By 10 a.m. on 1 October, Hong Kong had already welcomed 112,153 visitors, 67 per cent of them from mainland China, according to real-time Immigration Department counters cited by DotDotNews English. Reporters observed queues stretching 50 metres outside luxury boutiques in Harbour City, while some brands switched to appointment-only entry to manage crowds. Retail analytics firm GfK estimates that average basket sizes for mainland travellers could rise 12 per cent this week as tourists take advantage of tax-free prices on high-end watches ahead of expected import-duty hikes in China next year. Meanwhile, restaurants in Tsim Sha Tsui East reported lunch sittings selling out by 11 a.m., prompting operators to extend business hours to 2 a.m. For corporate travellers and expatriates, the congested streets pose last-mile mobility challenges. Ride-hailing surge pricing hit 2.4 times the base fare around Kowloon Station at noon, and some employers temporarily switched visiting executives to the Airport Express plus MTR rather than car transfers. Property managers of Grade-A office towers along Canton Road issued circulars urging tenants to register visitors in advance to prevent lift-lobby bottlenecks. The Buildings Department has granted temporary waivers allowing security desks to occupy part of the ground-floor retail concourse to disperse foot traffic. Tourism Board officials say the morning’s early spike indicates that the full-day arrival figure could exceed 350,000 if momentum holds, putting additional pressure on evening transport services and fireworks-viewing zones along the harbourfront.
Source: DotDotNews
