Hong Kong aviation traffic increases in early 2022, but there’s a long recovery in prospect

Two years after the coronavirus pandemic was called by the WHO, some countries now treat it - rightly or wrongly - as no more than a minor inconvenience.

Not so in certain parts of Asia Pacific, including the outlier China, which is once again locking down its citizens in Shanghai.

The 'Special Administrative Region' next door, Hong Kong, is undergoing its own crisis too; its fifth wave nonetheless, one that is infecting more people than ever before, and to world record proportions.

Even so, passenger traffic increased strongly in Hong Kong in Feb-2022 and there are hopes that this recovery can be sustained, perhaps by reducing the stiff measures imposed on visitors.

Whether or not that happens, Hong Kong needs to get a move-on with restoring its economy as best it can, because rivals like Singapore are well placed to take advantage of any lingering weaknesses.