{
  "id": 6258717,
  "title": "More than half of registered visitors to Sai Kung trail fail to turn up on 1st weekend of booking system",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/more-than-half-of-registered-visitors-to-sai-kung-trail-fail-to-turn-6258717",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-08T08:03:54.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hong Kong Free Press",
    "slug": "hong-kong-free-press-hongkongfp",
    "url": "https://hongkongfp.com/2026/09/08/more-than-half-of-registered-visitors-to-sai-kung-trail-fail-to-turn-up-on-1st-weekend-of-booking-system/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the first weekend of September, 2026, a hiking trail in Sai Kung saw a significant no-show rate for a newly introduced booking system aiming to reduce overtourism and protect the environment. Out of 3,230 people who made reservations, only 1,560 actually showed up for the Po Pin Chau section of the High Island Geo Trail. The remaining visitors were primarily walk-ins who registered on-site. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) unveiled the reservation system last month to tackle overcrowding and improve visitor safety. Despite the high rate of no-shows, the department reported that the operations ran smoothly, with visitors able to enter the trail after their QR codes were scanned and identities verified. The high no-show rate came as some visitors expressed satisfaction, noting a decrease in foot traffic compared to before the trial system was introduced. The trail, known for its towering volcanic rock formations, has been a popular tourist destination, especially among mainland Chinese visitors. In the preceding year, a 21-year-old tourist tragically died after falling 70 meters from the cliff while taking photos. Under the trial system, visitors must book in advance for all weekends and public holidays beginning in September and concluding on October 7, during which the maximum daily visitor count has been limited to 2,000. The AFCD plans to collect on-site data and visitors' feedback to review the trial system later.",
  "summary": "More than half of the registered visitors to a hiking hotspot in Sai Kung failed to turn up on the first weekend of a trial booking system intended to curb overtourism and blunt ecological damage, authorities have said. Of the 3,230 people who make bookings under the real-name reservation system, only 1,560 registered and walk-in […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}