1 week ago Damaged coral reefs in Hong Kong may take years to recover, green groups warn

Damaged coral reefs in a Unesco-listed geopark in Hong Kong may take years to recover, environmentalists have warned, after a government investigation found that an area of about four square metres had been affected. Thousands of tourists were found to have flocked to Sharp Island in Sai Kung during mainland China’s National Day “golden week” holiday this month, with some trampling on corals while snorkelling and digging up marine organisms. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department...

Events

1 week ago China sees uptick in ‘super golden week’ spending amid record travel surge

China logged a welcome uptick in spending on services during the just-concluded eight-day “super golden week” public holiday, as the country’s transport hubs handled record numbers of passengers. Chinese transport authorities logged 2.432 billion passenger trips – a record high and a 6.2 per cent year-on-year increase – during this year’s extended holiday, which combined the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. The surge was mainly driven by overlapping demand for tourism and...

Politics

1 week ago 1.4 million mainland passenger trips made to Hong Kong over ‘golden week’ break

More than 1.4 million mainland Chinese passenger trips were made to Hong Kong during the country’s National Day “golden week” holiday, official data has shown, but a sector representative said tourists’ spending power remained weak despite the increased numbers. According to the latest figures from the Immigration Department, the number of inbound trips made by mainland visitors during the eight-day break, which coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival this year, marked a 15 per cent increase from...

Politics

1 week ago 1.4 million mainland Chinese passenger trips made to Hong Kong over ‘golden week’

More than 1.4 million mainland Chinese passenger trips were made to Hong Kong during the National Day “golden week” holiday, official data has shown, but the number still fell short of the city government’s expectations of nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels of 1.52 million. While Hong Kong retailers and caterers reported business growth of up to 20 per cent year on year during the break, a sector representative said on Thursday that tourists’ spending power had remained weak. According to the...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong retailers, caterers enjoy ‘golden week’ business growth of up to 20%

Hong Kong retailers and caterers have reported business growth of up to 20 per cent year on year during mainland China’s National Day “golden week” break, with one tourist spending a whopping HK$1 million (US$128,500) on international brands, business leaders have said. Industry leaders said stores selling gold, jewellery and cosmetic products emerged as the big winners as the eight-day break wrapped up on Wednesday, while cha chaan teng were the top dining choice, followed by Chinese...

Politics

1 week ago China braces for record travel peak on final day of ‘golden week’

China’s transport system braced for a massive travel surge on Wednesday as millions of people returned to work at the end of the annual “super golden week” holiday, one of the busiest times of the year. Transport authorities added hundreds of extra trains and additional temporary EV charging stations to manage the rush on the final day of the week-long break, which included National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Ministry of Transport on Wednesday said the total number of journeys during...

Sport

2 w. ago Which Hong Kong businesses came out on top over National Day break?

The number of mainland Chinese visitors coming to Hong Kong for the first five days of the National Day “golden week” break rose by 5.1 per cent from last year, while business leaders have said cosmetics sellers and cha chaan teng enjoyed a boost in customers. Maurice Kong Chi-hang, chairman of the Institute of Dining Professionals, said that the National Day fireworks on October 1 served as a draw for visitors, helping to prompt a 10 to 25 per cent increase in business for restaurants. But he...

Politics

2 w. ago Crowds on outlying Hong Kong island won’t have major ‘impact’ on reefs: official

The overcrowding at a Unesco-listed geopark in Hong Kong during the National Day “golden week” holiday is not expected to have a “significant impact” on coral colonies, authorities have said, stressing that they will assess the health of the reefs near an outlying island and review crowd control measures. Patrick Lai Chuen-chi, deputy director of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, said on Monday that staff would conduct an assessment of the coral reefs off Sharp Island in...

Politics

2 w. ago Crowds on Hong Kong’s Sharp Island won’t have major ‘impact’ on corals: official

The overcrowding at a Unesco-listed geopark in Hong Kong during the National Day “golden week” holiday is not expected to have a “significant impact” on coral colonies, authorities have said, stressing that they will assess the health of the reefs near an outlying island and review crowd control measures. Patrick Lai Chuen-chi, deputy director of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, said on Monday that staff would conduct an assessment of the coral reefs off Sharp Island in...

