<div id="readability-page-1">Hongkongers began departing the city in droves on Saturday, with many opting to take a nine-day Lunar New Year break to destinations across the rest of Asia. Travellers, including families with children and elderly relatives, gathered at check-in counters in Hong Kong International Airport in the morning as the city marked Valentine’s Day and prepared to ring in the Year of the Horse. Long queues of hundreds of travellers could be seen at the counters for HK Express, the budget arm of Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways. In a facility-wide announcement, airport staff urged travellers to proceed to immigration counters as soon as possible after checking in, noting that “a large number” of passengers were expected to depart the city. The Immigration Department earlier said that it expected the number of trips by residents and visitors alike would reach 11.38 million between February 14 and 23, an increase of 16 per cent from the previous Lunar New Year period. It added that more than 117,220 residents had left Hong Kong by 10am on Saturday, with around 27,840 departing via the airport. Some savvy Hongkongers opted to take Monday and Friday of next week off to combine this and next weekend with the city’s Lunar New Year break into a nine-day holiday. Clementine Lam, a 22-year-old media industry employee, was among those opting for an extended holiday and said she was travelling to Taipei to spend time with her boyfriend and his family. “Long holidays are rare. Taking two days off for an extended holiday is such a great idea,” she said. Lam added that she planned to return for a family gathering before going back to work on February 23.  Homemaker Christine Wong said her family was travelling to Osaka, Japan, to reward the children for their hard work at school. “We have been to Osaka, so we know our way around. It also has more children’s facilities, such as KidZania and playhouses … Lunar New Year in Hong Kong is boring,” she said. She added that the family had not set a budget for the trip, but said the adults planned to splash out on luxury goods and top up on medications such as heart pills. Other Hongkongers said they were only planning short trips and would be home for Lunar New Year celebrations with their family and friends. Agatha Kwok, a nurse in her forties, said she and 10 other family members, including six over the age of 80, would head to Penang, Malaysia, and return by Wednesday. “We want the elderly to skip the hassle of preparing for Lunar New Year celebrations, while they can still have gatherings with family and friends in the latter half of the holiday,” she said. Kwok added that Penang was an ideal destination for her family as it had a festive atmosphere and warm weather.</div>

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<p>Hongkongers are traveling in large numbers for a nine-day Lunar New Year break, with many heading to various Asian destinations. The Hong Kong International Airport saw long queues as families and individuals checked in for their trips. The Immigration Department anticipates 11.38 million trips during the holiday period, a 16% increase from last year. Travelers are taking advantage of the extended holiday, with some planning trips to places like Taipei and Osaka, while others prefer shorter trips to celebrate with family.</p>

Savvy Hongkongers book 9-day Lunar New Year break for festive trips across Asia