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Emily Hung

Festive events and promotions across Hong Kong marking the 29th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty have drawn large numbers of mainland tourists to major attractions and landmarks in the city.
Amid a sea of red national flags and celebratory banners on Wednesday, visitors told the South China Morning Post that they thoroughly enjoyed the perks on offer, including complimentary ferry rides, free museum admissions and an array of dining and retail discounts of up to 29 per cent.
Along the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade, crowds gathered to photograph the skyline and a parade of fishing boats. Among them was 62-year-old Cai Shujuan from Hubei province, who was visiting with her daughter.
She described the atmosphere as vibrant, adding: “We are very happy about the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return, because it means the city has returned to the embrace of the motherland.”
Tour groups packed the Tsim Sha Tsui ferry pier to take advantage of free rides, while oil company Sinopec set up a booth distributing souvenirs to passengers.
Tang Liye, a 50-year-old freelancer from Guangdong province, said she enjoyed the ferry journey from Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai, where she filmed videos of Victoria Harbour.
“It was a lot of fun. We are on a group tour to Hong Kong this time, but we will come back to travel on our own,” she said.
Free admission to major exhibitions at the M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District also attracted some tourists.
“We had planned to see an exhibition here since last week, but once we saw that there would be free admission today, we decided to come,” said 31-year-old tourist Wu Bifang from Shenzhen, who was visiting the contemporary art museum with her friend.
She later found that the special exhibition they intended to see still required a paid ticket.
Standard admission to M+’s main exhibitions is HK$190 (US$24.20) for adults.

Across the harbour in Wan Chai, dozens of mainland tourists waved national flags as they posed for photos at Golden Bauhinia Square.
In Central, large crowds formed at the Peak Tram terminus as visitors took advantage of a 15 per cent discount on return tickets.
Wang Yutong, a 19-year-old mainland student, said she decided to take the historic ride with her mother after learning about the discount earlier in the day.
“We were just looking for somewhere special to go, and this seemed like the perfect chance,” Wang said.
At The Peak Tower, visitors braved the summer heat, lining the observation deck to take in sweeping views of the harbour and the skyline.
Liu Zixuan, a 24-year-old tourist from Guangzhou on a three-day trip, described the vantage point as exceptional.
“The view from The Peak is incredible – you see the whole city in its full glory,” Liu said, adding that the perspective highlighted Hong Kong’s density and distinctive character.
The anniversary featured discounts across more than 1,000 restaurants and merchants, with some extending the offers for several days.


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Mainland Chinese tourists pack landmarks as Hong Kong marks 29th anniversary

The Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai is a photo hotspot for locals and visitors alike. Photo: Karma Lo

Fishing boats parade through the harbour to mark the celebrations. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Visitors flood M+ museum during free anniversary admission. Photo: Elson Li

People on a boat wave national flags at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. Photo: Jelly Tse

Crowds gather at the Peak Tram terminus to take advantage of a 15 per cent discount on return tickets. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong’s iconic "ding ding" trams spread festive cheer with free rides. Photo: Jonathan Wong

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Visitors queue for free admission to M+ museum on Wednesday. Photo: Elson Li

Hong Kong Tramways is offering free rides from Wednesday for three consecutive days. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Sinopec staff hand out souvenirs to passengers at the Star Ferry terminus in Tsim Sha Tsui on Wednesday. Photo: Jelly Tse

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A man holds a national flag at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront on the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule. Photo: Jelly Tse

Residents wave China and Hong Kong flags at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. Photo: Jelly Tse

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Visitors enjoy complimentary ferry rides, free museum admissions and an array of dining and retail discounts of up to 29 per cent


Visitors enjoy complimentary ferry rides, free museum admissions and an array of dining and retail discounts of up to 29 per cent.


Mainland Chinese tourists pack landmarks as Hong Kong marks 29th anniversary

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Visitors enjoy complimentary ferry rides, free museum admissions and an array of dining and retail discounts of up to 29 per cent

Visitors enjoy complimentary ferry rides, free museum admissions and an array of dining and retail discounts of up to 29 per cent