HK's first batch of food trucks to start operate in Feb.

Tourists are welcome to explore local cuisines served by the first batch of food trucks in Hong Kong, which will begin their business in February, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory So said on Wednesday.

So told the media that around eight food trucks will start operating on Feb. 2, 2017, while eight others will start their business later in the same month.

The Tourism Commission of Hong Kong launched the Food Truck Pilot Scheme earlier this year and selected 16 winners of a cook-off challenge to operate the food trucks.

"Food trucks are bringing refreshing sights," So said, adding that the start date of operation falls on the sixth of day of the lunar Chinese New Year calendar, meaning good luck in business.

A mobile app will be launched to help users to locate the trucks, So said, adding that the government will adjust the two-year pilot scheme in accordance with the market's reaction.

Under the scheme, food trucks will be operating in eight designated tourist attractions, including Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai, the Central Harbourfront Event Space, the area outside Ocean Park, Tsim Sha Tsui Salisbury Garden, Tsim Sha Tsui Art Square, the Energizing Kowloon East Venue 1, the Wong Tai Sin Square next to Wong Tai Sin Temple and the area outside Hong Kong Disneyland.

So also mentioned that the number of visitors to Hong Kong dropped about 5.4 percent in the first 11 months of 2016, comparing the same period last year, but the downtrend has already narrowed in recent months.

The number of visitors slightly climbed in the first half of December, up 4.4 percent, with visitors from Chinese mainland rose 3.8 percent, while those from other places went up 5.8 percent, he added. Enditem