Elderly happily hit the town for free

The elderly had a joyful day traveling around the city for free on Senior Citizen Day yesterday.

More than 2.24 million seniors aged 65 and above were able to enjoy free admission to tourist attractions, including Ocean Park, the Sky 100 Hong Kong Observation Deck in West Kowloon and the Hong Kong Observation Wheel in Central.

Elderly citizens could show their Hong Kong ID or any identity documents at the Ocean Park ticketing office for free entry yesterday, while one guest coming with them could also buy a specially discounted ticket.

A senior said she had not visited the park for more than 30 years and came over with friends to see how it had changed. "We don't need to spend money to enter the park, so we plan to have fun," she said.

Another elderly couple said it was their first time visiting the park. They added that they seldom go out for fun after retirement and came to the park after knowing they could enjoy free admission.

The Sky 100 Observation Deck was crowded and the elderly needed to wait one-and-a-half hours to collect entrance tickets.

But seniors waiting in the long queue said they were still happy to visit the attraction despite the long waiting time.

Sky 100 said the elderly can still enjoy free visits from 10am to 12noon on weekdays later this month by showing their HKID card. Elderly citizens could also take public transportation and go to swimming pools and museums under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department for free.

Tramways, Star Ferry, New World First Bus and Citybus offered seniors free rides as long as they present their ID card or Senior Citizen Card.

But for the MTR or Kowloon Motor Bus, elderly citizens needed to use the JoyYou Card, a personalized Octopus designed for residents aged 60 or above, to enjoy free travel.

An elderly man living in Sha Tin said he planned to go hiking but changed his mind and went shopping in Mong Kok after knowing he could take public transportation for free.

An elderly woman, Kwok, also said she would like to visit the newly opened M+ museum because of the free transportation. Over 1,400 eateries and retail stores include Cafe de Coral, Super Super Congee & Noodle, Kee Wah Bakery, HKTVMALL and a wide range of pharmacies also offered special discounts to seniors on Sunday.

Yan Chai Hospital also invited nearly 140 elderly citizens to visit Ling Yan Monastery and Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island and have vegetarian lunch. All elderly participants of the event were vaccinated.

Since 1993, the Social Welfare Department has collaborated with the catering and retail sectors, and designated the third Sunday of November as Senior Citizens Day to show care and respect for the elderly.