The Hong Kong Immigration Department told reporters on 23 September that it expects 1.29 million entries by mainland Chinese residents during the National Day holiday, more than five per cent above last year’s level. The projection, first disclosed at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Eric Chan and later confirmed to the South China Morning Post and RTHK, is based on ticket sales, tour-group filings and historical trends. Officials anticipate that 1,180 organised tour groups will cross the border, with the single-busiest days likely to be 2 and 5 October when daily arrivals could top 210,000. Average processing times at Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations are forecast to double during morning peaks unless passengers use e-Channels and mobile-gateways recently installed at control points. To smooth flows, the Travel Industry Authority has instructed agencies to stagger coach schedules and cooperate with theme-park operators on timed admission slots. Retailers have been warned that any coerced-shopping complaints will trigger licence reviews. Economists say the influx could inject up to HK$2.3 billion (US$294 million) in visitor spending, an important tail-wind for hotels and F&B outlets struggling with high borrowing costs. Yet labour-market analysts caution that the surge will stress staffing at checkpoints and frontline services already operating at maximum overtime limits. Corporate mobility managers should alert travellers to carry printed hotel confirmations and sufficient cash or e-payment means, as random customs checks on undeclared high-value goods are expected to intensify over the period.
Source: South China Morning Post
