Hengqin is becoming an increasingly important gateway for family travel to Macau, with the neighboring district accounting for 24 percent of the city’s arrivals aged under 15 in the first half of 2026, according to a gaming scholar.
The figure was cited by Zeng Zhonglu of the Asia Pacific Association for Gambling Studies in an analysis article published in Macao Daily News.
Zeng said the complementary tourism offerings of Macau and Hengqin were gradually changing the city’s visitor mix, particularly by attracting more families and international tourists.
Family and international traffic increases
The number of visitors entering Macau through the Hengqin checkpoint increased by 133 percent from 2.51 million in 2017 to 5.86 million in 2025, according to figures cited in the article.
Zeng used arrivals aged under 15 as an indicator of family travel, as minors are generally accompanied by adults.
In 2017, around 216,000 visitors aged under 15 entered through Hengqin, accounting for 13 percent of Macau’s total arrivals in that age group.
The number increased to 594,000 in 2025, representing 21 percent of the total, before the share climbed further to 24 percent in the first six months of this year.
Zeng linked the growth partly to the Chimelong Ocean Resort in Hengqin, which receives around 12 million visitors annually and primarily targets families. Some visitors to the theme park also include Macau in their itineraries, he said.
International visitors entering Macau through Hengqin also showed a comparatively strong family profile.
Of the 137,000 international arrivals recorded at the checkpoint in 2025, around 24,000 were aged under 15, representing 17.7 percent of the total. This compared with a 10.2 percent share among mainland Chinese visitors entering through Hengqin.
The proportion was highest among Thai visitors, at 30 percent, followed by visitors from the Americas at 24 percent and Oceania at 23 percent.
The changing visitor mix could benefit Macau’s hotels, restaurants and retailers, as family travelers were more likely to stay overnight, Zeng said.
In 2025, 42 percent of Macau visitors aged under 15 stayed overnight. The overnight share among visitors aged between 35 and 44—identified as the group most likely to include accompanying parents—stood at 47 percent.
This compared with 32 percent among visitors aged 15 to 34 and 33 percent among those aged 55 to 64.
Zeng said further improvements in tourism infrastructure and border clearance arrangements could strengthen two-way visitor flows between Macau and Hengqin.
