Hong Kong eyes booking system, fees after campers overrun hotspots

Hong Kong authorities are looking at implementing a booking system and charging fees for camping hotspots as part of a review of management strategies in response to public concerns about overcrowded beaches and litter during the Lunar New Year holiday.The Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) posted its plan on its Facebook page on Sunday after campers and hikers called for stronger public education, law enforcement and limits on visitor numbers at popular sites.At Ham Tin Wan in Sai Kung, a beach popular among campers and tourists, more than 900 tents were erected over Thursday and Friday nights, Greenpeace reported.And 42 per cent of the 166 tents spotted at Sai Wan on Thursday evening were pitched outside designated areas.The AFCD said it was “deeply concerned” about how to protect the ecology of Sai Kung East Country Park given the influx of visitors, adding that it had drawn up a management plan before the Lunar New Year “golden week” holiday, which started on February 15 and runs until Monday.To address these issues, staff have been deployed to promote camping etiquette, patrol the area and enforce regulations.