[Cross-Strait] China's "Golden Week" for National Day Begins, Hong Kong Government Prepares for Mainland Tourists
RtiTalk 小編1d ago
The "Golden Week" holiday for the October 1st National Day in mainland China begins today (1st). Hong Kong authorities anticipate a large influx of tourists from the mainland and have made various preparations in advance, including transportation arrangements and inspections of shops in tourist areas to ensure visitors are not deceived.
During last year's Golden Week (October 1st to 8th), Hong Kong received a total of 1.64 million visitors, with over 1.4 million being from the mainland. The average hotel occupancy rate reached 90%.
Ms. Rosanna Wong, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, recently stated in a media interview that she is optimistic about the number of tourist arrivals during this year's Golden Week.
In anticipation of a large number of mainland tourists, Hong Kong Customs has intensified patrols in popular shopping areas since the day before yesterday, reminding merchants to comply with the Trade Descriptions Ordinance to protect the spending rights of visiting tourists.
According to reports, customs officers visited pharmacies, dried seafood stores, beauty salons, and jewelry stores in tourist shopping areas such as Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok, Hung Hom, To Kwa Wan, and Causeway Bay, reminding retailers and tourism practitioners to abide by relevant regulations and not to deceive tourists.
Customs officers are also distributing leaflets at all border crossings connecting to Shenzhen, reminding mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong to patronize reputable shops; to pay attention to product specifications and compare prices before purchasing; to confirm the total price and unit of measurement before payment; and to retain receipts and relevant records after shopping.
From the British colonial era to the present day after the handover of sovereignty, Hong Kong has frequently experienced instances of shops deceiving tourists. These fraudulent cases are concentrated in tourist hotspots, primarily pharmacies. These deceptive practices persist despite repeated crackdowns, severely damaging Hong Kong's reputation as a "shoppers' paradise."
In addition to preventing tourists from being deceived, the Hong Kong government has also made advance transportation arrangements, supervising local and cross-border public transport operators to enhance services during the Golden Week. This includes requiring the MTR Corporation to increase train services between Admiralty Station in Hong Kong and Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations in Shenzhen in response to passenger demand.
The High-Speed Rail (Hong Kong Section) and the cross-border shuttle bus services for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge have also increased their frequencies.
Mr. Tsui Ting-bong, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tour Guides Union, stated in an interview with a local radio station today that he expects more mainland tourists to visit Hong Kong during this year's National Day Golden Week holiday compared to previous years. One reason is the recent unfavorable weather in neighboring regions like Thailand, which will attract some mainland tourists to travel to the Greater Bay Area, including Hong Kong.
He mentioned that since the Mid-Autumn Festival on September 25th, a considerable number of mainland tourists have been arriving in Hong Kong.
Furthermore, according to data cited by the media from the Immigration Department, during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from September 25th to 27th, there were 537,000 visitor arrivals in Hong Kong, a 19% increase compared to the previous year's Mid-Autumn Festival, with nearly 440,000 being mainland tourists.
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=235066
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