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The Planning Department today (December 30) published a publication entitled "Northbound Southbound 2013/14", which presents the results of the Cross-boundary Travel Survey 2013/14.
The Survey was carried out at 10 immigration control points from February 24 to March 9, 2014. During the two-week survey period, daily averages of 658 100 cross-boundary passenger trips (including 604 900 trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland and 53 200 trips between Hong Kong and Macau) and 42 000 cross-boundary vehicle trips were recorded.
Passenger trips
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A daily average of 658 100 cross-boundary passenger trips was recorded during the survey period, representing a growth of 7 per cent over that in the 2011 Survey. Among these trips, 92 per cent were passenger trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland and the other 8 per cent were between Hong Kong and Macau.
Over half (52 per cent) of cross-boundary passenger trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland were made by People Living in Hong Kong. Another 32 per cent were made by Visitors from the Mainland, 14 per cent were by Hong Kong Residents Living in the Mainland and 2 per cent were by People Living in Other Places. As compared with the 2011 Survey, passenger trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland increased by 8 per cent.
For trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland made by People Living in Hong Kong, some 42 per cent were for leisure, followed by visiting relatives and friends (27 per cent) and for business (19 per cent). Shenzhen remained the most common trip destination, accounting for 74 per cent of the trips. The share of trips for leisure decreased from 49 per cent in the 2011 Survey to 42 per cent in the 2014 Survey. A daily average of 168 200 trips (54 per cent) were same-day trips.
A daily average of 195 800 passenger trips were made by Visitors from the Mainland. About 73 per cent of Visitors from the Mainland came to Hong Kong under the Individual Visit Scheme, including 34 per cent using one-entry or two-entry endorsements and 39 per cent using multiple-entry endorsements. Regarding trip purposes, 69 per cent of Mainland visitors came to Hong Kong for leisure, 15 per cent for visiting relatives and friends and 9 per cent for business. A daily average of 118 400 trips (60 per cent) were same-day trips.
For trips made by Hong Kong Residents Living in the Mainland, 90 per cent of them started from Shenzhen. They mainly travelled to Hong Kong for schooling (35 per cent), work (26 per cent) and leisure (15 per cent).
Among the passenger trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland, rail-based control points remained the most popular control points with 39 per cent using Lo Wu Control Point and 23 per cent using Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point. The proportions of trips using Shenzhen Bay Control Point and Lok Ma Chau Control Point were 15 per cent and 12 per cent respectively.
The Survey found that there were 737 700 frequent cross-boundary travellers who usually travelled at least once a week between Hong Kong and the Mainland during the two-week survey period, representing an increase of 5 per cent when compared with the 2011 Survey. Among frequent cross-boundary travellers, 65 per cent were living in Hong Kong. In particular, 37 per cent of them were frequent leisure trip makers, 25 per cent were frequent business trip makers, 20 per cent were other frequent trip makers, 14 per cent were extended home-leavers and 4 per cent were cross-boundary workers. The other 35 per cent of frequent cross-boundary travellers were living in the Mainland, among which 47 per cent were frequent leisure trip makers, 14 per cent were other frequent trip makers, 12 per cent were frequent business trip makers, 10 per cent were extended home-leavers, 9 per cent were cross-boundary workers and 8 per cent were cross-boundary students.
Apart from passenger trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland, the Survey also collected information on passenger trips between Hong Kong and Macau. The average daily number of passenger trips between Hong Kong and Macau decreased slightly by 2 per cent from the 2011 Survey to 53 200 in the 2014 Survey. About 56 per cent of these trips were made by People Living in Hong Kong, 20 per cent by People Living in Macau and 15 per cent by People Living in the Mainland. The number of trips between Hong Kong and Macau made by People Living in the Mainland increased by 14 per cent to a daily average of 7 900.
Vehicle trips
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In the 2014 Survey, there was a daily average of 42 000 cross-boundary vehicle trips recorded at the road crossings, representing a decrease of 5 per cent as compared with that in the 2011 Survey. The number of private car trips decreased by 2 per cent from the 2011 Survey to a daily average of 18 100 in the 2014 Survey. Goods vehicle trips dropped by 9 per cent to 11 800. Container truck trips also recorded a decrease of 11 per cent to 8 500. On the other hand, coach trips increased by 18 per cent to 3 000. Trips by private cars constituted the largest share of vehicle trips (43 per cent), followed by goods vehicles (28 per cent), container trucks (20 per cent) and coaches (7 per cent).
About 50 per cent of private car trips used Lok Ma Chau Control Point. Another 41 per cent used Shenzhen Bay Control Point. For trips made by vehicles carrying goods, 66 per cent used Lok Ma Chau Control Point and 20 per cent used Man Kam To Control Point.
Further information
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The Cross-boundary Travel Survey 2013/14 collected statistical information about the patterns of cross-boundary trips as well as the socio-economic profiles of the trip makers. It provides reference data for bureaux/departments and other stakeholders to better understand cross-boundary travel activities, which is crucial to planning work relating to cross-boundary transport infrastructure, community and tourism-related facilities.
The Survey covered all cross-boundary passenger trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland and between Hong Kong and Macau, as well as cross-boundary vehicle trips between Hong Kong and the Mainland, during the period from February 24 to March 9, 2014, through the 10 immigration control points, namely Lo Wu Control Point, Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point, Hung Hom Control Point, Lok Ma Chau Control Point, Man Kam To Control Point, Sha Tau Kok Control Point, Shenzhen Bay Control Point, Hong Kong-China Ferry Terminal, Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal and Hong Kong International Airport. A total of 57 300 passengers and 17 400 drivers were interviewed.
The publication "Northbound Southbound 2013/14" as well as statistical tables containing detailed findings from the 2014 and previous Cross-boundary Travel Surveys have been uploaded to the website of the Planning Department (www.pland.gov.hk). Members of the public can access the publication and the tables direct at www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/nbsb2013-2014/index.html.
Ends/Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:30
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