It's a snoozefest! Hong Kong tour bus helps puts travellers to sleep
As COVID-19 grinds Hong Kong’s travel industry to a halt, a travel agent has come up with a new, relaxing experience that puts its idle buses to good use — a five-hour ride on a ‘Snooze Bus’
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Ulu travel in Hong Kong has come up with a new way plan to make some money. The company is using its regular double-decker buses for a 76-kilometre (47-mile), five-hour ride with the aim of putting people to sleep. The idea was inspired by the tendency of tired commuters to fall asleep on public transit. AP
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The first “Sleeping Bus Tour” took place last Saturday and was completely sold out. Tickets cost between $13 to $51 per person, depending on whether they choose seats on the upper or lower deck. A goodie bag for passengers includes an eye-mask and ear plugs for better sleep. AP
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Kenneth Kong, the marketing and business development manager of ulu travel, the organiser of the bus tours, said: “When we were brainstorming new tours, I saw a social media post from my friend saying that he was stressed out by his work, he couldn’t sleep at night. But when he was traveling on the bus, he was able to sleep well. His post inspired us to create this tour that lets passengers just sleep on the bus.” AP
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On Saturday’s tour, the bus stopped so passengers could take photos at scenic spots on the city’s Lantau Island. One stop was the aircraft maintenance area near Hong Kong’s airport, where passengers can snag selfies with aircraft in the background. AP
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People were excited about the Sleeping Bus Tour, with one of the passengers saying the tour was a good idea and “more interesting” than he expected. “I have been suffering from insomnia so I am here to try and get some sleep,” said 25-year-old Anson Kong. AP
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The tendency to fall sleep on public transport is a type of conditioning, according to Dr Shirley Li, the principal investigator of the Sleep Research Clinic and Laboratory at the University of Hong Kong. “People in Hong Kong don’t have enough time to sleep,” Li said. “That’s why we have to kind of use other times to sleep, which is our daily commute, especially when we are travelling on public transport.” AP
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