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Hong Kong residents who wish to use the Pui O Campsite in Lantau during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week holidays from September 28 to October 7 are invited to make advance bookings starting from August 28, a spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) said today (August 26).
"During this 10-day period, each successful applicant can reserve one of the 52 camp bays at the campsite for a maximum of four consecutive nights," the spokesman said.
Applications can be submitted in person or by post from August 28 until September 12 to the LCSD's Islands District Leisure Services Office (DLSO), 6/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong.
The 52 camp bays will be allocated by ballot on September 17. Applicants will be notified of the result by post on September 19. The ballot result will also be posted on the LCSD website. If there are unfilled camp bays after balloting, local residents as well as visitors can attend the campsite office on the camping day to register for use of the facilities on a first-come, first-served basis.
Successful applicants should come to the camp site to register for the use of the reserved camp bays between 12pm and 1.15pm. If campers fail to take up the reserved facilities by 1.15pm, the camp bays will be reallocated to walk-in campers on a first-come, first-served basis.
The spokesman urged successful applicants to make the best use of their reserved camp bays and to arrive at the campsite on time. They should inform the department as soon as practicable if they are unable to take up the allocated camp bays, so that they can be released for use by other people.
The spokesman said the measure was introduced on a trial basis during the 2013 Labour Day holidays with a view to enhancing campsite management and facilitating local campers to better plan their camping activities during the three popular Mainland long holidays, namely the Labour Day, National Day and Lunar New Year.
"Other than the above three long holidays, the current on-site registration arrangement will continue whereby local residents and visitors can use the Pui O camp bays on a first-come, first-served basis without the need to make advance booking."
"We will closely monitor usage of the campsite throughout the year especially during the aforesaid holiday periods, and review the effectiveness of the new arrangements upon completion of the trial scheme, i.e. after the 2014 Lunar New Year holidays," the spokesman added.
Application forms can be downloaded from the LCSD's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk or obtained from the LCSD's Islands DLSO. For enquiries regarding the advance booking measure of the Pui O Campsite facilities, please call 2852 3220.
Ends/Monday, August 26, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:31
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