Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Gregory So said today that Occupy Central is affecting people's livelihoods and commercial activities.
Speaking to reporters this afternoon after meeting business representatives and small-and-medium-sized enterprise owners, Mr So said he plans to arrange meetings with the tourism and retail industries to learn about the impact the protests are having on those sectors.
He noted that the number of Mainland tourists has dropped 1.8% over the past two days, while tourists coming here under the individual visitor scheme have fallen 6.4%. He stressed that it is difficult to assess the protests' long-term impact on tourism.
Mr So said the business community should not have to pay the price for the protests, and urged protesters to consider the overall business environment.
If Hong Kong's economy slows, it risks being overtaken by other regional economies, he warned.
