Luo Songsong

    songsongluo@126.com

    A HONG KONG-BASED startup is offering free SIM cards to visitors amid efforts by Hong Kong to fight declining sales in the city.

    Developed by Green-i SIM Motion (HK) Co. Ltd., the SIM card provides 50 MB of data and 50 minutes of phone usage. When data runs out, users can top up by reading ads on the i-SIM App, which contains information about shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations in Hong Kong.

    “Users can earn 150 minutes of phone calls and 150 MB of data after using the app for less than two minutes,” said Rickel Chan, CEO of Green-i SIM at the product launch ceremony last week. However, the service excludes any payment transactions for recharging, card validity extensions, phone call recording or overseas roaming.

    The company has established partnerships with over 100 retail stores in Hong Kong. Visitors can get the SIM cards for free at China Travel Service branches in Hong Kong, at the Hung Hom train station and some hotels, and can use it for a week. The cards will be distributed at Hong Kong International Airport in July.

    Hong Kong’s retail sales declined 2 percent year on year in the first two months of this year. Sales of luxury goods such as jewelry and watches slumped 16 percent year on year, and miscellaneous consumer durables fell 15 percent in value in the same period.

    When it comes to visitors, the number of mainlanders arriving in Hong Kong decreased 10 percent in March from the same period of last year, and there were also fewer visitors from other countries. The number of mainland tour groups dropped 50 percent year on year.

    The Hong Kong Quality Tourism Service Association has allied with thousands of retailers to offer promotions until the end of May in an attempt to win back visitors.