880,000 mainland tourists flock to HK for Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations

Many mainland visitors were seen arriving at Hong Kong's West Kowloon Station on Sunday to enjoy their holidays, with mainland authorities estimating around 880,000 visitors.

This influx coincides with the start of the Mid-Autumn Festival holidays in mainland China, drawing numerous tourists to Hong Kong for sightseeing.

This morning at West Kowloon Station, a tourist from Beijing mentioned that they were taking advantage of the three-day break to visit family in Hong Kong. They observed more people than expected during clearance and experienced longer queues.

Compared to their trip to Macau, other tourists noted that there were fewer people in Hong Kong, but they anticipated more visitors in the afternoon.

Hong Kong has organized various events to celebrate the festival, including an enhanced Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance and drone shows.

Tourists from Guangzhou and Shenzhen mentioned that they plan to visit and return on the same day, opting not to stay overnight. They described the festival events in Hong Kong as average.

Some tourists expressed concerns about insufficient promotion and suggested collaboration with social media platforms on the mainland to boost visibility.

Others were surprised by the festivities, admitting they were unaware of the events beforehand. They are now keen on understanding and participating in the celebrations.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board Visitor Information Center, located in the arrival hall of the Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, has put up promotional signs for events like the fire dragon dances and drone performances. Staff are also on hand to provide consultation services.

The Shenzhen Immigration Inspection estimates that during the Mid-Autumn Festival, there will be an average of 760,000 entries and exits at the port daily.

Today's peak of the travel rush expects more than 880,000 entries and exits. At the West Kowloon Station alone, about 306,000 entries and exits are expected during the three-day holiday.