Labour Day: Hong Kong records 242,000 trips by mainland Chinese visitors so far

Hong Kong has recorded more than 242,000 trips by mainland Chinese visitors on the first day of their Labour Day “golden week” break, with many heading to the countryside for scenic views and others opting for “city walks” to explore picturesque locales. Some early arrivals headed straight to the countryside after getting off at the West Kowloon rail terminus on Friday morning. University student Chen Hongjie, 18, was all geared up to hike the MacLehose Trail on his first day in the city after a three-hour train journey from Changsha. Planning to camp along part of the trail for two nights with a friend, Chen had sleeping mats, instant food and downloaded maps on his phone. “I had done some research on the trip and gathered tips from travellers who had been to the same place,” he said, referring to social media travel content he had saved that recommended ways to explore Hong Kong’s nature more deeply. Chen said he would stay one more night in the city centre after the hike, and hoped to experience its vibrant urban life. Immigration statistics showed that 1.11 million cross-border trips were recorded as of 9pm, including 288,642 by inbound visitors. Of these, 242,851 inbound trips were by mainland travellers, while visitors from elsewhere accounted for 45,791. Meanwhile, the city recorded 592,751 outbound trips, of which 413,051, or 70 per cent, were made by Hongkongers, according to Immigration Department figures. Among the outbound trips by Hongkongers, about 93 per cent, or 385,089, involved crossing via border control points connecting the city with the mainland and Macau. In terms of the busiest control point, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line was the most popular checkpoint, logging 209,298 cross-border inbound and outbound trips. Lo Wu recorded 199,976, while Shenzhen Bay logged 155,008. About 127,045 trips were made via the airport. The High Island Reservoir East Dam in Sai Kung was packed with thousands of tourists, many from the mainland, drawn by its natural scenery. The site has become a hotspot among mainland visitors after being promoted on various social media platforms. Unlike during the Chinese New Year holiday in February, when mainland visitors enjoyed a nine-day break, the terminus was less crowded this time, with fewer travellers carrying large suitcases. Groups of relatively young visitors travelled light, planning day trips before heading back in the evening. A 17-year-old high school student, who gave her name only as Emily, came to Hong Kong with three classmates from Guangzhou. The four girls said they were familiar with popular tips for visiting Hong Kong and were eager to try some caramel custard tarts in Tsim Sha Tsui, as well as puffs and other pastries in Central and Causeway Bay. In the heart of the city, a former police station in Kowloon that has been converted into a heritage landmark welcomed hundreds of mainland visitors, as families and students flocked to the site for immersive “citywalk” experiences and short-haul itineraries. Chen Jie, an electronics salesman from Guangxi, arrived at the West Kowloon rail terminus with his son on the first day of their trip and headed straight to the historic site to take photos with movie posters, including those for the film Infernal Affairs. “We could not get tickets, so we just took some photos outside as a memory,” he said. The family plans to stay for two days and has budgeted HK$4,000 (US$510). They intend to visit Kennedy Town and Victoria Harbour to enjoy the night views. The Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, a Grade II historic building and one of Kowloon’s oldest police structures, has remained a popular destination for tourists and film enthusiasts since it ceased routine operations in 2016. The government launched a permanent ground-floor exhibition titled “Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey” on January 2, featuring recreated film sets such as an interrogation room and detention cells. Tickets for the exhibition over the next three days have sold out, with some visitors securing their spots well in advance. Among them is Kevin Wang, a university student from Guangzhou who arrived with his friends on Thursday. “We saw on RedNote that the exhibition will be giving away souvenirs during the holiday, so we snapped up tickets online,” he said. “Some of us grew up watching TVB dramas, and we wanted to take photos of the crime and police settings inside.” The group said they would leave later in the day due to a limited budget, but they planned to visit Tsim Sha Tsui before departing. While the nearby Jordan area also offers attractions such as the Temple Street Night Market and the Jade Market, many tourists appeared to be unaware of them. An aviation worker from Shenzhen who was visiting while transiting through Hong Kong during the Labour Day holiday said she had no fixed itinerary. “I saw road signs for the street markets on my way, but I did not know they were tourist attractions,” she said. Meanwhile, dozens of mainland visitors were seen taking photos and soaking in the atmosphere at Tai Kwun, a revitalised former police station in Central that now serves as a hub for arts, culture and dining. A 26-year-old visitor from Shenzhen, Zhang Yuting, said she came mainly to take photos after seeing recommendations on social media, but had little intention of spending much. “I saw a lot of people posting pictures here, so I wanted to come and take some myself,” she said. “The buildings and the atmosphere are quite nice.” But she added that dining options in the area were beyond her budget. “The restaurants are a bit too expensive for me. I’ll just take photos here and then go somewhere cheaper to eat,” she said. City guides on RedNote have widely recommended the location for cross-border visitors, as tourists increasingly seek more in-depth, culturally focused itineraries rather than traditional hotspots. A couple from Guangzhou, surnamed Chen and Huang, said they were visiting Hong Kong for two days and had prioritised attractions recommended on social media over shopping malls. “We saw a lot of posts about Tai Kwun and the nearby streets, so we came to check it out,” Chen said. “It feels more unique than just going to shopping centres.” Huang added that while prices in Hong Kong were “still quite high”, they were willing to spend on experiences. “We might buy something small, but mainly it’s for the atmosphere,” Huang said. Additional reporting by Connor Mycroft

Labour Day: Hong Kong records 242,000 trips by mainland Chinese visitors so far

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Many visitors head to countryside for scenic views, while others opt for ‘city walks’ to explore picturesque locales

Many visitors head to countryside for scenic views, while others opt for ‘city walks’ to explore picturesque locales