Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki today chaired a meeting of the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements to co-ordinate preparations for visitors from the Mainland during the Labour Day Golden Week from May 1 to 5.
Mr Chan stressed that the period is expected to see an increase in the number visitor arrivals.
“The Government will make good preparations for receiving visitors, as well as maintaining close liaison with relevant organisations and the travel trade to prepare well for crowd management, information dissemination and arrangements of public transportation and boundary control points (BCPs), with a view to responding promptly to various kinds of emergencies and ensuring the smooth operation of various aspects in receiving visitors and offering them a high-quality experience,” he added.
The Immigration Department (ImmD) has estimated that approximately 980,000 Mainland visitors will enter Hong Kong via sea, land and air control points during the five-day holiday. Meanwhile, the Travel Industry Authority and the trade expect about 770 inbound tour groups to visit the city during period.
An interdepartmental joint command centre, comprising Police, the ImmD, the Customs & Excise Department and other relevant departments will be activated from May 1 to 5 to monitor real-time conditions at various control points.
The centre will maintain close liaison with Mainland port authorities via established hotlines and notification mechanisms. This allows for timely contingency actions and the flexible deployment of manpower at BCPs.
Additionally, the Security Bureau will activate its Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre during the period to oversee public order at BCPs and coordinate interdepartmental follow-up actions.
Regarding public transport, the MTR Corporation will enhance East Rail Line services at various times from April 30 to May 5 to accommodate residents and visitors. During peak hours, the frequency of shuttle buses for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) and Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang route will be increased to approximately one minute and two minutes respectively.
The Transport Department has also developed contingency plans with border control authorities to implement traffic management measures at the HZMB, Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang and Shenzhen Bay ports. These measures include providing dedicated lanes for public transport vehicles to ensure uninterrupted service.
To manage the anticipated surge of visitors to Sai Kung East Country Park, Police will deploy uniformed officers at strategic locations – including Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung Man Yee Road and the High Island Reservoir East Dam – for traffic and crowd management during peak periods.
The Transport Department has co-ordinated with the green minibus operator to enhance service on Route No. 9A, from Pak Tam Chung to East Dam.
Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law also attended.
