The Chinese Central Government has approved new measures to further ease travel rules for residents of Zhuhai and Hengqin. This marks the first time China has agreed to a type of Macau visa for travel purposes without limiting the number of visits.
This announcement was made on Friday by China’s National Immigration Administration.
Starting January 1st, 2025, mainland Chinese residents with household registration and a residence permit for Hengqin will be eligible to apply for a multiple-entry visa to travel to Macau. There is no limit on the number of trips, but each visit will be capped at seven days.
According to official data, as of the end of September, there were 38,620 residents with household registration in Hengqin, though there is no official data on the number of residents holding a residence permit for Hengqin.
On the same date, mainland Chinese residents with household registration in Zhuhai will be able to apply for a new “one-trip-per-week” visa to visit Macau, with a stay of up to seven days per visit. This change means that nearly 3 million Zhuhai residents could visit Macau once a week, whereas previously, they could only apply for a Macau individual visa scheme (IVS) visa once every two months.
Zhuhai, located in Guangdong province, serves as a major land gateway for tourists from across mainland China heading to Macau. Hengqin, a short distance from Macau’s Cotai district, is part of Zhuhai and has been developed in recent years as a special economic zone to support Macau’s economic diversification efforts.
This new policy could encourage Zhuhai residents to take more weekend trips to Macau, as border controls have been largely eased.
In the first 10 months of this year, Macau recorded nearly 2.78 million visitors from Zhuhai, with 77.4 percent of them being same-day visitors, according to the latest data from the Statistics and Census Service. The Zhuhai visitor count from January to October accounted for approximately 26 percent of the 10.9 million visitors from Guangdong province. This figure represents a full recovery compared to the same period in 2019, prior to the pandemic, according to official data.
China has been gradually easing Macau travel policies this year, which is customary as the Macau SAR celebrates its 25th anniversary on December 20th, with President Xi Jinping’s visit to the region providing the “birthday gifts.”
Since May 6th, additional visa-policy measures have been implemented for mainland Chinese residents wishing to travel to Macau. These measures include the option for multiple entries between Macau and Hengqin for mainlanders joining a “Macau-Hengqin tour group.” Meanwhile, China also added 10 Chinese cities to the current IVS scheme.
Reactions
In response to the new policy, Helena de Senna Fernandes, head of Macau’s tourism office, highlighted its positive impact on the development of the region’s tourism industry.
According to the local media outlet, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) plans to include the new policies in its December promotional efforts, both online and offline, to help travelers understand the changes and prepare for their implementation.
When asked whether exclusive offers would be made available to travelers affected by the policy, Fernandes explained that no firm decision had been made yet. However, she encouraged the industry—particularly travel agencies and hotels—to leverage the new policies by creating and promoting relevant products. Discussions with airlines about potential activities are also set to take place soon.
Regarding the impact of the new travel policy on visitor stay lengths and overnight numbers, Fernandes emphasized that both overnight and same-day visitors are welcome. Hotel occupancy in Macau has averaged 80-90 percent this year, and the tourism office plans to make better use of the off-season to attract more visitors.
During the off-season, hotel rooms and entertainment facilities tend to be less crowded, providing a more enjoyable experience for guests.
