“There are many possible solutions. For example, setting limits on the number of tour groups in certain places, encouraging more diverse itineraries and scheduling groups to arrive at different times.”

The checks by the authority were conducted after mainlanders from tour groups were seen having meals on the streets and crowding pavements this month, sparking concern from local residents of disturbances.

A visit by the Post to residential areas in To Kwa Wan on Monday found large numbers of tourists packing some areas. Images posted by online users also showed some visitors eating “two-dish rice” meals – a type of Chinese fast food in Hong Kong – on the streets.

Internet users also shared photos of tourists having instant cup noodles outside a public toilet in Repulse Bay in the southern part of Hong Kong Island.

At Foo Yuen Seafood restaurant in To Kwa Wan, one of the locations inspected by the authority, the Post observed several groups of tourists gathering as early as 11.30am.

The number of people queuing outside the restaurant continued to increase, with lines stretching several metres as of noon.

Visitors travelling in groups of several dozen each, all in matching hats or name tags, entered the restaurant and left through the side or rear after meals. They would then go to a nearby car park to board their buses, with at least 13 tour vehicles stationed there.

Peter Law, who works in a nearby office building, complained the tour groups in the area were a “disturbance”.

“They are really noisy and they are blocking the street,” the 28-year-old said. “There is no crowd control at all, and it is very chaotic. Then all of a sudden, police have to come and maintain order to help people going for lunch at a restaurant.”

Law voiced dissatisfaction with tour groups coming to a residential neighbourhood, adding they should visit areas such as Tsim Sha Tsui instead.

Resident Eric Ng, 21, also said he felt the tour groups were a disturbance, adding their coaches usually blocked the bus stop that he used.

But a Fujian visitor, who only gave his surname as Lin, disagreed with being labelled a nuisance.

He described his tour as “quite good”, allowing him to visit the city for two days to see Ocean Park as well as Victoria Harbour. The 38-year-old said he paid about 2,000 yuan (US$290) for the trip.

At Ka Lok Hin restaurant in To Kwa Wan, a slow stream of tour groups continued to enter the premises at 3pm.

Among them was a visitor from Chongqing surnamed Jeng, 60, who disagreed that tourists were disrupting the life of residents.

“Police and traffic police here have been very accommodating, the shopping malls and supermarkets also have good service,” he said.

Jeng, whose group will depart for Macau on Tuesday after a two-day stay in the city, paid around 2,400 yuan for his tour.

An authority spokesman noted in a Sunday statement that five registered stores currently received mainland tour groups in Kowloon City, adding it would consider stopping new applications to tackle the issue.

“Regarding the inconvenience caused to residents by some of the itineraries, the [tourism industry] representatives pledged to make improvements,” he said.

“These improvements include finding other suitable dining venues or itinerary routes to divert visitors, discussing with the receiving dining venues to improve booking and coordinating coach pickup times.”

The spokesman added the authority would closely monitor the operation of the stores in question, including whether effective crowd management measures had been implemented. The authority will take disciplinary action in the event of breaches.

More coupons, discounts in HK$20 million injection to Hong Kong tourism drive

Lawmakers attending the Legco panel meeting on Monday also commented on the issue, with Starry Lee Wai-king suggesting tour guides focus on bringing groups to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

“It’s a very scenic spot, why can’t we take the tour groups to the large spaces at the cruise terminal? There are restaurants and parking spaces there. Maybe there are not enough supporting facilities, but at least it won’t cause a nuisance to locals,” said the chairwoman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.

She also called on the authority to issue licences to restaurants interested in serving mainland tour groups, instead of just retail shops.

Ricky Tse Kam-ting, founding president of the Hong Kong Inbound Tour Operators Association, argued that operators were just resuming business and it was important the city offered experiences for mainland tourists at different price levels.

“We care about local residents and hope their daily lives are not affected,” he told a radio programme on Monday. “It would be good if we can assign police in the districts to help settle problems,” Tse added, referring to an ambassador role that officers could play.

Following the lifting of Covid curbs late last year, visitor arrivals to Hong Kong more than doubled from 498,689 in January to 1.46 million last month – the first time the monthly figure crossed 1 million since the pandemic struck in early 2020.

Visas resume, travel booms? Hong Kong tourism sector hopeful as mainland reopens

Of last month’s arrivals, 1.1 million were from the mainland, four times more than the 280,525 who came in January.

In early February, the government kicked off its “Hello Hong Kong” campaign to showcase the city’s return to the global stage after three years of being shut off from the world, with free airline tickets for visitors and vouchers for dining and shopping.