Journalists' Hands-On Experiences | The rise of two-way traffic: HK and mainland visitors explore new opportunities during summer vacations
With the summer travel season ending, the flow of tourists, family visits, and business travelers between the north and south has been exceptionally high.
According to data provided by Guangzhou Railway Group on September 1, over the 62 days of the summer travel season, the group transported 124 million passengers, with more than 100 million choosing to travel by high-speed rail—an increase of 4.7 million passengers year-on-year.
The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Rail and Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Rail were the most popular routes this year, with cross-border visits between Guangdong and Hong Kong becoming a regular part of life for leisure, entertainment, and shopping.
"During the summer, the Pearl River Delta offered a variety of events and activities, and with increasingly convenient transportation to the north, many Hongkongers found it easy to take an impromptu trip," said Mr. Leung, a Hong Kong resident who took his family on vacation to Shenzhen and Guangzhou this summer. "The metro networks in Shenzhen and Guangzhou cover almost the entire city, connecting seamlessly with the high-speed rail. In Shenzhen, we visited supermarkets and went to the beach for a holiday; in Guangzhou, we met up with friends and family, attended a concert, and enjoyed Cantonese cuisine. The Greater Bay Area is becoming more vibrant and diverse."
Weekends and Holidays See Significant Traffic at Guangdong-Hong Kong Boundary Crossings
DotDotNews learned from Guangzhou Railway Group that this year's summer traffic mainly consisted of tourists, people visiting family, business travelers, and students.
The most heavily trafficked routes were the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Rail and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Rail.
Thanks to the high-standard operation of the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Rail, which has released greater transportation capacity, the route transported 18.8 million passengers during the summer, an increase of 1.16 million year-on-year. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Rail transported 5.615 million passengers, an increase of 700,000 year-on-year.
Since the beginning of the summer, cross-boundary traffic for family visits, leisure tourism, educational exchanges, and business trade has steadily increased.
It's worth noting that while mainland visitors flocked to Hong Kong, the enthusiasm of Hongkongers traveling "northward" for shopping and entertainment has also continued to rise, creating a trend of "two-way traffic" across the border.
In particular, more and more Hongkongers are choosing to travel north to Guangdong for leisure activities and cross-border shopping, with a significant increase in overnight trips. This trend includes improved cross-boundary transportation, the rapid innovation and development of Guangdong's consumer market, and the accelerated deep integration between Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Multiple Factors Behind the Rising Trend of Hongkongers Traveling Northward
One major factor is the increasingly convenient transportation between Guangdong and Hong Kong, making it easier for Hongkongers to travel north.
For example, after the train schedule was adjusted on June 15 this year, the number of high-speed trains between Hong Kong and the mainland increased significantly, with trains to Hong Kong West Kowloon Station rising from an average of 188 per day to 204 per day, reaching a peak of 234 trains on the busiest days of the summer season. This has further facilitated Hongkongers' travel to the mainland.
Self-driving trips "northward" are gradually becoming a new leisure activity for Hong Kong and Macau car owners, reducing travel time and expanding their living radius.
The rapid innovation and development of Guangdong's consumer market has also caught the attention of many Hongkongers.
The greater variety and more attractive prices in Guangdong, along with the ability to use apps like WeChat Mini Programs and food and leisure apps to discover nearby "dining, shopping, and entertainment" options and discounts, are making more Hongkongers choose to shop and spend in Guangdong.
For example, Pearl River Delta is seeing a surge in new retail formats like Sam's Club and Hema Fresh and new Chinese-style pastry and tea brands like Bao Shifu and HeyTea.
The diversified consumption scenes and experiences, coupled with "affordable and high-quality" services, have become a major draw for Hongkongers.
As the consumer, living, cultural, and business circles of Guangdong and Hong Kong continue to integrate rapidly, this will further enhance the appeal and freshness of northward travel for Hongkongers, allowing them to enjoy different cultural and lifestyle experiences.
Journalists' Hands-On Experiences | Undercover report reveals continuing taxi industry challenges
Comment