Hong Kong travel agencies are expected to add more train tour packages to mainland China, as 16 new high-speed rail destinations have been added from the city, with the enhanced connectivity set to boost cross-border traveller numbers in both directions, industry leaders have said.

Timothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, said that local travel agencies were pivoting to capitalise on this “game-changing” high-speed rail network as a formidable competitor to air travel for mid-range destinations, including cities such as Nanjing.

“We will be converting itineraries that were originally flight-based into high-speed rail products,” Chui told a radio programme on Tuesday.

“While a flight to Nanjing takes about 2½ hours, once you factor in the time spent travelling to the airport and arriving early for check-in, the total journey can take seven to eight hours.

“That is roughly the same as the 7½-hour direct high-speed rail journey, making the train very competitive.”

The MTR Corporation announced on Sunday that services from the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail system would be expanded starting on January 26, with 16 new destinations added, bringing the total number of mainland stations with direct access to 110.