Mainland "bullet trains" launch to Shenzhen – Hong Kong tourists flood into Kinmen

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

In recent days, many people have been speaking Cantonese on the streets of Kinmen, as nearly a thousand Hong Kong tourists have been arriving in the area for sightseeing. The Kinmen County Government Tourism Department stated that most of these visitors are taking either two-day or one-day Kinmen tours, with a small number of individual travelers exploring by bicycle. Nearly all tourists include both Greater and Lesser Kinmen in their itineraries.


▲ Thousands of tourists from Hong Kong have flocked to Kinmen in recent days. (Photo / Provided by Kinmen County Government)

The Kinmen County Government Tourism Department analyzed that the main reasons for the simultaneous arrival of nearly a thousand Hong Kong tourists are as follows:

1. The county government has been selected for several events organized by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation, such as being named one of Taiwan’s Top Ten Small Tourist Towns, the Mid-Autumn Mooncake Lottery event being included in Taiwan’s International Tourism Calendar, and the “Ride the Kinmen Sightseeing Bus ~ Go Exploring” two-day tour being selected as one of Taiwan’s Top Ten Happiness & Fun Itineraries. The Tourism Bureau has conducted extensive overseas media promotions for these accolades.

2. Since the opening of the Xiamen High-Speed Railway (commonly referred to as the "bullet train" on the mainland) to Shenzhen, traveling from Hong Kong to Kinmen has become extremely convenient and fast, with very affordable transportation costs. It takes about 30 minutes to take a bus from Hong Kong to the Shenzhen station, followed by around three hours on the high-speed railway to reach Xiamen, with the bullet train fare costing 160 RMB.

3. The Kinmen County Government Tourism Department, in collaboration with local specialty industry operators, held a tourism promotion event and Kinmen Week in Hong Kong last month. This further increased media exposure to market Kinmen, helping more Hong Kong tourists discover the charm of the destination.

4. Recently, due to Easter, Hong Kong has enjoyed a four-day holiday (from April 18 to April 21), which is the second-largest annual break after Christmas, prompting many people to plan trips.

Additionally, the Taiwan Visitors Association’s Hong Kong Office also noted that Hong Kong people love Taiwan. In the past, travel to Kinmen was inconvenient, but now with the opening of the Shenzhen-Xiamen high-speed railway, it has become much more convenient and affordable.