Families embrace Lunar New Year getaways

Stacy Shi and Marcus Lum

Many Hongkongers could not wait any longer to enjoy the Lunar New Year abroad as long queues were seen yesterday at the airport.

At the same time, some mainland tourists in Hong Kong are flocking to lesser-known spots, injecting life into local businesses, thanks to the resumption last month of the multiple-entry individual visit scheme for Shenzhen residents.

At the Hong Kong International Airport, many families departed for popular destinations - including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan - well ahead of the official holiday that begins tomorrow.

Some arrived at the airport hours in advance in anticipation of the crowds.

Airport staff were holding sign boards in the restricted area to facilitate passengers.

Many outbound travelers were families hoping for bonding time despite the significant increase in airfare and hotel expenses, which were 50 percent higher than on ordinary weekdays.

A father surnamed Wong heading to Hokkaido, Japan, said: "We are mainly accompanying the children to Hokkaido to see the icebreaker ship. We stayed in Hong Kong for Christmas so we opted to travel abroad for this holiday."

Another family heading to Seoul plans to visit theme parks, farms and museums. Some children admitted they preferred traveling abroad than receiving lai see in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Tourism Association executive director Timothy Chui Ting-pong said group tours have been popular, with package sales largely returning to prepandemic levels.

"Travelers have registered for Lunar New Year travel before Christmas and relevant tour products have sold out, especially for short- and medium-haul trips to the mainland," Chui said.

Some 299,000 visas were issued between December 1 and January 14, with around 1.04 million Shenzhen residents visiting Hong Kong during this period, according to the National Immigration Administration.

Cai, a mainland tourist, said because the permit made crossing the border convenient, it "feels like I'm just going to my neighbor's house." She added: "I mainly buy shampoo, shower gel and some Chinese medicine."

Another tourist, Lu, said her suitcase was filled with snacks. "In the past, I could only come once a week. But now we can come whenever we want," she said.

Lawmaker Edward Leung Hei said the permit is a lifeline for many retail businesses.

"Hong Kong people spending in the mainland has already helped stimulate cities. With more Greater Bay Area visitors coming to Hong Kong, we can also expect a boost to our economy," he said.

Leung said despite the higher prices of some items in Hong Kong, tourists prefer to shop here due to their reliable quality.

He also urged the government to negotiate with the mainland to increase the duty-free allowance of visitors.

More reports: Page 2