Latest news with #LabourDayGoldenWeek
HKFP
3 days ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong government watchdog investigates amenities in countryside amid city's tourism push
Hong Kong's government watchdog has announced an investigation into amenities in the city's countryside, an effort to boost tourism amid complaints about hygiene and insufficient facilities in some nature spots. The Office of The Ombudsman said on Thursday that the probe is intended to align with the government's efforts to develop green tourism and the concept that 'tourism is everywhere' in the city – a notion put forward by Beijing's top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong. The watchdog said it noted news reports of inadequate toilets and poor hygiene conditions in some countryside areas. Information on transport, water filling locations and toilet locations are also said to be lacking, the watchdog said in a statement. The Ombudsman added that it has also 'received complaints about the slow progress of countryside facility maintenance and insufficient supporting resources, such as delays in rain shelter repairs and insufficient publicity for visitor centres.' As part of the investigation, the Ombudsman will examine the operations of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), as well as other departments responsible for managing country parks and ancillary facilities. The government watchdog's announcement came after the Labour Day Golden Week holiday earlier this month, when the city saw large crowds of tourists visiting the countryside, including Grass Island and the MacLehose Trail. Both places are widely featured in posts about Hong Kong travel tips on Xiaohongshu, a mainland Chinese social media app. In Sai Kung, the High Island Geo Trail saw over 3,000 tourists a day, most of whom came from mainland China, news outlets reported. Tourists in some countryside areas waited a long time for minibuses and some complained about inconvenient transport arrangements, according to local media. Jack Chan, the Ombudman, said he himself observed garbage accumulation and traffic congestion during the recent Labour Day holiday. Established in 1989, the Office of The Ombudsman is the city's independent watchdog for probing the government. Controversies emerged with the watchdog earlier in May after it was found to have removed decades' worth of annual and investigative reports, as well as other documents, from its website, saying the move is for 'more effective website management.'
RTHK
07-05-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Golden Week tourism jump put down to new attractions
Golden Week tourism jump put down to new attractions About 920,000 mainland visitors came to Hong Kong during the Labour Day Golden Week holiday. File photo: RTHK A tourism-sector representative said on Wednesday new attractions in the SAR have contributed to the better-than-expected tourist arrival figures from the mainland over the Labour Day Golden Week. During the five-day holiday, about 920,000 mainlanders set foot in Hong Kong, exceeding the Travel Industry Council's (TIC) estimate of 800,000. TIC executive director Fanny Yeung told an RTHK radio programme that the number is equivalent to more than 90 percent of pre-Covid levels. "This year's Golden Week holiday was the first since Kai Tak Sports Park opened and the first since the city's panda cubs were available to welcome visitors," she said. "The weather was also really nice during the holiday period, so we were very lucky. "If the weather during that time was like it is today, I believe this would have had an impact on visitor numbers. "Also, the final day of the holiday was on Buddha's Birthday, which was the day that Cheung Chau's Bun Festival was held so that also made this Golden Week holiday more appealing." Yeung also attributed the higher arrival figures to "tourism everywhere" promotional efforts. With more visitors choosing to go hiking, she said, the government may consider setting up a quota system to limit the number of visitors in popular hiking destinations, such as the High Island Reservoir East Dam in Sai Kung to avoid overcrowding. A government working group on festival arrangements led by Chief Secretary Eric Chan found that nearly 33,000 of the mainland tourists over the holiday period came as part of more than 900 tour groups, with about 70 percent of them staying overnight. The Tourism Board has said it expects the SAR to see 49 million visitor arrivals this year. Lam Chi-ting from the Hong Kong Tourism Industry Employees' General Union believes that it won't be difficult to achieve the goal. But he told the same programme that it would be difficult to have tour group numbers fully return to pre-Covid level as they only stand at 70 percent now.
