Travellers' joy as Hong Kong hotel quarantine ends

STORY: The curbs were lifted for the first time in more than 2-1/2 years after the city's leader, John Lee, said last week that such arrivals could return home or seek accommodation of their choice, but had to self-monitor for three days on entry.

"The rest of the world has opened up and so Hong Kong needs to open up now and return to normal, because it’s such a fantastic place to live" said 58-year-old Hong Kong resident, Barbara Van Moppes, who arrived from Bangkok.

But Monday's change still leaves Hong Kong far behind much of the world in dropping curbs. International arrivals are barred from bars and restaurants for three days. Although allowed to go to work and school, they still need to do multiple COVID tests in the first week after arriving.