Golden Week kicks off with tourism officials inspecting attractions, implementing crowd control measures
HK01 · 4 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago5 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong's week-long National Day Golden Week began on October 1, with tourism officials conducting on-site inspections across major attractions to ensure crowd management measures are in place. The Sharp Edge area in Sai Kung has implemented a reservation system that has seen all slots booked for the first six days, with mainland tourists comprising 94% of visitors. Transport authorities expect over 130,000 passenger movements through the West Kowloon High Speed Rail terminus on opening day alone, as both inbound tourists and outbound Hong Kong residents create bidirectional travel demand.
Key Points
- Tourism Commissioner inspected the Peak Tram, Ocean Park, Disneyland, and Ngong Ping 360 on September 30, confirming crowd control preparations were complete
- The Sharp Edge (破邊洲) reservation system, covering September 5 to October 7 weekends and holidays, set a daily limit of 2,000 visitors, with all slots for October 1-6 fully booked
- At 9am on October 1, 440 visitors arrived at Sharp Edge, approaching the 500-person time-slot limit, with 94% being mainland tourists
- Transport authorities expect over 130,000 passenger movements through the West Kowloon High Speed Rail terminus during the Golden Week
- Legislative Council member Fang Guoshan recommended adding mobile restrooms, improving mobile signal coverage, and installing passing bays along routes to enhance visitor experience
Why It Matters
The strong turnout during this Golden Week tests Hong Kong's ability to balance tourism recovery with visitor experience and environmental protection at sensitive natural sites. The success of the Sharp Edge reservation trial could inform future crowd management strategies at other popular countryside attractions, while the West Kowloon terminus's handling of 130,000-plus daily passengers demonstrates Hong Kong's continued role as a major gateway connecting the mainland and international travelers .
The strong turnout during this Golden Week tests Hong Kong's ability to balance tourism recovery with visitor experience and environmental protection at sensitive natural sites. The success of the Sharp Edge reservation trial could inform future crowd management strategies at other popular countryside attractions, while the West Kowloon terminus's handling of 130,000-plus daily passengers demonstrates Hong Kong's continued role as a major gateway connecting the mainland and international travelers .