AIRINC (Associates for International Research, Inc.)

Heung Gong – the Cantonese translation of Hong Kong means “Fragrant Harbor,” a name inspired by the city’s past as an incense trading port.

Beginning in mid-March 2020, any resident arriving in Hong Kong from abroad is required to undergo compulsory quarantine if not demonstrating any symptoms as decided by the Department of Health. After returning from my international travels in June, I had to go through mandatory screening procedures and a 14-day quarantine before returning to work in the office.

Air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic is unique and full of odd experiences. A few weeks ago, I was lucky (or unlucky?) to experience international air travel for the first time in months.

On July 15th here in my hometown, Hong Kong enacted its most stringent Covid-19 lockdown to date. The number of cases here has continued to rise over the past ten days with many of the new infections are coming from unknown origins.

On 21 May 2020, the Chinese government proposed enacting a new law in Hong Kong on national security regulations, under the provisions of Annex III of its basic law. This proposal, while lacking many details, has created speculation and concern regarding the impact it may have on the political and business environment in Hong Kong.

At the beginning of 2020, I surveyed Fort McMurray, an oil town in northeast Alberta, Canada. In January, there are limited outdoor activities in Alberta, so on a Sunday, it was recommended I go to a “park” walkable from the hotel. 

With continual declines in confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the last 14 days, AIRINC APAC cautiously welcomes the re-opening of public facilities, as well as the loosening of social restrictions in Hong Kong this week. While residents look to regain some semblance of normalcy, I’ve observed several noticeable changes that may continue. 

On Sunday, May 3, Hong Kong recorded no new cases of COVID-19 and 14 days straight with no cases of local transmission. As the COVID-19 crisis has begun to abate in the city, the protests that rocked Hong Kong for many months have begun to resurge. The big question is “what’s next for Hong Kong?”

Relocating is already a challenge, but relocating during a pandemic adds a new level of difficulty. After years of surveying based in AIRINC’s Cambridge office, I was honored to accept a position at our Hong Kong branch late last year. From the beginning, I was excited to move to a vibrant global city, but the logistics proved more challenging than expected as a novel coronavirus (at the time still unnamed) spread in January. Even before being declared a pandemic, COVID-19 was having a broad and unpredictable impact across the globe.

While no one can predict when the COVID-19 outbreak will be contained, the pandemic has firmly stalled and reversed rising property trends across Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore. AIRINC spoke to industry experts across Asia’s most dynamic business hubs to understand the unique characteristics of each market and what changes and opportunities lie ahead.