5.9 mn travelers expected to HK during Labour Day holiday

The Immigration Department on April 25 said it estimates that around 5.9 million passengers will pass through Hong Kong's sea, land and air control points during the upcoming Labour Day festive period from April 30 to May 5.

In consultation with the Shenzhen General Station of Exit & Entry Frontier Inspection, the department added that it estimates around 5.05 million passengers will transit through land boundary control points.

The number of outbound and inbound passengers using land boundary control points will be relatively higher on May 1, with around 481,000 and 544,000 passengers anticipated on that day respectively.

Passenger traffic at the Lo Wu Control Point is expected to reach a daily average of about 203,000 passengers. Meanwhile, the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Control Point can expect around 166,000 and 133,000 passengers respectively.

To cope with the anticipated heavy traffic during the festive period, the department has minimized leave for frontline officers for the flexible deployment and operation of extra clearance counters and kiosks. Additional security guards will also be deployed to provide crowd management support.

Apart from setting up a joint command center at the Lo Wu Control Point together with Police, Customs and the Mass Transit Railway Corporation to closely monitor passenger traffic, the department will establish close communication with Mainland authorities.

Furthermore, appropriate traffic diversion plans will be adopted when necessary to ensure smooth passenger traffic flows.

Travelers are advised to plan in advance and avoid making their journeys during busy times.

They can check the expected busy times at boundary control points on the department's website and find the estimated waiting times at all land boundary control points via its app.