Indoor skiing, dining lure Hongkongers on cross-border National Day trips
Crowds build at major checkpoints early as residents are tempted by outings and cheaper dining in Shenzhen and other neighbouring cities
Thousands of Hongkongers have headed to mainland China to spend the National Day holiday despite local events and offerings, with residents opting for a variety of activities across the border including indoor skiing, dining and sightseeing.
Crowds started to build at major checkpoints as early as 9am on Wednesday, as eager residents embarked on cross-border journeys, with many going for day trips while some also chose longer stays.
They included families with young children, couples and groups of elderly people, with some saying they preferred to enjoy outings and cheaper dining in Shenzhen as well as other mainland cities.
The Immigration Department recorded a net inflow of about 128,000 trips, as of 9pm. About 484,000 inbound trips were made and around 356,000 outbound ones. Of the inbound trips, 46 per cent were made by mainland Chinese residents whereas Hongkongers accounted for 63 per cent of the outbound trips.
Among those departing through the West Kowloon high-speed rail station was IT consultant Andrew Wong, 32, who said he and his family had taken Thursday and Friday off to create an extended National Day break for a ski trip in Shenzhen.
“There will be no holiday in November, so we want to take a short break this month, visiting a newly opened ski resort for three days,” Wong said, referring to the Shenzhen Huafa Ice and Snow Miracle that opened last month.