Hong Kong government watchdog investigates amenities in countryside amid city's tourism push
The Office of The Ombudsman said on Thursday that the probe is intended to align with the government's efforts to develop green tourism and the concept that 'tourism is everywhere' in the city – a notion put forward by Beijing's top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong.
The watchdog said it noted news reports of inadequate toilets and poor hygiene conditions in some countryside areas. Information on transport, water filling locations and toilet locations are also said to be lacking, the watchdog said in a statement.
The Ombudsman added that it has also 'received complaints about the slow progress of countryside facility maintenance and insufficient supporting resources, such as delays in rain shelter repairs and insufficient publicity for visitor centres.'
As part of the investigation, the Ombudsman will examine the operations of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), as well as other departments responsible for managing country parks and ancillary facilities.
The government watchdog's announcement came after the Labour Day Golden Week holiday earlier this month, when the city saw large crowds of tourists visiting the countryside, including Grass Island and the MacLehose Trail. Both places are widely featured in posts about Hong Kong travel tips on Xiaohongshu, a mainland Chinese social media app.
In Sai Kung, the High Island Geo Trail saw over 3,000 tourists a day, most of whom came from mainland China, news outlets reported. Tourists in some countryside areas waited a long time for minibuses and some complained about inconvenient transport arrangements, according to local media.
Jack Chan, the Ombudman, said he himself observed garbage accumulation and traffic congestion during the recent Labour Day holiday.
Established in 1989, the Office of The Ombudsman is the city's independent watchdog for probing the government.
Controversies emerged with the watchdog earlier in May after it was found to have removed decades' worth of annual and investigative reports, as well as other documents, from its website, saying the move is for 'more effective website management.'
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