Over 1,500 tourists depart Hong Kong after Lunar New Year fireworks under extended crossing hours to prevent overcrowding
- Authorities extended opening hours at Lo Wu and Shenzhen Bay crossings to avoid repeat of scenes of stranded mainland Chinese tourists after New Year’s Eve
- Lawmaker Edward Lau praises ‘smooth and orderly’ handling of border traffic, calling for policy’s renewal for future holidays
The latest immigration statistics showed 1,258 people left Hong Kong through the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint between midnight and 7am, 794 of them being tourists, mostly people from mainland China.
At the Lo Wu crossing, 713 tourists were among the 1,487 people who left the city during the checkpoint’s extended operations between midnight and 2am.
City authorities had longer hours at some checkpoints for the festive event as part of efforts to avoid a repeat of scenes that followed December’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display, when crowds of travellers were left stranded at some crossings and stations.
In terms of inbound travellers, officials at Shenzhen Bay and Lo Wu logged 1,550 and 2,023 people, mostly Hongkongers, heading into the city during the crossings’ extended operating hours.
