomed by the HKSAR Government, are set to ease travel for mainland professionals and international visitors alike, bolstering Hong Kong’s role as a talent and transit hub.
Biometric ‘Face-Swiping’ Lanes Roll Out Across Mainland Ports Linking to Hong Kong
Starting 5 November, fully automated biometric e-gates will be activated at multiple airports, ferry piers and land checkpoints used by Hong Kong travellers, enabling document-free ‘face-swipe’ clearance in under ten seconds. The expansion promises shorter border waits but raises new data-privacy considerations for employers and travellers alike.
Hong Kong Widens Short-Term Visitor Scheme to 17 Sectors, Adding Green, Maritime and Think-Tank Categories
Hong Kong has expanded its visa-free Short-Term Visitor Scheme from 12 to 17 sectors, letting more overseas experts engage in paid activities for up to 14 days. New categories—including environment, maritime and think-tanks—align with the city’s push to host mega events and attract niche talent.
Cathay Pacific Adds Daily Hong Kong–Changsha Flights, Marking Fifth New Mainland Destination in 2025
Cathay Pacific has begun daily flights between Hong Kong and Changsha, its fifth new mainland route of 2025. The service bolsters business and cargo links with Hunan province and helps rebuild Hong Kong’s hub connectivity.
Travel Industry Council Urges Tour Operators to Delay Guangdong Departures on 7 December Election Day
On 4 November, Hong Kong’s Travel Industry Council asked outbound tour operators to push back early-morning Guangdong departures on 7 December, giving residents time to vote in Legislative Council elections. While voluntary, the move shows how travel scheduling can intersect with civic policy.
Hong Kong Court Jails Syndicate Member for Defrauding Foreign-Domestic-Helper Visa System
A Filipino man was jailed for three years on 4 November for conspiring to secure FDH visas with forged documents, part of a wider Immigration Department operation that has already led to 26 convictions. The case underscores stricter enforcement ahead of Hong Kong’s switch to fully online visa filing in 2025.