HONG KONG, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Outside the Peak Tram ticket office at Central in downtown Hong Kong, was a stream of tourists queuing for tickets to the Peak, one of Hong Kong's top attractions.
A Peak Tram staff member said that visitors spent at least two hours queuing for tram tickets.
Since the mainland's five-day holiday began Saturday, Hong Kong has been embracing a large number of mainland tourists.
According to the Immigration Department of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, Hong Kong recorded around 407,000 inbound visitors on April 30, of which 156,000 were from the mainland.
Crowds were seen in many tourist spots with new landmarks having become especially popular. For instance, the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) recorded nearly 7,300 visitors on April 30, a record high since its opening in July last year.
To meet the needs of tourists during the holiday, many attractions have adjusted their business hours. Ngong Ping Cable Car which connects downtown Tung Chung and Ngong Ping on Lantau Island extended its operating hours to as early as 9 a.m., while HKPM and M+ Museum remain open on May 1 and 2.
At 9 a.m. Saturday, one hour before Hong Kong Disneyland opened for business, the entrance to the park was already crowded with visitors including Mr. Nie and his family from Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu province.
"Last time I came to Hong Kong Disneyland was three years ago. I hope I can experience more rides this time." Nie said, adding that his family of three are all fans of Disneyland.
The traveling habits of tourists have been changing recently. Besides shopping and eating, they also hoped to explore and learn more about a place.
Paul Chan, CEO & co-founder of Walk in Hong Kong, a local cultural enterprise that organizes in-depth tours, said that tourists tend to have in-depth cultural exchanges when traveling, hoping to see the other side of Hong Kong.
"I want to slow down my pace and get a better sense of Hong Kong's cultural heritage." Miss Tian, a tourist from Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong province, said.
This time in Hong Kong, Tian said, she chose to follow the route of Hong Kong trams, a time-honored means of transportation that runs on Hong Kong Island, and look for classic scenes from Hong Kong films.
During the holiday, various departments of the HKSAR government worked together to ensure better experience for tourists, such as monitoring the situation at land control points and taking appropriate diversion measures when necessary.
Hong Kong's Travel Industry Authority has also introduced special measures, including inspecting popular attractions, shops and restaurants, and providing assistance to tourists, to protect tourists' rights. ■