RTHK
06-05-2025
- Business
- RTHK
HK has the capacity to welcome more tourists: Law
HK has the capacity to welcome more tourists: Law Tourism minister Rosanna Law says the visitor numbers for Friday have reached a daily record high since the pandemic. Photo: RTHK Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said on Tuesday she believes Hong Kong has the capacity to accommodate more travellers despite some tourist hotspots being crowded during the Labour Day Golden Week. Following the end of the five-day holiday, Chief Executive John Lee requested the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, relevant departments and the sector to study the travel patterns and interests of incoming visitors. Speaking at a Legislative Council panel meeting, Law said Hong Kong saw 1.1 million tourists in the first five days of this month and that visitor numbers for Friday hit a daily record high since the pandemic. But Business and Professionals Alliance lawmaker Benson Luk asked whether the government has plans to conduct an assessment of the city's capacity to receive tourists, like what the authorities did in 2013. Law said Hong Kong saw a significant rise in the number of tourists during the past five days but pointed out that attractions in other places, such as on the mainland, were even more crowded during the holiday. "Some attractions, like the East Dam, were indeed crowded," she said. "But the order and the flow of people were smooth. "We will look into it and summarise our experiences to make sure we can handle situations better during peak seasons, such as during the Golden Week. "But I'm not worried in the short term about the overall capacity to receive tourists." Law added that the government has to look at ways to attract tourists to visit Hong Kong during different times, not just peak seasons. The Tourism Board has predicted that Hong Kong would see about 49 million visitor arrivals this year, a 10 percent increase from last year.
RTHK
06-05-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Govt gauges interests to 'take care' of visitors: CE
Govt gauges interests to 'take care' of visitors: CE The Labour Day Golden Week holiday has been busier than last year, with 1.1 million tourists arriving in Hong Kong. File photo: RTHK Tourism officials will study the travel patterns and interests of incoming visitors while working out what mainland travellers like following the Labour Day Golden Week holiday, according to the city's leader. Ahead of Tuesday's Executive Council meeting, Chief Executive John Lee also said the SAR should welcome all types of tourists and cater to their needs. The city welcomed 1.1 million tourists in the first five days of the month, up around 22 percent from the same period last year. Friday saw the most mainland arrivals – 267,000. The chief executive said officials will study the use of technology for crowd control and learn what tourists are interested in nowadays. "We should really gather information about the new travel patterns of visitors, particularly those from the mainland, because they represent a big chunk of tourists, to know about their new travel patterns, new needs and new routes, so that we can take good care of them," Lee said. "After knowing all these new demands, we can plan new routes, new supporting facilities to allow them to enjoy Hong Kong more." During the five-day holiday, some mainland tourists reportedly spent the night camping or at fast-food restaurants instead of hotels. "There will be high-end travellers, and there will also be non-high-end travellers," Lee said. "But we must look at tourism as a whole, so that every tourist will find their experience in Hong Kong an enjoyable one. "We have to work together to ensure that Hong Kong is a city that welcomes all tourists."
RTHK
06-05-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Retailers mostly see growth over Golden Week
Retailers mostly see growth over Golden Week The Retail Management Association said on Tuesday most businesses have had a better Labour Day Golden Week compared to a year ago. The growth in retail sales came as more than 910,000 mainland visitors headed to the SAR during the five-day holiday that concluded on Monday. Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, chairwoman Annie Yau Tse pointed out that business was slightly better than a normal weekend. "If we look at local consumption, as mentioned before, there were fewer people making outbound trips compared to the Easter break," she said. "And of the five-day Golden Week, four of them were public holidays, while there were only three last year. "So given that there were more public holidays and fewer people leaving Hong Kong, these helped business. "Also the weather was better compared to last year." A low base effect from last year, Yau Tse pointed out, also contributed to the growth. However, she said, the business environment remains difficult, as sales edged down after the first two days of the Golden Week. Sales of furniture, leisure clothing, eyewear and electronics increased despite these retail segments usually seeing a dip when they showed up in monthly figures, while declines were recorded for shops selling personal care products and food. Even though mainland tourists usually travel on low budgets, she said, that does not mean that they would not go in for high-priced products as they look for items with high-cost effectiveness. Yau Tse believes if the multi-entry permits that was restored for Shenzhen residents last year could be expanded to cover more provinces, it would boost the flow of visitors to the SAR.
