Halt to Hong Kong and Macau one-day trips
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Travel agencies across Guangdong have been ordered to halt all one-day trips to Hong Kong and Macau on weekends via the cross-border bridge to reduce the nuisance suffered by the cities’ residents. The move comes about a week after Guangzhou tourism authorities issued an urgent notice asking travel agencies in the provincial capital to avoid taking groups of visitors across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge at weekends.
Since the crossing opened to traffic on October 24, large numbers of mainland visitors have descended on the usually quiet neighbourhood of Tung Chung, on Lantau Island, crowding bus stops and emptying shop shelves.
Between October 17 and November 1, more than 1.78 million visas to Hong Kong and Macau were issued to applicants across Guangdong – mostly retirees – making for a year-on-year increase of 26.6 per cent, according to the province’s public security department.
Aside from Tung Chung residents and activists being upset by the large crowds, there have also been allegations that illegal tour operators were flouting employment laws that prevent mainlanders from working in Hong Kong.
The Guangdong Provincial Culture and Tourism Department said that it had taken three measures to “further reduce the pressure on the ports and the surrounding areas”.
In halting short weekend trips to Hong Kong and Macau via the bridge, it had encouraged travel agencies to arrange “quality trips that last two days or more”.
The other two measures were to get tourism authorities at municipal and lower levels to monitor the agencies closely, and control passenger flow through an online ticketing system for cross-border buses.
“After our department and other related authorities carried out the control measures, traffic on roads to the bridge’s port in Zhuhai has become smooth, and the number of passengers heading to Hong Kong from Zhuhai has been effectively contained,” the department said.
According to the Travel Industry Council in Hong Kong, the number of registered tour groups coming over the bridge fell to 340 last weekend from 430 the weekend before.
“further reduce the pressure on the ports and the surrounding areas”
Hong Kong’s Immigration Department reported that last weekend, 76,473 passengers entered Hong Kong via the bridge, down from 102,749 the weekend before, a 26 per cent drop.
The marketing representatives of two major travel agencies in Guangzhou, Guangzhilv and Nanhu, claimed they were not aware of the latest orders.
On Nanhu’s website, 13 one-day trips to Hong Kong and Macau via the bridge were still available as of Wednesday evening, including weekend trips.
Guangzhilv’s four one-day trips to Hong Kong all depart on weekdays.
Alice Chan Cheung Lok-yee, executive director of Hong Kong’s Travel Industry Council, welcomed the new measures by Guangdong, and said it would make further cuts to the number of one-day tours.
Chan said there was no need to ban all one-day trips if the mainland visitors arrived in properly managed groups led by local tour agents.
She said the council would monitor the situation and stay in touch with the Guangdong authorities.
Tourism sector lawmaker Yiu Si-wing expected Guangdong travel agencies to comply with the orders of their provincial authorities and organise more two-day tours.
This would help relieve pressure on the port-to-port shuttle bus services at the bridge, the border clearance facilities and the local districts that visitors go to, he added.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific areas are affected by the large number of mainland visitors, causing nuisance for residents?
Which specific areas are affected by the large number of mainland visitors, causing nuisance for residents?
The usually quiet neighbourhood of Tung Chung, on Lantau Island, has been particularly affected. Residents there have been upset by large crowds, and bus stops are crowded while shop shelves are emptied.
Q.What alternative types of trips are travel agencies now encouraged to offer instead of one-day weekend visits?
What alternative types of trips are travel agencies now encouraged to offer instead of one-day weekend visits?
Guangdong’s Culture and Tourism Department has encouraged travel agencies to arrange 'quality trips that last two days or more'. This is intended to reduce pressure on ports and surrounding areas, and improve visitor experiences.
Q.Have all travel agencies immediately complied with the new orders to halt one-day weekend trips?
Have all travel agencies immediately complied with the new orders to halt one-day weekend trips?
No, marketing representatives from Guangzhilv and Nanhu claimed they were unaware of the latest orders. Nanhu’s website still listed 13 one-day trips, including weekend ones, as available on Wednesday evening.
Q.What other measures, beyond halting short weekend trips, has Guangdong implemented to manage visitor flow?
What other measures, beyond halting short weekend trips, has Guangdong implemented to manage visitor flow?
Guangdong is also getting municipal tourism authorities to closely monitor agencies and controlling passenger flow via an online ticketing system for cross-border buses. This complements the halt on one-day weekend trips.
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