Sea change for passengers at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Cruise Terminal as free bus services end long queues for transport
- Poor transport links at terminal sparked complaints after hundreds of cruise passengers were left waiting in long queues over the weekend
- Government added three free shuttle bus routes to key tourist destinations and gave cabbies a HK$50 petrol coupon as an incentive
Long queues of passengers were nowhere to be seen at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Cruise Terminal on Wednesday after authorities rolled out new shuttle bus routes and cash incentives for taxi drivers following complaints over poor transport links.
Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung inspected the terminal in the morning and said he was satisfied with the overall transport arrangements following the government’s “high-level intervention”.
The government would pay for the free bus services for now and might ask the terminal operator to share the cost later, he said.
“In the coming week, we will welcome more cruises. We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust the arrangements accordingly, so our guests will have a smooth travel experience,” he said.
“We will also review the position of the terminal in the development plan of the Kai Tak area, and what areas need to be improved in the long run.”
The government would convene meetings to better prepare for the arrival of the cruise ship Spectrum of the Seas on August 19, Yeung added.
Following complaints after hundreds of cruise passengers were forced to wait in long queues for transport over the weekend, authorities announced on Tuesday night that they would provide three free shuttle bus routes to key tourist destinations and give cabbies a HK$50 (US$6) coupon to top up their tanks.