Hong Kong Prepares for Surge of Visitors During Tuen Ng Festival Long Weekend

CS chairs interdepartmental working group meeting on festival arrangements

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (May 26) chaired a meeting of the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements to holistically co-ordinate and steer the preparatory work of various government departments for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong during the Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland. The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law; the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san, and representatives from other relevant government departments also attended.

Mr Chan said, "On the instruction of the Chief Executive, the Working Group has consolidated the experience gained from receiving Mainland visitors during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland in early May, and has evaluated the situation of visitors to Hong Kong during the Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland for the purpose of advance planning. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will maintain close liaison with relevant organisations and the travel trade to collaboratively enhance various aspects of receiving visitors, with a view to offering a high-quality experience for them."

Estimated visitor flow and preparatory work

According to the Immigration Department (ImmD)'s estimate, around 3.2 million passengers (including Hong Kong residents and visitors) will pass through Hong Kong's sea, land and air control points during this year's Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland (i.e. from May 31 to June 2), among which around 2.73 million passengers will pass through land control points.

The ImmD estimates that the peak period of outbound passengers using land boundary control points (BCPs) is expected to be May 31 (Saturday) with around 570000 passengers; while the peak period of inbound passengers using land BCPs is expected to be June 1 (Sunday) with around 540000 passengers. Passengers are advised to plan in advance, avoid making their journeys during busy periods and keep track of radio and TV broadcasts on traffic conditions at various control points. The busy times at BCPs are available on the website of the ImmD at www.immd.gov.hk. Furthermore, residents and passengers may also check the estimated waiting times at each land BCP at any time or place via the Immigration Mobile App. They can then plan their trips effectively and save time queuing at control points.

In terms of Mainland inbound visitors, it is estimated that around 380000 passengers will visit Hong Kong via various sea, land and air control points during the three-day Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland. The daily average visitor arrival is expected to increase by 16 per cent year-on-year.

According to the estimate of the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) and the trade, it is anticipated that around 340 inbound tour groups will visit Hong Kong during the Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland, representing an increase of about 30 per cent as compared with last year's Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland. Major tourist spots have formulated special arrangements to handle the expected increase of people flows.

The TIA has also reminded travel agents receiving Mainland inbound tour groups to adopt appropriate diversion measures to enable proper management of visitor flows and tour buses, with a view to offering a pleasant travel experience to visitors. In addition, District Offices will closely monitor the flow of visitors within their respective districts and notify relevant departments having regard to the actual circumstances with a view to strengthening management of the relevant spots.

Co-ordinate control points, traffic and public transport facilities

Relevant departments have minimised leave for frontline officers to enable flexible deployment of manpower and operation of additional counters and channels, with a view to diverting passenger and vehicular flows. The Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre set up by the Hong Kong Police Force, the ImmD, the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED), and other relevant departments will be activated from May 31 (Saturday) to June 2 (Monday) to monitor the real-time situation at various control points. The Joint Command Centre will maintain close liaison with the Mainland port authorities through the established port hotlines and real-time notification mechanism, and take timely contingency actions as necessary to flexibly deploy manpower at BCPs to ensure smooth operation of the control points. The Security Bureau will also activate the Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre to monitor and co-ordinate public order at various BCPs, step up monitoring of major tourist hotspots as directed by the Chief Executive, and facilitate interdepartmental follow-up actions where necessary to respond promptly to various kinds of emergencies.

For transport arrangements, the Transport Department (TD) has co-ordinated with relevant operators to enhance transportation services connecting various BCPs, including increasing the frequency of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) shuttle bus (Gold Bus) to within one minute during peak hours, and Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus) to about two minutes at its highest frequency, as well as increasing the quota of cross-boundary coaches to strengthen services, and formulating a contingency plan by providing a dedicated passage for public transport vehicles at Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port and Shenzhen Bay Port as necessary to ensure smooth public transport services. In addition, Zhuhai's traffic management department will arrange a dedicated lane at the HZMB for the use of the Gold Bus, cross-boundary coaches and large vehicles when necessary. The MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) will also enhance the train services of the East Rail Line between Admiralty and Lo Wu/Lok Ma Chau at different times from May 31 (Saturday) to June 2 (Monday) to provide convenience for the travelling public and visitors. During these periods, the train frequencies to and from Lok Ma Chau will increase to approximately every 7.5 to 10 minutes, while services for Lo Wu will be enhanced to approximately every 5 to 6.3minutes. Relevant mobile network operators and the MTRCL have also enhanced the telecommunication network and Wi-Fi capacity at high-traffic points to provide convenient access to the network for passengers in need.

Regarding local public transport services, the TD has approached various public transport operators proactively to enhance their capacity, and reserve sufficient vehicles and manpower to meet the travel needs of visitors, including the public transport services for various tourist hotspots. The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre (ETCC) of the TD will continue to operate 24 hours a day to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services in all districts, BCPs, and major stations across Hong Kong, and take prompt measures to address service demands and disseminate the latest traffic updates through various channels.

Protection of visitors

The TIA will conduct inspections in districts where relatively more registered shops for inbound tour groups are located during the Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland, and offer assistance to visitors and tourist guides to protect inbound tour group visitors' rights. Additionally, the Police will continue to step up enforcement actions against any illegal acts of taxi drivers including overcharging and refusing hires. The C&ED will also step up inspection of shops serving visitors to combat unfair trade practices.

