Hong Kong authorities will deploy new crowd-management and environmental-protection measures at hiking trails, beaches and camp sites before the Lunar New Year “golden week” rush, when the Immigration Department expects about 1.43 million tourists from mainland China to arrive between 15 and 23 February.
Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law said on 7 February that departments ranging from the Police Force and Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) to the Transport Department have been told to produce site-specific traffic flow plans for Sai Kung, Sharp Island, Dragon’s Back, Tai Mo Shan and the Geopark islands. Temporary queuing lanes, one-way hiking circuits, extra ferry sailings and real-time capacity alerts on the “GoHK” mobile app will be introduced for the first time.
Park wardens will receive hand-held ticket scanners linked to immigration arrival data so they can divert over-capacity tour coaches to secondary sites before passengers disembark, while the AFCD will double ranger patrols and install more rubbish-collection pontoons to reduce marine litter.
![Hong Kong tightens crowd-control rules at popular nature sites ahead of expected 1.43 million mainland visitors]()
For travellers coming from outside mainland China, securing the right travel documentation well ahead of the peak period can make all the difference. VisaHQ’s Hong Kong page (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) allows individuals and corporate mobility teams to verify visa requirements instantly, submit applications online and track approvals in real time, taking the administrative load off organisers so they can focus on itinerary planning instead of paperwork.
The government decided to act after last year’s National-Day holiday, when videos of tourists illegally barbecuing on Sharp Island went viral and clean-up costs for abandoned camping gear exceeded HK$2 million. Officials said they do not want stricter rules to deter eco-tourism, but companies arranging corporate team-building hikes have been warned to build in longer transfer times and to pre-register group numbers.
For global-mobility managers, the main implication is a higher risk of delays for incentive trips and off-site meetings scheduled during the holiday week. Employers are advised to brief staff on the new queuing systems, secure park entry slots online, and allow an extra 30–45 minutes for ground transport between the Sai Kung pier and trailheads.
Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law said on 7 February that departments ranging from the Police Force and Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department (AFCD) to the Transport Department have been told to produce site-specific traffic flow plans for Sai Kung, Sharp Island, Dragon’s Back, Tai Mo Shan and the Geopark islands. Temporary queuing lanes, one-way hiking circuits, extra ferry sailings and real-time capacity alerts on the “GoHK” mobile app will be introduced for the first time.
Park wardens will receive hand-held ticket scanners linked to immigration arrival data so they can divert over-capacity tour coaches to secondary sites before passengers disembark, while the AFCD will double ranger patrols and install more rubbish-collection pontoons to reduce marine litter.
For travellers coming from outside mainland China, securing the right travel documentation well ahead of the peak period can make all the difference. VisaHQ’s Hong Kong page (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) allows individuals and corporate mobility teams to verify visa requirements instantly, submit applications online and track approvals in real time, taking the administrative load off organisers so they can focus on itinerary planning instead of paperwork.
The government decided to act after last year’s National-Day holiday, when videos of tourists illegally barbecuing on Sharp Island went viral and clean-up costs for abandoned camping gear exceeded HK$2 million. Officials said they do not want stricter rules to deter eco-tourism, but companies arranging corporate team-building hikes have been warned to build in longer transfer times and to pre-register group numbers.
For global-mobility managers, the main implication is a higher risk of delays for incentive trips and off-site meetings scheduled during the holiday week. Employers are advised to brief staff on the new queuing systems, secure park entry slots online, and allow an extra 30–45 minutes for ground transport between the Sai Kung pier and trailheads.
