Hundreds of Hongkongers queue for hours to get free tickets as Macau giveaway begins
- Cheng Wai-tong, deputy director of Macau Government Tourism Office, expects 10,000 Hongkongers to visit daily during Lunar New Year holiday
- Would-be travellers wait up to four hours to buy tickets at ferry terminal in Sheung Wan
Hundreds of travellers spent at least four hours lining up at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan on Friday to take advantage of free return tickets the government of the casino hub is offering to boost arrival numbers.
Cheng Wai-tong, the deputy director of the Macau Government Tourism Office, on Friday said he expected about 10,000 Hongkongers would visit the city daily during the Lunar New Year holidays, although he hoped the number could rise to 20,000, a level last seen in 2019.
“The more Hong Kong people visit Macau the better,” he said. “This is tied to the capacity of ferries and buses, because it will take some time to restore services to pre-Covid-19 levels.”
A campaign called Macau Treat to revive tourism will see the government reimburse visitors with a free return ride on buses or ferries as long as they stay in the city for at least one night from Friday to March 31. Hong Kong visitors will also receive coupons for dining and shopping at over 100 restaurants and retailers from next Friday.
The pier resumed service on January 8, following a three year-closure because of the pandemic.