The National Day (Golden Week in the Mainland) holiday is approaching. The Hong Kong SAR government's inter-departmental task force on festival arrangements announced yesterday (Sept. 26) that the Immigration Department predicts around 8.76 million Hong Kong residents and tourists will enter and exit Hong Kong through various sea, land, and air control points during this year's Golden Week from October 1 to 8. Hong Kong's catering, hotel, and retail sectors have made preparations to welcome mainland tourists and expect business turnover to increase compared to the same period last year.
The task force stated that, after consultations with mainland departments, it is estimated that approximately 7.52 million passenger trips will pass through the various land boundary control points. The peak period for land arrivals is expected to be next Wednesday, National Day, with around 610,000 arrivals. The busiest day for departures is predicted to be next Saturday (October 4), with approximately 660,000 departures. During the Golden Week, the Lo Wu Control Point, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point, and Shenzhen Bay Control Point will be particularly busy, with estimated daily averages of about 240,000, 220,000, and 140,000 passenger trips, respectively.
Promoting high-value-for-money catering services
President of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, Simon Wong, said that the number of mainland visitors has increased this year. According to government estimates, approximately 1.54 million mainland tourists are expected to visit Hong Kong during the holiday period, with a notable increase in tourists from more distant provinces. He estimates that business during this National Day period will increase by about 10%. As the SAR government has launched a series of cultural, entertainment, sports, and local tourism projects, it is believed that the longer tourists stay in Hong Kong, the more it will benefit the catering industry's business.
Wong stated that the catering industry is going all out during this Golden Week holiday, introducing high-value-for-money catering services to attract customers. Additionally, many community organizations are holding celebration activities this year, leading to growth in the restaurant business. Due to the series of activities launched by the SAR government, including cultural, entertainment, sports, and local tourism projects, it is believed that pedestrian flow will be bustling. Although it is estimated that many Hong Kong citizens will travel abroad during the National Day holiday, if those remaining in Hong Kong are willing to spend money outside their homes, the catering industry will still benefit.
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