Hong Kong holiday crowds cross into Shenzhen for cheaper services and shopping
About 69,000 Hong Kong residents had crossed into mainland China by 10am on National Day, immigration figures showed, as travellers sought lower prices, leisure activities and novelty products. Shenzhen drew day-trippers for food, massages, groceries and giant egg tarts during the mainland’s holiday period.
Thousands of Hong Kong residents crossed into Shenzhen on National Day, citing lower prices, broader leisure options and shopping variety, while mainland visitors travelled in the opposite direction for the start of their holiday period. Immigration figures showed that about 69,000 Hong Kong residents had left the city by 10am on Thursday. Hong Kong had also received about 74,000 visitors from mainland China by that time.
At the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point, residents gathered to travel north. Lina Li, a 58-year-old retiree who visits Shenzhen regularly, said she planned to spend more than HK$1,000 on food, a massage and a head spa. She said a massage costing more than HK$700 in Hong Kong could cost about HK$300 in Shenzhen.
Other travellers planned family outings and grocery trips. Hong Kong resident Rose Crut travelled with her husband and two sons for a day in Futian, while her husband carried a suitcase for a planned visit to Costco in Longhua. The family budgeted about HK$2,000.
Some visitors travelled for special events. A woman surnamed Chiu said she had stayed overnight at a Futian hotel with friends and planned to shop, eat and attend the Shenzhen International Auto Show, which was scheduled to run from Thursday to the following Monday. Shopping centres near Futian’s Exhibition Centre station were crowded, with visitors pulling suitcases through restaurants, shops and massage parlours.
Bakeries selling 60cm-long egg tarts also attracted queues. A bakery worker said many buyers appeared to be from Hong Kong and were interested in the product’s novelty. Other Hong Kong families planned longer trips, including overnight stays and onward travel to Zhongshan.
One traveller said the family preferred Shenzhen because they had already visited familiar attractions in Hong Kong, including Disney and Ocean Park.
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