Politics

2 w. ago Crowds on Hong Kong’s Sharp Island won’t have major impact on corals: government

The overcrowding at a Unesco-listed geopark in Hong Kong during the National Day “golden week” holiday is not expected to have a “significant impact” on coral colonies, the city’s environment chief has said, stressing that authorities will assess the health of the reefs near an outlying island and review crowd control measures. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan on Monday said that the damage to coral reefs off Sharp Island in Sai Kung was not extensive, after tourists were seen...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong steps up patrols after ‘golden week’ tourists overrun Sai Kung island

Hong Kong will step up patrols at a Unesco Global Geopark for the rest of the National Day “golden week” break after hordes of tourists flooded the place, with some trampling on corals and starting fires. The Environment and Ecology Bureau on Sunday said that staff from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) together with officers from the police force and Marine Department launched a joint operation on Sharp Island, also known as Kiu Tsui Chau, in Sai Kung. It said that...

Politics

2 w. ago Shanghai Sees More than Twenty Percent Tourism Growth During China’s National Day Golden Week of this Year, Driven by New Policies and Premium Travel Experiences

Shanghai Sees More than Twenty Percent Tourism Growth During China’s National Day Golden Week of this Year, Driven by New Policies and Premium Travel Experiences  Travel And Tour World

Events

2 w. ago China’s National Day Golden Week of this Year Surges with Record Travel from Japan with Premium Experiences and Emotional Value Sought

China’s National Day Golden Week of this Year Surges with Record Travel from Japan with Premium Experiences and Emotional Value Sought  Travel And Tour World

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong hotels packed for National Day break. So why is the industry worried?

Hong Kong’s hotels recorded occupancy rates of more than 80 per cent in the first three days of the National Day “golden week” holiday amid a 6.3 per cent rise in visitor arrivals, but industry leaders have warned that the city’s success in managing mega-event crowds could create a new hurdle for tourism. They warned that the government’s focus on ensuring major events ended earlier at night to help with cross-border travel was undercutting demand for extended stays. “There has been a noticeable...

Politics

2 w. ago How are mainland Chinese visitors enjoying Hong Kong during ‘golden week’?

Mainland Chinese visitors have continued to stream into Hong Kong for the National Day “golden week” holiday, with many heading to the horse races and enjoying discounts on delicacies as well as movies in the past few days. According to the Immigration Department, 454,778 cross-border trips were made on the first two days of the eight-day holiday. A check of mainland social media and interviews with tourists showed which activities, events and places were proving to be popular. High on the...

Politics

2 w. ago China’s ‘Clean Net’ campaign targets ‘negative emotions’ in annual online purge

As China settles into its “golden week” National Day holiday, the country’s cyber watchdogs are hard at work scouring the internet for negative sentiment, and handing out harsh penalties or imposing bans on influential online figures and social media platforms. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said on Monday that the latest round of its “Clean Net” campaign aimed to “crack down on malicious incitement of negative emotions” and “create a more civilised and rational online...

Events

2 w. ago Alibaba's Amap hits record 360 million users as China's National Day 'golden week' begins

Alibaba's Amap hits record 360 million users as China's National Day 'golden week' begins  Yahoo

Events

2 w. ago Mainland Chinese tourists in Hong Kong head for Cheung Chau to avoid crowds

Hong Kong’s outlying island of Cheung Chau has emerged as a quiet haven for mainland Chinese visitors who want to avoid the city’s crowded urban neighbourhoods during the National Day holidays. Hundreds of mainland tourists headed to Cheung Chau on Thursday morning, the second day of the “golden week” break. They were among the 1.5 million visitors from across the border expected in the city during the eight-day holiday period. Geared up in sunglasses, floppy hats and sun protection clothing,...

Politics

2 w. ago Alibaba’s Amap hits record 360 million users as ‘golden week’ begins

Amap, Alibaba Group Holding’s answer to Google Maps, saw a record 360 million daily users on the first day of China’s “golden week” National Day holiday, as the company strengthens its local service offerings amid increasing competition with Meituan. On Wednesday, the first day of the extended eight-day break, Amap provided navigation for trips totalling over 9 billion km, also a record high, according to Alibaba, owner of the Post. Meanwhile, Amap’s new road safety alert system, Eagle Eye...

Events

2 w. ago 5% rise in mainland Chinese visitors to Hong Kong on first day of ‘golden week’

Hong Kong recorded a 5 per cent year-on-year rise in mainland Chinese visitors on the first day of the National Day “golden week” break, with industry leaders expecting more arrivals on Thursday and higher spending from long-haul travellers. Immigration figures showed a total of 558,431 inbound trips on Wednesday, marking a 1.27 per cent decrease from last year. But the number of mainland tourists stood at 232,751, representing a 5 per cent increase compared with the same day last year. A net...

Politics