The duty-free shopping quota for Chinese tourists in Hong Kong and Macau will be increased to RMB15,000 starting July 1 at six border points and the arrangement will cover all border points starting August, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday. 

The duty-free allowance for luggage brought into the mainland from Hong Kong will be increased from RMB5,000 to RMB 12,000. The measure of allowing additional goods valued at RMB3,000 purchased at port entry duty-free stores will also be retained, bringing the total allowance to RMB15,000. 

The new measure will apply to Lo Wu, Futian (Lok Ma Chau Spur Line), Shenzhen Bay, West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, etc, starting from July 1. 

It will then be implemented at all ports starting from August 1. 

The government welcomed the arrangement and expressed gratitude towards the Central Government. 

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said: “The new measure will enhance the shopping experience for mainland visitors in Hong Kong and allow them greater flexibility when shopping, which is beneficial for Hong Kong in attracting more visitors and boosting the development of diversified tourism.” 

The government estimates this will bring an additional HK$8.8 billion to HK$17.6 billion in shopping expenditure to Hong Kong, generating value-added of about HK$2.7 billion to HK$5.4 billion to the economy.