NGO Greenpeace urges Hong Kong gov’t to replace mass tourism approach with ecological policies

2026-01-30 - 12:18

NGO Greenpeace has called on the Hong Kong government to replace its mass tourism approach with ecological conservation policies, citing risks of overtourism to the city’s country parks and marine life. Ha Pak Nai. Photo: kc ma/Flickr. According to a report released by the NGO on Friday, weeks before the Lunar New Year, at least 22 areas promoted by the government as tourism hotspots have “high ecological value,” such as rare species and coral communities, but are not legally protected because they lie outside country and marine parks. The areas include the popular sunset viewing spot Ha Pak Nai near Yuen Long, Grass Island and Yim Tin Tsai in Sai Kung, as well as Tung Lung Island near Clearwater Bay. The environmental NGO said the government should establish them as legally protected areas, as well as establish a cross-departmental task force to enact eco-tourism policies. Tung Lung Island. Photo: Clement Cheung/Flickr. Greenpeace suggested the task force should be led by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and include participation from the Environmental and Ecology Bureau; the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department; and the Development Bureau. The eco-tourism policies should replace the current “infrastructure-led, mass-tourism approach,” the NGO added. ‘Ecologically sensitive sites’ In 2024, the government sought to promote the city’s tourism sector, publishing a development blueprint and establishing “tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong” as a “concept.” Authorities, however, have not put in place accompanying mechanisms to protect the environment, Greenpeace said. The blueprint also gives “no definition” of ecotourism and “no conservation-first principle.” “In the absence of a comprehensive ecotourism policy framework and corresponding conservation legislation, the aggressive promotion and infrastructure enhancement of natural attractions have significantly heightened the risk of overtourism,” the NGO wrote. It said moves to boost tourism to the city’s outdoors, like increasing ferry services without corresponding protective legislation, would worsen overtourism risks. Large crowds at Sharp Island, Sai Kung, on October 1, 2025. Photo: Greenpeace. Greenpeace cited the situation during the National Day Golden Week last year, when tourists were filmed trampling on corals and littering on Sharp Island. More than 4,000 visited the island in Sai Kung on the first day of Golden Week, according to the NGO. After Greenpeace raised concerns, the government began carrying out patrols on the island for the rest of the Golden Week holiday. Authorities said corals on the island sustained “minor damage.” Sharp Island is not part of any marine park, meaning there were gaps in law enforcement, the NGO said. Without policies in place, “similar damage is likely to recur at numerous ecologically sensitive sites,” Greenpeace warned. The NGO said it hoped the government could implement new measures before the Lunar New Year break next month, considered a peak travel period in Hong Kong.