Omicron variant: Hong Kong’s tightened quarantine rules throw travel plans into chaos as family reunions, Christmas hopes dashed amid rush to extend hotel bookings

The tightening of Hong Kong’s entry and quarantine rules amid the global threat of the Omicron coronavirus variant has led to a frenzy among travellers scrambling for hotel rooms to salvage their Christmas holiday plans.

Since the government’s announcement on Monday, at least 16 countries have been added to the city’s high-risk Group A tier, over fears linked to the potentially more transmissible variant. They comprised nations which have reported Omicron cases, such as Canada and Australia, as well as some states in Africa, where the new variant was first detected.