A simplified travel permit has made it easier for foreign passport holders in Hong Kong to visit mainland China for weekend activities like theme parks and dining. The permit has boosted cross-border tourism.

Visiting indoor ski resorts, enjoying water parks and eating at dim sum restaurants in Shenzhen and other nearby cities have become weekend draws for Hong Kong residents holding foreign passports, who praise a travel permit that has made crossing the border easier and faster. But even two years after the launch of the scheme, some hiccups remain, such as the lack of recognition of the permit by some mainland Chinese immigration staff, representatives of non-Chinese residents and foreign business...