About 8 million people will travel in and out of Hong Kong during the Lunar New Year festive period, 15.5 percent more than last year, the Immigration Department says.

Among them, 5.83 million will travel by land, a rise of 18.1 percent over last year's same period.

Most people will travel between Feb. 4 and Feb. 17. An estimated 3.79 million passengers, an average of 270,000 daily, will pass through Lo Wu control point. This represents 65 percent of total estimated cross-boundary passenger traffic and an increase of 11.1 percent over last year.

The number of departing passengers at Lo Wu is expected to reach 185,000 on Feb. 8 (the Lunar New Year eve), while the peak of arrivals will be on Feb. 14, with 190,000 people returning to Hong Kong. The highest daily traffic is expected to reach 310,000 on Feb. 14.

The peak of departures is expected to be on Feb. 5, with about 73,000 people leaving for the Chinese mainland. The number of arriving passengers is expected to reach a peak of 73,000 on Feb. 13.

The Lunar New Year is the "Golden Week Holiday" in the Chinese mainland, so the number of Chinese mainland travelers visiting on an individual basis or in group tours is expected to increase considerably.

It is estimated that 600,000 Chinese mainland visitors will visit Hong Kong, up 8.3 percent over the same period last year. Half are expected to be visitors under the individual visit scheme amounting to 320,000, up 53.2 percent on last year.

To cope with demand, the Immigration Department will have 228 officers reinforcing various land and sea boundary control points during the holiday period. Among them, 169 will be deployed to work in various land boundary control points.

(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2005)