Government plans to implement booking system for campsites by October

Environmental group Greenpeace estimated that more than 10,000 people visited the Sai Kung Country Park (including Ham Tin Wan and Sai Wan) via Pak Tam Chung during this year’s Lunar New Year holidays, and over 1,200 tents were pitched at campsites, whether the Government has compiled statistics on the numbers of tents and overnight visitors at various designated government-managed campsites in the Sai Kung District between the first and the seventh days of LNY this year, one of the highest figures recorded.

In reply to a question raised in Legco today (18/3), the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, announced that :

To better manage popular hiking sites under the AFCD’s purview and to support the development of the tourism industry, the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the AFCD are examining the feasibility of introducing a reservation and fee-charging system at some popular countryside locations and campsites. The review will fully consider the conditions of different sites, ecological protection, visitor safety, access control and various details of practical implementation, such as reservation arrangements, how to collect fee, whether to adopt real-name reservation system, corresponding enforcement and management arrangements, necessary supporting facilities and promotional plans. As the reservation and fee-charging system differs from the current management measures applicable to most of the countryside sites managed by it, the AFCD plans to conduct trials to test different management methods and measures prior to implementation. This aims to gain experience and evaluate the pros and cons of different approaches and help formulate a long-term implementation plan.

He also stated that he has requested the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to implement the pilot programme no later than the National Day Golden Week. Tse believes that abruptly implementing reservations and fees across all campsites would create chaos, and revealed that the government is exploring the introduction of market forces to assist in campsite management.