HK Christmas tour groups flood mainland, reviving ailing package tour routes 

Hong Kong tour groups heading to mainland China surged dramatically over the Christmas holiday, causing crowds at border checkpoints and unexpectedly revitalizing a tourism sector that had been declining for years.

Today, Chinese netizens on Xiaohongshu shared observations of large Hong Kong tour groups gathering at Futian Port, ready to travel to Shenzhen and other mainland cities.

Uploaded footage revealed crowds spilling onto roads outside the port, with tour guides holding flags or signs to marshal groups into orderly queues.

Due to the high number of tours, the line of tour buses near the port stretched for several kilometers.

One netizen noted that the packaged tour business for mainland routes had been on the verge of collapse, as locals increasingly favored self-drive trips or independent planning over organized tours.

Yet the strong participation from Hong Kong residents has breathed unexpected new life into the market.

In the comments, users showed curiosity about tour details. One explained that groups were probably bound for nearby cities like Huizhou and Zhongshan on two- to three-day itineraries.

They explained that while such destinations might not necessarily require a guide, the tours offered organized transportation, meals, and accommodation, which helped elderly travelers and families avoid the hassle of planning everything themselves. 

Another netizen shared footage from Luohu Port, capturing similar scenes of large tour groups assembled outside.

Travelers wore matching outfits in colors like blue and yellow, and some even sported Christmas hats to add to the festive mood, while netizens described the scene as “looking like a crowd of Smurfs.”