Hong Kong unveils National Day celebration offers, including free MTR rides for children, half-price film tickets and dining discounts

Free MTR rides for children, half-price film tickets and dining discounts will be offered to celebrate the National Day holiday on October 1, Hong Kong’s leader has announced.

“The government and public institutions will take the lead in launching a series of activities and discounts to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with the public,” Lee said before his weekly meeting with the key decision-making body the Executive Council.

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Authorities will roll out a host of new initiatives and relaunch ones offered on July 1 to mark the city’s return to Chinese rule.

New offers for the October 1 holiday include half-price tickets at all commercial cinemas in the city, as well as free rides for children’s Octopus card holders on the main lines of the MTR and daytime bus routes run by KMB and its subsidiary LWB.

Online shop Local Fresh will be selling produce at a 26 per cent discount between October 1 and 7. The figure is taken from the phrasing of the discount in Chinese – indicating instead the amount customers need to pay, which would be 74 per cent, referring to the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Most of the other offers are a reboot of those launched to mark the July 1 handover anniversary.

They include free rides on trams, the Star Ferry service between Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai, as well as all MTR light rail trains. More than 1,000 food and beverage establishments are also expected to entice diners with discounts.

Residents will again be able to use government-run sports centres and most public swimming pools for free on the day. Visitors to the wetland park in Yuen Long, as well as the regular exhibitions at the Science Museum and Space Museum, will also get free admission.

The string of promotions and the return of the National Day fireworks, after a four-year hiatus, will coincide with the government’s bid to revitalise nighttime spending through a campaign launched last week.

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Lee earlier told reporters that it would “take some time” to change people’s behaviour after three years of pandemic restrictions.

Commenting on a recent call to allow hawkers to sell food at tourist attraction Temple Street in a bid to reinvigorate its nighttime trade, he said authorities were “seriously considering” all feedback on improving the site and other spots frequented by visitors.