The Economic Development Bureau of Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin revealed Wednesday that authorities are designing a scheme to allow multiple trips between Hengqin and Macau, and to promote “Macau travel, Hengqin stay”.
This comes after the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, a special area jointly managed by the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Macau SAR Government, formalized its special customs operation on 1 March.
At a press conference on Wednesday, an official from the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone said the government is working on an implementation plan to allow mainland tour groups to make multiple trips between Hengqin and Macau.
“In March this year, the state ministries and commissions went to Hengqin to study the matter, and have already put forward some preliminary results materials to the deep cooperation zone, which is actively studying the program,” the official said.
They added, “The plan needs to be endorsed and officially notified by the state ministry … officials from the state ministry visited Hengqin to study the plan at that time, but they have not yet given a final proposal.”
The official also noted that the plan would need to take into account the views of the Macau tourism industry, including demand for hotel rooms and the wishes of tourists.
At present, mainland travelers visiting Macau are not allowed to make multiple trips to the SAR on their visas, instead allowed only a single entry and exit. However, in February, Macau’s Chief Executive, Ho Iat Seng, said the Macau SAR Government and China’s central government had discussed whether it was possible to implement a “Macau travel, Hengqin stay” program for mainland tour groups. This would entail the implementation of multiple-entry visas for mainland tourists to travel between Macau and Hengqin via the Hengqin control point.
At that time, Macau’s Chief Executive said, “The hotel prices in Macau are definitely higher than those in the mainland, while Hengqin has more than 10,000 hotel rooms, which provide travelers with a variety of choices.”
