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Olympic Flame arrives in Hong Kong
The much-anticipated Olympic torch flame arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on Wednesday at 1.55pm – on a special flight from Vietnam.
The arrival of the Olympic torch signifies the start of the 100-day countdown to the Beijing Olympics in August. Hong Kong is the first city in China to welcome the Olympic flame. It will also be hosting equestrian events during the Olympics. -May 1, 2008 updates
Ban on multiple-entry VISA and short-stay
VISAs are NO longer available at China border checkpoints:
Foreign passport holders
will not be issued short-stop visas at border checkpoints as part of a
series of entry restrictions imposed by mainland authorities.
Local travel agents revealed
the move, in addition to a ban on multiple-entry visas, as security
tightens ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
Travelers are now
restricted to single- or double-entry visas valid for a month and three
months respectively. Multiple-entry visas that have not expired are still
valid.
The
ban will last until mid-October. -April 2, 2008
updates
Hong Kong Disneyland’s coming attraction:
"It's a small world ride"

The advent of Disney's "It's a small world ride" is expected to attract more visitors and mainly families and young children. The boat ride, a fixture at Disney's other parks, officially open to the public on April 28, 2008 in the Fantasyland area.
The ride can accommodate up to 24 boats, each carrying as many as 23 people for a nine minute journey. The queuing area could hold about 1,200 people and the ride can handle 3,680 people an hour.
The attraction features 220 toys and 241 audio-animatronic dolls representing the countries of the world, including 38 Disney characters such as Peter Pan, Aladdin and Mulan. Unique to Hong Kong's updated and expanded version is the addition of a Chinese opera character.
The theme song accompanying the ride, “It's a Small World”, is sung in nine languages, of which Cantonese, Putonghua, Tagalog and Korean are new additions.
Landmarks such as the Great Wall of China, the Temple of Heaven and Hong Kong's skyline are featured in an expanded Asia section, and there is also a new scene taken from North America. -March 28, 2008 updates
Hong Kong is hosting the
Equestrian events during this summer's Beijing Olympics, August 08 - 24,
2008.
It is estimated that about 30 million people will visit Hong Kong this
year.
The Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue will be held in two places;
- Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue (Shatin) situated at 25 Yuen Wo
Road, Sha Tin, New Territories. Competition Events will be "Jumping" and
"Dressage".
- Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue (Beas River) situated at Beas
River Country Club, Sheung Shui, New Territories. Competition Events
will be "Cross-Country test of the Eventing competition". -March 18, 2008
updates
Merger of KCR and MTR
Trains operations:
February 2004, the Hong Kong Government invited the Kowloon-Canton
Railway Corporation (KCRC) and the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) to
commence discussions on a possible merger between the two
Corporations.
Effective on 2 December 2007, the Rail Merger Ordinance came into
effect.
Now, KCRC has granted its service to MTRCL and expands the scope of
MTRCL's franchise for taking up the operation of these KCRC's transport
services. Rail lines and stations remains unchanged.
- The newly expanded system extends all the way from the heart of
Central and Causeway Bay to the New Territories and Lantau Island.
- The previous name "Mong Kok KCR Station" has been change to "MTR
Mong Kok East Station". -December 7, 2007 updates
New KCR Route open, the
HK$10b Lok Ma Chau spur line.
A railway line linking Hong Kong and Shenzhen airports came one step
closer to reality on Aug.15, 2007 with the opening of the Lok Ma Chau spur
line, which by 2010 will extend to Shenzhen Baoan International
Airport.
7.4km extension that branches off from Sheung Shui station would
provide a quicker route between Hong Kong and mainland cities like Futian
and Baoan and expected to divert a quarter of passenger traffic from Lo
Wu. -August 16, 2007
updates
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