CS chairs interdepartmental working group meeting on festival arrangements

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (April 20) chaired a meeting of the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements to holistically co-ordinate and steer the preparatory work of various government departments for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland (i.e. from May 1 to 5). The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law; the Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-sun; the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, and representatives from other relevant government departments also attended.

Mr Chan said, “The number of visitor arrivals is expected to increase during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. The Government will make good preparations for receiving visitors, as well as maintaining close liaison with relevant organisations and the travel trade to prepare well for crowd management, information dissemination and arrangements of public transportation and boundary control points (BCPs), with a view to responding promptly to various kinds of emergencies and ensuring the smooth operation of various aspects in receiving visitors and offering them a high-quality experience.”

Estimated visitor flow and preparatory work

According to the Immigration Department (ImmD)’s estimate, around 980 000 Mainland visitors will visit Hong Kong via various sea, land and air control points during the five-day Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. Compared with last year’s Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland, the visitor arrivals will increase by about 7 per cent.

According to the estimate of the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) and the trade, it is anticipated that about 770 inbound tour groups will visit Hong Kong during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. The TIA has reminded travel agents receiving Mainland inbound tour groups to stagger arrival times as far as possible, and will co-ordinate with relevant agencies such as tourist spots to adopt appropriate diversion measures to enable proper management of visitor flows and tour buses, with a view to offering visitors a pleasant travel experience. Major tourist spots have also formulated special arrangements to handle the estimated increase in people flow. The Hong Kong community is expected to become more vibrant and highly patronised during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland this year, bringing opportunities to various sectors. District offices will also closely monitor the flow of visitors within their respective districts and notify relevant departments having regard to the actual circumstances with a view to strengthening management of the relevant spots.

Co-ordinate control points, traffic and public transport facilities

Relevant departments have minimised leave for frontline officers to enable flexible deployment of manpower and operation of additional counters, temporary counters and channels, with a view to diverting passenger and vehicular flow. The Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre set up by the Police, the ImmD, the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED), and other relevant departments will be activated from May 1 (Friday) to May 5 (Tuesday) to monitor the real-time situation at various control points. The Joint Command Centre will maintain close liaison with the Mainland port authorities through the established port hotlines and real-time notification mechanism, and take timely contingency actions as necessary to flexibly deploy manpower at BCPs to ensure smooth operation of the land control points. The Security Bureau (SB) will activate the Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland to closely monitor and co-ordinate the public order situation at various BCPs and facilitate interdepartmental follow-up actions where necessary to respond promptly to various kinds of emergencies.

For public transport arrangements, the Transport Department (TD) has approached various public transport operators proactively to enhance their capacity, and reserve sufficient vehicles and manpower to meet the travel needs of passengers during peak periods. Among them, the MTR Corporation Limited will enhance the service of the East Rail Line at different periods from April 30 (Thursday) to May 5 (Tuesday) for the convenience of residents and visitors. The TD will also cater for the arrangements of BCPs and has co-ordinated with relevant operators to enhance transportation services connecting various BCPs, including increasing the frequency of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) shuttle bus and Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (i.e. Gold Bus and Yellow Bus) during peak hours to about one minute and two minutes respectively at their highest frequencies, as well as increasing the quota of cross-boundary coaches to strengthen services. The TD has also formulated contingency plans with frontline border control authorities to implement special traffic control measures at HZMB Port, Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang port and Shenzhen Bay Port as necessary, including providing a dedicated passage for public transport vehicles to ensure smooth public transport services.

The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre of the TD will operate 24 hours a day at an escalated tier during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services in all districts (including tourist hotspots), BCPs, and major stations across Hong Kong, and take prompt measures to address service demands and disseminate the latest traffic updates through various channels.

Protection of visitors

The Government adopts a zero-tolerance stance towards coerced shopping and will take stringent action against any violations. Travel agents and tourist guides are obliged to ensure the safety and interests of visitors joining inbound tour groups, including protecting them from malpractices such as coerced shopping. The Government urges visitors to patronise licensed travel agents and call the TIA’s hotline (3698 5900) to report incidents or contact the Police for assistance if they encounter improper treatment. The TIA will also conduct inspections in districts where relatively more registered shops for inbound tour groups are located, and offer assistance to visitors and tourist guides to protect inbound tour group visitors’ rights. Additionally, the Police will continue to step up enforcement actions against the illegal acts of taxi drivers including overcharging and refusing hire. The C&ED will also step up inspection of shops serving visitors to combat unfair trade practices.

To ensure smooth traffic flow in tourist areas such as the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront and the Peak, the Police will step up enforcement actions against offences causing traffic congestion. Illegally parked vehicles that cause serious obstruction or pose an immediate danger will be ticketed and towed away immediately without prior warning.

Management of country parks

In view of the anticipated large number of visitors to the Sai Kung East Country Park area during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland, the Government will enhance management through interdepartmental collaboration. At High Island Reservoir East Dam, the Police have taken targeted measures, including deploying uniformed officers at strategic locations at Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung Man Yee Road and East Dam, for traffic and crowd management during peak visitor arrival and departure periods. The TD has co-ordinated with the green minibus operator to enhance the service of GMB Route No. 9A (Pak Tam Chung – East Dam of High Island Reservoir) subject to passenger demand. Furthermore, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) will disseminate visitor flow information in the East Dam area via its ”Enjoy Hiking” website to enable visitors’ planning of their trips. The AFCD will also implement temporary crowd control measures at the entrance of the High Island Geo Trail – Po Pin Chau Section when necessary to prevent overcrowding at the Po Pin Chau viewing platform. To prevent visitors from approaching dangerous areas other than the Po Pin Chau viewing platform, the AFCD, in collaboration with the Architectural Services Department, will install additional railings at certain locations of the viewing platform before the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. The AFCD will utilise drones equipped with broadcast functions to monitor the Po Pin Chau viewing platform and remind visitors not to cross the railings.

