Travellers to Macau look set to benefit from a ferry price war after one operator announced plans to indirectly cut fares by up to 28 per cent to match its main rival.
From April 15, passengers taking 10 rides on New World First Ferry's inner-harbour service in Hong Kong within a two-week period can buy a ticket to Macau for $93 on weekdays and $110 on weekends and public holidays.
The Macau service, which operates out of Tsim Sha Tsui China Ferry Terminal, normally costs $113 on weekdays, $134 on weekends before 6pm and $154 on weekends after 6pm.
First Ferry operates two inner-harbour routes, North Point-Kowloon City and North Point-Hunghom. Initially, the offer will run for two weeks.
The $93 fare matches that offered by Turbojet, which is 71 per cent owned by Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun's Shun Tak Holdings, on its service from Tsim Sha Tsui.
The discount fares are cheaper than Turbojet journeys from its main Sheung Wan port. The cheapest ticket from there costs $130.
About three-quarters of the 11 million ferry passengers to Macau last year left from Sheung Wan. The rest were evenly split between the two Tsim Sha Tsui operators.