Savvy Hongkongers book 9-day Lunar New Year break for festive trips across Asia
Immigration Department earlier forecast number of trips by residents and visitors alike would reach 11.38 million between February 14 and 23
Travellers, including families with children and elderly relatives, gathered at check-in counters at Hong Kong International Airport in the morning as the city marked Valentine’s Day and prepared to ring in the Year of the Horse.
In an announcement, airport staff urged travellers to proceed to immigration counters as soon as possible after checking in, noting that “a large number” of passengers were expected to depart the city.
The Immigration Department earlier said it expected the number of trips by residents and visitors alike would reach 11.38 million between Saturday and February 23, an increase of 16 per cent from the previous Lunar New Year period.
Department figures showed that 506,940 residents had left Hong Kong by 9pm on Saturday, with 59,626 departing via the airport. Meanwhile, 141,908 mainland visitors had entered Hong Kong, with the West Kowloon high-speed rail terminus accounting for 30,053 – the most among all border control points.