Hong Kong Tourism Board to Launch Real-Time Map Next Year, Helping Visitors Instantly Check Attraction Wait Times

During the May Day Golden Week, Hong Kong welcomed over 1.1 million visitors, a 20% increase from last year, with non-mainland visitors rising by 30%. Travelers from long-haul markets like the Philippines, Indonesia, and South Korea surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Tourism Commissioner Rosanna Cheung announced that the Hong Kong Tourism Board will launch a "real-time map" and "AI itinerary planner" next year to enhance visitor experiences and manage crowd flow. Long-term crowd control measures for rural attractions, along with strengthened MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism and halal facilities, are also planned to diversify visitor sources.

The "real-time map" will integrate crowd data and event information across Hong Kong’s attractions, drawing on theme park management models to help visitors plan itineraries. Popular sites like cable cars and the observation wheel will display real-time queuing times to reduce congestion. The AI itinerary tool will create personalized routes based on preferences (e.g., culture, family-friendly) and incorporate trending hotspots from social media, dynamically adjusting recommendations. Cheung cited the recent "road sign check-in craze" as an example, stressing the need to monitor online trends and coordinate responses swiftly. For instance, the Water Supplies Department added a lay-by at Tai Tam Tuk before Golden Week to ease crowd flow.

Golden Week data showed a rise in high-speed rail travelers and significant growth from long-haul markets like Australia and Canada. Cheung said efforts will focus on promoting Southeast Asian and long-haul overnight visitors, with MICE tourism as a high-value consumption driver. Last year, 1.4 million overnight MICE visitors spent 40% more per capita than average tourists. The government encourages exhibitors to extend stays with family, leveraging local cultural and tourism resources to boost spending.

To address network congestion at border checkpoints during Golden Week, the Transport Department coordinated with suppliers to increase capacity instantly and will further enhance hardware facilities to ensure smooth customs clearance. Cheung emphasized that Hong Kong is advancing technology, service enhancements, and attraction management to solidify its position as Asia’s events capital and promote high-quality tourism development.