Weather forecast

It is expected to be windy with one or two showers on Tuen Ng Festival (May 31). The weather will be hot with sunny intervals and a few showers on June 1 and June 2. The chances of rainstorms or direct impact of tropical cyclones in Hong Kong are relatively low during the period. The above forecast is a preliminary assessment, and the Hong Kong Observatory will update the forecast depending on the latest change in weather.

Information dissemination

To assist visitors in planning their itineraries, the Government will strengthen information dissemination including the latest inbound visitor arrivals, the situation at various BCPs, transport arrangements, latest weather forecast, etc, to enable residents and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board will launch a dedicated webpage for the Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland, offering a range of practical information including operational arrangements of major local attractions, arrangements for public transport and cross-boundary services as well as various featured activities. The page will also link to the ImmD's webpage on immigration statistics for visitors' reference. The content of the dedicated page will be continuously updated to assist both locals and visitors to plan their itineraries and participate in the various featured activities.

CS chairs interdepartmental working group meeting on festival arrangements Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CS chairs interdepartmental working group meeting on festival arrangements Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Update on chikungunya fever

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that, as of 5pm today (January 11), no new cases of chikungunya fever (CF) had been recorded.

Latest surveillance data

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Hong Kong has recorded a total of 82 confirmed CF cases last year. Among them, 11 were local cases, and the rest were imported cases.

Since the beginning of 2025, and as of December 10, 2025, a total of 502 264 CF cases and 186 CF-related deaths have been reported in over 40 countries/territories. Cases have been reported in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Although the northern hemisphere has entered the winter season, temperatures in subtropical and some temperate regions remain elevated due to climate change, creating favourable conditions for mosquito breeding. In addition, CF outbreaks continue to occur in many countries worldwide. The risk of imported cases persists. Members of the public should check the situation of the destinations before travelling abroad, especially when travelling to Southeast Asian countries.

Government's comprehensive follow-up actions

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Given that some local cases of CF have visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails or the surrounding area in November last year, the trails are currently closed until further notice. Relevant government departments continue to conduct large-scale mosquito control and prevention efforts along the trails, and the CHP appeals to the public not to enter the area in order to reduce the risk of contracting CF and to avoid exposure to chemicals or interfering with the mosquito control operations. Since the confirmation on December 10, 2025, of a case involving a person who had visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails on November 30, 2025, no further local cases have been recorded to date. The CHP continues to urge individuals who have recently hiked along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails to seek medical attention as soon as possible if they develop relevant symptoms and to call the enquiry hotline (Tel: 2125 2373), which operates from 9am to 6pm.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has been continuously conducting intensive fogging operations to eliminate adult mosquitoes along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails and the surrounding area. At suitable locations, large ultra-low volume foggers have been deployed, and a robot dog is being put on trial to enhance operational effectiveness. The FEHD has also set up new mosquito trapping devices, cleared discarded containers and garbage that could cause stagnant water, and applied larvicide oil or larvicides in areas with stagnant water that cannot be removed immediately. The FEHD has been collaborating with the Kwai Tsing District Office, the Lands Department and the Drainage Services Department to strengthen efforts in eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails. Pamphlets have been distributed to hikers in the area, urging citizens to be vigilant against mosquito infestations and take personal protective measures. The FEHD has also held meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work across districts to discuss the latest developments regarding the situation and plan accordingly to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders in strengthening mosquito prevention and control measures in areas under their purview.

Continuously strengthening prevention and control

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The FEHD and relevant departments have comprehensively enhanced the mosquito control operations in Hong Kong since July last year, and this has continued. Among these, the FEHD has conducted vector investigations and targeted mosquito control operations against the imported and local cases. In light of the local case, the FEHD has immediately conducted follow-up actions, including:

carrying out intensive fogging in scrubby areas within a 250-metre radius of the relevant locations to kill adult mosquitoes;

carrying out inspections of the locations, removing stagnant water, applying insecticides and disposing of abandoned water containers every week with a view to preventing mosquito breeding; and

enhancing public education efforts through organising health talks, setting up mobile education stations, and distributing publicity leaflets.

The abovementioned measures will be continued. Furthermore, the Government will further enhance the mosquito control efforts in addition to the existing measures.

Preventive measures to be taken by the public

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Members of the public should use DEET-containing insect repellents or other effective active ingredients properly to prevent mosquito bites, but the following precautions should be taken when using them:

read the label instructions carefully first;

apply right before entering an area with a risk of mosquito bites;

apply on exposed skin and clothing;

use DEET of up to 30 per cent for pregnant women and up to 10 per cent for children (for children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent);

apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent;

reapply only when needed and follow the instructions; and

in addition to DEET, there are other insect repellents available on the market containing different active ingredients, such as IR3535 and picaridin. When using any insect repellent, the public should follow the usage instructions and precautions on the product label.

The FEHD also appeals to members of the public to continue to stay alert and work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures early, including inspecting their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, changing water in vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces, removing water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week, and properly disposing of containers such as empty cans and lunch boxes. The FEHD also advises members of the public and property management agencies to keep drains free of blockage and level all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of water. They should also scrub all drains and surface sewers with an alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems, and may visit the following pages for more information: the CF page of theCHPand theTravel Health Service, the latestTravel Health News,tips for using insect repellents, and the CHPFacebook Page,Instagram AccountandYouTube Channel, and also theMosquito Prevention and Control dedicated pageof the FEHD.

Source: AI-found images