Chief executive says region can't handle load, while others say tight controls would be divisive

While the number of Chinese mainland visitors to Hong Kong fell for the first time in 20 years over the Spring Festival holiday, the government in the special administrative region wants to cut it back even further.

Speaking before the start of an Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said the individual visit program involving 49 mainland cities should not be expanded but tightened up.