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By Kahon Chan in Hong Kong kahon@chinadailyhk.迷你倉com A proposal by the opposition camp to collect levies from visitors upon their arrival in Hong Kong was rejected on Monday by lawmakers and representatives of the tourist industry, who warned that it will hurt the city’s appeal to mainland tourists — during a time of tough competition from other destinations in the region. The new tax proposal was presented to the government last month during consultation on the Budget, which will be delivered by Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah for the next fiscal year on Feb 26. The idea of a levy targeting overland travelers is not new. International air and ferry passengers, regardless of their nationalities, now pay a levy to recover at least some of the costs of building new infrastructure. The fees are paid as part of their ticket price. In 2003, the government tabled a bill to levy a “Boundary Facilities Improvement Tax” from all overland travelers as a way to reduce mounting public deficits. The plan was later shelved after widespread opposition. Mainland visitors have subsequently dominated the city’s tourism industry after the launch of the Individual Visit Scheme. A recent government study predicted that over 70 million visitors will arrive in Hong Kong by 2017. On Monday, two opposition parties proposed collecting an arrival levy from overland visitors to “curb” the boom in inbound visitors. People Power suggested a HK$100 levy, while the Democratic Party proposed a levy ranging from HK$20 to HK$50. Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, former security secretary involved in the proposal of the land departure tax in 2003, said administering such a levy was too complicated. The heavy traffic of overland travelers between Hong Kong and Shenzhen would also create huge ch自存倉llenges for Immigration Department officers. They would have to identify people crossing the border for work or to go to school because these people would be exempt from the levy, she explained. Ocean Park Chairman Allan Zeman and lawmaker Starry Lee Wai-king from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong said a levy could damage the city’s image. Zeman, who is also known for pioneering the brand of Lan Kwai Fong, said he understood the concerns of local residents about overcrowding. But he said in the long-term, Hong Kong needed to boost its infrastructure. “I’m worried that if we make visitors feel unwelcome, they have many choices now. They can go to other places in Asia. They don’t have to come to Hong Kong,” Zeman said. Starry Lee said the proposed tax may upset mainlanders and prompt mainland authorities to levy a similar fee on visitors coming to Shenzhen. Regina Ip also agreed that the way mainland visitors would respond to a levy had to be considered. Yiu Si-wing, who represents the tourism constituency in the Legislative Council, said tourism had a considerable impact on the economy. He said a fifth of Hong Kong’s workforce depends on tourists. Yiu suggested that instead of tourist tax, more shopping malls adjacent to border control facilities should be built. “We should not act with momentary rage. We need solutions,” he told local television. The study that provided visitor growth forecasts also cited difficulties for the government in developing malls. For instance, most land near Lok Ma Chau is privately owned. Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok, who was in Guangzhou on Monday, declined to comment on the proposal. He said new measures and facilities will soon increase their capacity to handle mainland visitors. 迷你倉新蒲崗