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Hong Kong residents who wish to use the Pui O Campsite on Lantau Island during the coming Lunar New Year holiday period are invited to make advance booking starting from December 27 (Friday), a spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) said today (December 23).
"Each successful applicant can reserve one of the 52 camp bays at the campsite for a maximum of four consecutive nights during the eight-day holiday period between January 30 and February 6, 2014," the spokesman said.
Applications can be submitted in person or by post between December 27 and January 13, 2014, to the LCSD's Islands District Leisure Services Office (DLSO) at 6/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong.
The 52 camp bays will be allocated by ballot on January 16, 2014. Applicants will be notified of the results by post on January 20, 2014. The results will also be posted on the LCSD's homepage at www.lcsd.gov.hk. Unfilled camp bays will be made available on the respective camp dates for on-site registration by local residents and visitors on a first-come, first-served basis.
Successful applicants should register at the campsite between noon and 1.15pm on the day of their booking. Camp bays will be reallocated to walk-in campers on a first-come, first-served basis if successful applicants fail to take up the reserved facilities on time.
The spokesman urged successful applicants to make the best use of their reserved camp bays and be punctual for registration. They should inform the department as soon as practicable if they are unable to take up the allocated camp bays, so that the allocated camp bays can be released to other people on a first-come, first-served basis.
The spokesman said the measure had been introduced on a trial basis in 2013 with an aim of improving campsite management and helping local campers in better planning their camping activities during the three special holiday periods, namely the Labour Day, National Day and Lunar New Year periods.
The trial arrangement of advance booking will be concluded after the Lunar New Year holiday period in 2014 and the department will review the effectiveness of the trial arrangement.
Other than for the above holiday periods, the on-site registration system will continue in which 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.
Application forms can be downloaded from the LCSD's website or obtained from the LCSD's Islands DLSO. For enquiries please call 2852 3220.
Ends/Monday, December 23, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:01
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