Originally slated to end on September 27, the International Lantern Spectacular at Victoria Park was extended twice and will now run through October 7, coinciding with golden week. The South China Morning Post counted thousands of people—locals, domestic helpers and foreign tourists—arriving before sunset on Thursday to beat anticipated evening crowds. Hong Kong Tourism Board figures show the exhibit has already attracted over 500,000 visitors since launch, adding welcome footfall to Causeway Bay retailers. Crowd-control measures include earlier closing of some entry gates and live updates via social media channels. Tour operators are weaving the lantern show into half-day inbound packages, bundling it with harbour-front fireworks viewing. Meanwhile, corporate event planners have booked VIP walk-throughs outside public hours for visiting executives, citing the installation’s "Instagrammable" value for employer-branding. Safety experts advise companies organising group visits to schedule departures before 9 p.m. to avoid crush risks and to brief participants on designated exit routes that circumvent major shopping-street bottlenecks.
Source: South China Morning Post
