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Hong Kong’s popular Ngong Ping 360 cable car attraction on way up, ex-director says as it climbs out of coronavirus slump

  • Company says it expects service will be restored to 2018 record levels this year as visitors from mainland China and rest of Asia return
  • Former managing director Andy Lau says firm has invested HK$10 million in 10 more transparent ‘crystal cabins’ to take number to 20

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The Ngong Ping 360 cable car attraction is on the way up after a coronavirus slump, the firm says. Photo: Dickson Lee
Denise Tsang
The former boss of Hong Kong’s signature Ngong Ping 360 cable car attraction has said the company expects performance will return to 2018’s record level this year as airline services build up and flight ticket prices come down.

Andy Lau Wai-ming, who left the company as managing director earlier this month for parent firm the MTR Corporation and a role as general manager (designated) – commercial, said the recovery was led by a strong return of visitors from mainland China and the rest of Asia in recent months.

He said the numbers of long-haul air travellers, who accounted for nearly 50 per cent of the pre-pandemic 2019 level figures last year, would take some time to get back to normal.

“One good thing about the Asia market is its peak times are spread out thoroughly throughout the year,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Post. “This is important not just to the company, but to Hong Kong’s tourism.”

A tourist enjoys the view from a Ngong Ping 360 cable car as it passes Lantau Island’s famous Big Buddha statue. Photo: Felix Wong
A tourist enjoys the view from a Ngong Ping 360 cable car as it passes Lantau Island’s famous Big Buddha statue. Photo: Felix Wong

The 6km (3.7 mile) cable car system connects Tung Chung with Ngong Ping on Lantau Island, the site of the Big Buddha, which also has views over the South China Sea, the massive Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, the airport and North Lantau Country Park.

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