Hong Kong’s border checkpoints were inundated on September 26—the day after the Mid-Autumn Festival—as residents seized the long weekend to travel to mainland China and beyond. Immigration Department data show 1.245 million passenger movements were recorded across land, sea and air control points. Of these, 684,000 were outbound trips and 561,000 were arrivals. Some 488,000 Hong Kong residents left the city in a single day, with more than 80 per cent using land crossings to neighbouring Shenzhen. Lo Wu handled 117,000 departures, followed by Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (108,000) and Shenzhen Bay Port (75,000). Crowds at Lo Wu spilled back into the MTR concourse as travellers queued for up to 30 minutes. The exodus was mirrored by a sharp uptick in mainland arrivals. About 160,000 mainland Chinese visitors entered Hong Kong on Saturday—roughly 27 per cent more than the same weekend last year—attracted by lantern carnivals, aggressive retail promotions and a favourable exchange rate. West Kowloon high-speed rail terminus, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line and Shenzhen Bay were the three busiest gateways for inbound mainland tourists, processing 41,000, 36,000 and 32,000 entries respectively. Over the two-day period of 25–26 September, a net outflow of 360,000 Hongkongers was recorded, six times higher than the previous weekend. Tourism academics say the asymmetric flow reflects a “see-saw” pattern that has emerged since quarantine-free travel resumed: residents flock north for cheaper dining and entertainment while mainlanders treat Hong Kong as a short-haul leisure and shopping stop. For corporate mobility managers the data underline the importance of pre-booking transport and accommodation around mainland public-holiday periods. Companies with staff shuttling between Shenzhen and Hong Kong were advised to allow extra clearance time—especially at Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau—and to monitor Transport Department advisories in real time. Airlines and hotels, meanwhile, reported steady but not exceptional demand, suggesting that most holidaymakers preferred the convenience and economy of cross-border rail or road travel.
Source: HK01
