10 long weekends next year to make holidaymakers sit up

Hongkongers working regular Mondays to Fridays will enjoy 10 long weekends next year, spelling extra opportunities for both holidaymakers and businesses in outbound travel.

The good news is apparent in the government's 2016 calendar of public and statutory holidays, published yesterday.

Kicking off the series of long breaks are the first three days of the Lunar New Year, on February 8, 9 and 10.

As February 8 is a Monday, they form five consecutive days off together with the preceding weekend. Employees seeking to stretch the use of their annual leave can also take Thursday and Friday off that week - making up a nine-day holiday using just two days of leave.

Net users excited about the new calendar circulated "holiday tips" on how to maximise holidays next year.

Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung said the long weekends would boost outbound tourism.

"There are many good holidaying opportunities, especially during the Lunar New Year."

Tung said that with the US dollar strong in the past year, the Hong Kong dollar pegged to it was equally robust, so Hongkongers had found trips to Japan and many other popular destinations cheaper than before.

Another highlight is Christmas. December 25 falls on a Sunday and Boxing Day remains a public holiday as usual, so Tuesday will become a compensatory public holiday for Christmas Day.

Between Good Friday on March 25 and Easter Monday on March 28, workers get four rest days. But these are not statutory holidays and therefore may not apply across the board, particularly to blue-collar employees.