Star Ferry At Peril

[hkskyline]

Hong Kong Star Ferry Needs Rescue Plan as Tourism Drops
Bloomberg Excerpt
Apr 30, 2022

The Star Ferry, an icon of Hong Kong and arguably the world's most famous ferry ride, is in financial trouble. But in typical fashion for the city, billionaires — and shopping — could hold the key to its survival.

The 142-year-old ferry, which transports passengers across Victoria Harbour from Hong Kong island to the Kowloon mainland, is seriously indebted. The Star Ferry Company saw a loss of more than HK$70 million ($8.9 million) since mid-2019 when mass protests erupted in the city, according to a company statement in March. Its two ferry routes recorded 1 million passengers in the first two months of the year — just 27% of the level in 2019.

“At present, I don’t dare to be optimistic that the Star Ferry can survive this wave of blows,” General Manager David Chow said in the statement. The company is now relying solely on loans to get by, including to pay employees.

More : https://www.bloomberg.com/news/featu...-tourism-drops

[hkskyline]

sail away by C I R R O S T R A T U S, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

Star Ferry flounders in financial crisis as it records lowest passenger numbers ever
The Standard Excerpt
Sept 1, 2022

The Star Ferry Company revealed on Thursday that the sharp decline in passengers reached the lowest number ever and caused revenue to plummet this year.

According to a half-year report on franchised service released by the company today, the outlook of the ferry company was on the brink of being seen as ‘uncertain.’

The two franchised routes of the company carried about 3.2 million passengers in the first half of the year, noted the report, seeing a 26 percent drop in the same period in 2021 and a 68 percent decrease compared to 2019.

More : https://www.thestandard.com.hk/break...er%C2%A0%C2%A0

[hkskyline]

World Star by 57Andrew, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

Victoria Harbour (維多利亞港) by Tjongjohn, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

Star Ferry seeks to double its fares
RTHK Excerpt
Nov 21, 2022

Star Ferry has applied to double its fares as it struggles to operate its loss-making cross-harbour services.

The ferry operator has proposed increasing its adult fare to HK$6.4 for weekday trips on the upper deck of services between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central, and Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai.

Lower deck fares, meanwhile, could go up to HK$5.2 on weekdays, a Legco document shows.

The cost of trips on weekends and public holidays would be raised to HK$7.2 for seats on the lower deck and HK$8.4 for the upper deck, if the proposal gets the green light.

Star Ferry has also asked for permission to scrap its free rides for the elderly and instead introduce government-subsidised HK$2 trips.

More : Star Ferry seeks to double its fares - RTHK

[hkskyline]

Untitled by Monterey Lens, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

I caught the Star Ferry today by 57Andrew, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

_DSC5208 by Ivan Lau, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

Our Iconic Skyline by 57Andrew, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

Ferry time by Dup Dgcnyo, on Flickr

[bilbao58]

I haven’t been to HK in over 40 years, but the Star Ferry and the Peak Tram are some of my all-time favorite travel experiences.

4-photo panoramic view from Victoria Peak in 1979.

Hong Kong, July 1979 by bill barfield, on Flickr

[hkskyline]

What a contrast to the same view from the Peak today!

[hkskyline]

Star Ferry by Keith Mulcahy, on Flickr