In the past two days, I have seen Hong Kong being scolded on the hot search again, and the reason is naturally because of the stranding of mainland tourists on Chinese New Year's Eve.
ONE
Cause
This year, Hong Kong prepared the largest New Year's Eve fireworks display ever, and everyone was very enthusiastic about the event (plus Shenzhen and Guangzhou next door also canceled all New Year's Eve events).
Therefore, on the evening of December 31, nearly 500,000 people gathered on both sides of Victoria Harbour to wait for the New Year's Eve event, of which 223,000 were tourists from the mainland, which also set a new record for single-day transit tourists in 2023.
Of course, the fireworks were beautiful, and everyone had a great time that night, so everything was good so far.
But then things didn't go quite right.
A large number of passengers who did not stay overnight took the bus or MTR overnight to Huanggang Port to prepare for customs clearance.
However, the average daily number of customs clearance at Huanggang Port is only 30,000 (note that this is a 24-hour number), and it is basically a fool's dream to quickly pass through more than 100,000 people in a short period of time.
As a result, a large number of tourists are stranded in Hong Kong.
Tiredness, congestion and various dissatisfactions have led some tourists to burst out on Xiaohongshu
Under the complaints, the Hong Kong government also had to come out to apologize, and Hong Kong Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki also put forward three improvement plans at a press conference this afternoon:
First, when large-scale visitor visits are held in the future, the Government will convene a high-level meeting on cross-border transportation arrangements for large-scale events, which he himself chairs, and make arrangements in advance to ensure that visitors can be evacuated.
Second, we will discuss with the Mainland authorities different options to ease visitors returning to the Mainland, and consider extending the opening hours of railway boundary control points and increasing the number of 24-hour boundary clearance points.
Third, explore optimising the transport arrangements to facilitate the flow of cross-boundary buses.
TWO
I would like to say a few words for Hong Kong
Although I know that spraying Hong Kong is now a form of political correctness, and it is unflattering to come out and speak for Hong Kong when everyone is venting their emotions, I still want to say:
Hong Kong has done a really good job this time.
This time, the Hong Kong government was really negligent, and it was done every year in the past, but I didn't meet so many people who had to rush back to Shenzhen overnight.
However, it is not Hong Kong's own decision that the Luohu Futian Port will not open late at night.
Huanggang Port is simply not capable of dealing with such a large number of people, is it possible to expand Huanggang Port dozens of times and purchase a bunch of buses that are not usually used at all for the needs of this day?
Therefore, the only solution to this problem lies in adding 24-hour customs clearance ports.
But does Hong Kong have the final say on this issue? Shenzhen has the final say on whether Shenzhen can open a port or not.
In addition, if you go to another city to play until more than 1 o'clock in the evening, isn't it common sense to arrange accommodation in advance in the local area? Suppose Shenzhen people go to Guangzhou for New Year's Eve, how do you go home by public transportation at 1 or 2 o'clock in the morning?
If you want to go home, don't you still have to get stuck in traffic on the highway?
Some people talk about the prices of star hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, or Chinese New Year's Eve.
Secondly, the price of Chinese New Year's Eve on the Bund in Shanghai is not a lot, right?
Since you have chosen "special forces tourism", it is impossible to think that everything that is comfortable and comfortable for you without spending money will be arranged properly, let alone a special period, otherwise why do you think it is called special forces?
It's just that the whole trip is as tense as walking a tightrope, and any unexpected thing can completely break the original expectation.
Otherwise, you need to thoroughly check the information in advance, prepare well, and minimize accidents, or you have to have a plan to deal with emergencies.
As a result, I didn't check the opening hours of the port, I didn't book a hotel, I rushed over the New Year's Eve without preparing anything, and then I came back to find that it was different from what I expected, and I refused to spend money, so I scolded the organization for not being effective.
Speaking from the heart, Hong Kong has done a good job, maintaining order on the scene in Victoria Harbour, orderly crowd evacuation after the event, public transportation and overtime at border crossings... All of them are for the safety and experience of our visitors.
Then, at the port of entry at the end of Shenzhen, there are no corresponding measures to accept tourists who cross the border at night. Tourists began to scold Hong Kong for being poorly prepared???
I couldn't read it, but I was blown away .jpg
Are the Hong Kong police not doing well?
From noon and afternoon of the same day, the flow of people began to be controlled, and the road was gradually closed, with various signs to guide tourists to the best viewing places, and even many caring staff will tell tourists where there are fewer people, and the viewing effect is not bad. After the fireworks ended, they also worked hard to evacuate the scene, so many years of training in various festivals and celebrations to control the safety and efficiency is not vegetarian, such a high density of people, but maintain no major stampede accidents, they really did their best.
Is the MTR not doing well?
The subway system runs overnight, all kinds of cross-border buses increase the frequency, and even the Hong Kong government has been discussing with the mainland a few years ago to increase the 24-hour open operation of the gate, it can be said that in this matter, the Hong Kong side has done almost all the arrangements it can do, but the next door does not open the gate, why no one scolds it?
Why? Persimmon must be soft, right?
Fortunately, there are people who understand
This series of things will only be absurd if you change any city, don't believe me, I will describe it to you:
You are going to Tiananmen Square for New Year's Eve that night, after the end of the event at one o'clock in the morning, I feel that the hotel in the second ring road is too expensive, at this time I don't want to live in a cheap small hotel in the fifth ring road, you must return to Hebei in the middle of the night, because there are too many people who think the same as you, everyone is blocked on the fifth ring and can't move, at this time you scold: why is BJ so bad!
I think it's funny to say it.
Finally, Hong Kong spent a lot of money to set off a fireworks for everyone, the purpose of which is to attract tourists to stimulate consumption.
But with the mentality of a prostitute, the people who only spent 90 yuan to enjoy the grand fireworks show for a round-trip fare of 90 yuan finally asked the Hong Kong government to send them home comfortably.
Why?
It is estimated that no city in the country can do it, and it only costs 90 yuan to travel to a city, and it has to complete ultra-high expectations.
Again, it's okay for special forces to travel, but it's good to bear all the inconveniences yourself, after all, it's your own choice, don't blame others for being incompetent and angry.
In fact, the Hong Kong government can also learn to be smarter, and want not to be sprayed next time,