A real-name reservation trial for the Po Pin Chau trail in Sai Kung East Country Park began on September 5, with entry arranged through assigned time slots and a daily limit of 2,000 visitors. Walk-in visitors were also admitted when some reservation slots remained unfilled, according to RTHK.
Visitors making a reservation must use their real names through Klook. At the entrance checkpoint, they must present identification and an electronic or physical booking document containing a QR code. Staff were deployed to verify reservations and identities and answer questions.
The daily capacity is divided into four two-hour time slots, each allowing up to 500 visitors. Reserved entrants must arrive during the time slot assigned to their booking.
Reports gave different figures for first-day bookings. Star Headline reported 1,200 reservations for the full day, while RTHK reported about 1,500 registrations. Neither figure establishes how many people actually entered the trail.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said operations were smooth on the opening day and that it would continue monitoring crowd flows, particularly during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day Golden Week periods.
The trial covers weekends in September and the National Day Golden Week period in October. Department director Mickey Lai and lawmakers visited the site on the first day to observe the electronic reservation and verification process. Authorities will continue reviewing visitor flows and feedback as the trial proceeds.