Hong Kong is bracing for a surge of visitors from mainland China as the National Day Golden Week holiday approaches. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung chaired an interdepartmental meeting on Thursday to coordinate the city’s preparations.
“The Hong Kong government will maintain close coordination with various departments, relevant organizations, and the tourism industry to properly manage visitor flow and offer a good travel experience,” Yeung stated.
During the weeklong holiday, which begins on October 1, government agencies will bolster manpower and enhance coordination of transport and cross-boundary services at various control points. The police will implement special traffic arrangements, including dedicating lanes for public transport to Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port.
An interdepartmental joint command center involving customs, police, immigration, and other agencies will monitor the situation at each land control point round-the-clock. It will also liaise closely with mainland counterparts to take contingency actions if needed.
The Transport Department’s emergency coordination center will operate 24/7, monitoring traffic conditions across the city, disseminating real-time updates, and implementing response measures as required.
Major tourist attractions will have crowd control measures in place, while district offices will closely watch visitor flows in their respective areas and strengthen management at hotspots.
The Travel Industry Authority will deploy additional personnel to inspect registered inbound tour group shops and assist visitors and guides to protect tour group rights.
To combat unfair trade practices, customs authorities will step up inspections of shops catering to visitors.
Visitors can check the Immigration Department’s website for daily arrival figures at each control point and use its mobile app to view estimated waiting times at land crossings.
As the holiday approaches, Hong Kong is pulling out all the stops to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for the influx of mainland visitors.
