Northbound on National Day: Hongkongers pour into Shenzhen for celebration

More than 150,000 residents left Hong Kong on Tuesday with neighbouring Shenzhen a top draw for families and friends looking to go shopping and an alternative festive vibe despite the record 400-plus events planned for National Day at home.

Some northbound travellers said they took the cross-border trips hoping for a change of environment, as they felt the activities planned by authorities in Hong Kong lacked novelty and appeal.

Immigration statistics showed that as of 4pm on Tuesday, about 152,000 Hong Kong residents left the city, including about 136,000 using the eight land crossings including Lo Wu, the high-speed rail link and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.

Nearly 175,000 mainland Chinese entered the city over the same period.

Huge crowds of Hongkongers gathered at the Lo Wu checkpoint in the morning while mainland tourists ventured south on the first day of the National Day “golden week” break.