About 540,000 people entered Hong Kong via land, air and sea routes by 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, the first day of the Golden Week, according to statistics released by Hong Kong's Immigration Department on Monday.

About 270,000 people entered Hong Kong via Lo Wu check point on Sunday, and half of them are visitors. About 20,000 Hong Kong people left for the Chinese mainland via Lok Ma Chau check point at the small hours Sunday, setting a record at this time of a day.

The Immigration Department has added more hands at various border check points, opening a total of 131 counters for receiving passengers.

Golden Week is the traditional peak travel period for the Chinese mainland tourists, while Hong Kong is a popular destination for them. And a total of 460,000 Chinese mainland tourists are expected to visit Hong Kong during the Golden Week.

The department said, with the end of the Labor Day holidays in Hong Kong on May 2 and the coming of more Chinese mainland tourists, May 2 will be another peak period for passengers entry into Hong Kong.

A total of 200,000 people are expected to enter into Hong Kong via various cross-border check points on May 2.