Govt Moots 'glamping' Sites At Sai Kung, Lantau

The government on Monday kicked off a public consultation on plans to introduce activities such as "glamping" at country park sites in Sai Kung, Lantau and Tai Lam to “enhance the recreation and education potential” of Hong Kong's country parks.

Glamping – which combines the words glamour and camping – generally refers to camping at sites which provide amenities ranging from ecologically-friendly cottages, while in some countries it has even led to five star luxuries.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has made a series of proposals for a three-month public consultation exercise on increasing the number of recreation activities in the parks.

These include tree top adventure activities, such as canopy walks, tree climbing, zip lines and grass sliding, as well as “open museums” at parks with war relics and historical villages.

An Assistant Director for the AFCD, Patrick Lai, said the so-called glamping sites will provide facilities to make camping easier for people, including families with small children.

“What we’re proposing is a type of camping so that people can come in without bringing their gear,” he said.

“As we’re aware, camping is getting more and more popular, especially for families with young children. They may not be able to carry heavy gear, tents and cooking sets to the country parks," he said.

Lai said that the government was not planning to build five-star resorts in country parks, as preserving nature remains its priority.

“When we design and consider the new options, we’ll ensure that the functions of country parks in nature conservation will not be compromised,” he said.

The official told RTHK's Joanne Wong that the sites would be set up by the government and managed by either the private sector or non-governmental organisations.

The consultation will run until May 15.