HKers and tourists enjoy July 1 goodies

Hongkongers and tourists enjoyed a wide range of freebies and discounts on Monday as the city celebrated July 1. Many took advantage of the free light rail and tram trips on offer. "There happened to be a free tram service, so I feel really lucky. It shows the characteristics of Hong Kong, so I want to experience this," a mainland tourist told RTHK. "I'm really interested in its double-decker design." Another man said despite the tram rides being free, there weren’t too many passengers. "Maybe a lot of Hong Kong people went up to the mainland during this three-day holiday, so there aren't many people... Because there are too many people crossing the border, so we tried to avoid going to the mainland during this period," he said. Other people, meanwhile, took the opportunity to visit museums for free. A girl said she enjoyed her trip to the Science Museum. "I'm very happy because I don't have to spend money for tickets. I can also go and play everywhere and I don't have to go to school," she said. Another man visited the M+ Museum at the West Kowloon Cultural District for the first time. "I won't come if I have to pay... I came [an hour] earlier because I can queue indoor and enjoy the air conditioning," he said. However, not everybody was aware of the promotions on offer. "We now discovered that there're discounts and freebies offered, and these may also have contributed to the festive atmosphere. But we didn't know about that before, so more promotion may be needed," a woman said.