At campsites such as Ham Tin Wan, Sai Wan, and Long Ke Wan in Sai Kung, the AFCD will deploy additional staff to conduct day-and-night patrols and be stationed, and will carry out enforcement actions against violations. The AFCD will also use drones and a CCTV system to monitor the campsites. AFCD officers will enhance on-site publicity on safe hiking, caring for the environment, animals and plants, maintaining cleanliness, observing camping behaviour and etiquette, as well as strengthening cleaning efforts around campsites. Meanwhile, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will enhance cleaning services at the Ham Tin public toilet, including increasing the daily cleaning frequency and assigning toilet attendants for daily duty.

At Sharp Island, the AFCD will deploy additional staff to conduct daily patrols along the coastline, including the beach area and popular spots for entering or leaving the water. Patrols will be strengthened in particular to coincide with kaito ferry timetables and daytime low tide periods. The AFCD will also conduct joint patrols with the Marine Department and the Police at sea to maintain order. The AFCD will engage a non-governmental organisation to set up an education booth on-site to promote marine conservation and nature appreciation to visitors. Snorkelling and kayaking guides will also be engaged to patrol at nearshore waters to remind snorkelers to follow coral-friendly routes when entering or leaving the water.

Weather forecast

It is expected that the chance of being affected by tropical cyclones during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland is relatively low in Hong Kong. However, as the rainy season has already begun, there may be intermittent heavy rain and severe convective weather. The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) will release relevant weather information as early as possible. Travellers are advised to check the HKO’s nine-day weather forecast and the latest weather information, including special weather tips and weather warnings, before travelling.

Information dissemination

To assist visitors in planning their itineraries, the interdepartmental working group and relevant departments will strengthen information dissemination including the latest inbound visitor arrivals, the situation at various BCPs, information on events, transport arrangements, and the latest weather forecast, to enable residents and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will launch a dedicated webpage at its one-stop travel information platform Discover Hong Kong, which consolidates useful information during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. The webpage includes information about the opening hours and waiting times of major attractions, public transportation and boundary-crossing services to enable residents and visitors to plan their itineraries more conveniently.

The HKTB will also step up promotion of travel to Hong Kong on the Mainland through collaborations with travel agencies and online travel platforms, media campaigns, and social media platforms. The promotions will cover themes such as family travel, arts and cultural events, gourmet cuisine, and high-speed rail travel, with a view to enhancing the uniqueness and appeal of travel to Hong Kong, thereby attracting visitors, extending their length of stay, and stimulating consumption.

Residents and visitors may visit “Easy Boundary” (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/bwt/status.html?type=outbound), a one-stop information platform on immigration clearance launched by the SB, to obtain useful information on “Easy Boundary” in one go, including the respective average waiting times for passengers and private cars at land BCPs, as well as for the HZMB cross-boundary shuttle bus and the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus, to plan their trips and save waiting times.

Courses under new round of “Smart Silver” Enriched ICT Training Programme for the Elderly open for enrolment

The Digital Policy Office (DPO) announced today (April 20) that a new round of the “Smart Silver” Enriched Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Training Programme for the Elderly is open for enrolment from this month. Elderly people aged 60 or above with basic knowledge of digital technologies are welcome to join the courses free of charge. The Enriched ICT Training Programme aims to enrich elderly people’s knowledge of digital technologies, and help them master the application of AI and other emerging technologies, thereby helping them embrace digital living.

Courses under the Enriched ICT Training Programme will be designed and delivered by the three Elder Academies (EAs) operated by universities. The course content includes AI and smart assistants, blockchain and digital payments, robots and autonomous driving, IT in the low-altitude economy, cyber security, as well as basic coding and computational thinking, etc. The responsible organisations are the Elder Academy at the Hong Kong Metropolitan University, the Jockey Club Institute of Ageing of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Research Centre for Gerontology and Family Studies of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. This round of the Enriched ICT Training Programme is expected to offer a total of over 170 classes in the coming two years, benefitting more than 4 000 elderly.

“Since its launch in 2019, the Enriched ICT Training Programme for the Elderly has been well received, with over 19 000 elderly participants having taken part in the courses to date. Leveraging the rich teaching resources and experience of the EAs, we wish to further enrich the course content of the training programme and broaden the learning horizons for the elderly. We hope that the elderly will not only be users of digital technologies, but will also actively embrace digital living, enhance their self-confidence, and enjoy the convenience and joy brought by technological innovation,” a spokesman for the DPO said.

Relevant information about the training courses has been uploaded to the Elderly IT Learning Portal (www.it2.gov.hk/enriched_training/) (Chinese only) for reference.

For details about various programmes of “Smart Silver”, please visit the DPO website (www.digitalpolicy.gov.hk/en/our_work/digital_government/digital_inclusion/).