With some 500 delegates arriving for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers’ Meeting on 20-21 October, Hong Kong has activated an enhanced arrival protocol that combines diplomatic-lane immigration processing with dedicated transport corridors between the airport, Wanchai event venues and 18 accredited hotels. Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Monday that giving ministers a “high-quality experience” is crucial to restoring Hong Kong’s reputation as an international meeting hub. Airport teams have set up temporary counters where accredited participants collect pre-printed e-Visa labels and register facial biometrics for rapid-gate access on departure. The Immigration Department confirmed that more than 300 officials had completed enrolment by Monday evening. Delegates will also have access to the Airport Express in-town check-in desks inside the Convention and Exhibition Centre—re-opened specifically for the summit—allowing baggage drop-off up to 24 hours before outbound flights. On the security side, police began 24-hour patrols of Wanchai’s harbourfront last Friday, using drones to map crowd density and potential protest flashpoints. Road closures along Convention Avenue and Expo Drive took effect at 7 a.m. Monday, while the Transport Department designated priority lanes for official vehicles from the airport to the summit zone. Ride-hailing services have been geo-fenced to prevent drop-offs within 200 metres of the venue. For the business community, the influx means hotel occupancy in core districts has hit 92 per cent and same-day visitor arrival slots at Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau are likely to tighten during peak hours on 20 October. Mobility managers are advised to book car services well ahead and warn travellers to carry conference badges to use temporary express lanes at harbourfront security checkpoints. APEC organisers are running a “Green Meeting” pilot that encourages delegates to opt for MTR travel where practical; Octopus cards with HK$200 credit were included in delegate packs. The government says lessons learned from this week will feed into planning for the larger APEC Leaders’ Week in 2027, potentially including dedicated “APEC e-Channel” lanes for holders of APEC Business Travel Cards.
Source: RTHK
