Interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements releases latest information on Mainland inbound visitors and group tours and visiting cruises
The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, released the following information today (October 2) on the latest situation and arrangements for the 2024 National Day Golden Week.
On the first day of the Mainland National Day Golden Week (October 1), the number of Mainland visitors to Hong Kong reached 221 644, which hit a record high on the number of Mainland visitors to Hong Kong in a single day after the pandemic and set a corresponding record on the overall number of visitors to Hong Kong in one day.
Regarding Mainland inbound group tours, according to the latest information provided by the Travel Industry Authority (TIA), the number of Mainland inbound group tours arrived in Hong Kong yesterday (October 1) and expected to arrive today are 219 and 280 respectively, and around 80 per cent of the tours are overnight itineraries. To ensure orderly implementation of tourism activities of group tours, the TIA will continue to deploy additional manpower to inspect venues with more activities of inbound group tours including major inbound ports, registered shops, popular tourist spots and catering premises patronised by inbound group tours, etc.
Regarding cruises, in tandem with the two-month seasonal homeporting deployment of the mega cruise ship Costa Serena in Hong Kong, about 1 800 mainland visitors entered Hong Kong through the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point (HYWBCP) today and travelled to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal (KTCT) for embarkation by coaches arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board in collaboration with a local coach operator. As observed by the Commissioner for Tourism during her inspection at the HYWBCP this morning, through the co-ordination of the Tourism Commission and the assistance of the Immigration Department, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department and the Hong Kong Police Force, visitors were received by the trade at the HYWBCP smoothly, and mainland visitors joining the cruise itinerary in Hong Kong were able to arrive at the KTCT directly from the HYWBCP in about 40 minutes.
The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements is tasked with holistically reviewing and steering the overall co-ordination efforts of various government departments to welcome visitors to Hong Kong during the National Day Golden Week, as well as strengthening information dissemination to enable the public and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation. The working group will continue to monitor various circumstances during the Golden Week, taking appropriate measures based on practical needs and making timely announcements.
