Chinese Government Contemplates New Visa for Macau-Hengqin Tour Groups

The Chinese government is thinking of implementing a special visa for Chinese tour groups that would facilitate easy travel between Macau and Hengqin for a predetermined amount of time.

The goal of this initiative is to make lodging arrangements easier for tourists traveling in tour groups that stay in Hengqin and visit Macau.

Huang Zhongjian, the deputy director of Hengqin’s Economic Development Bureau, provided an update recently, saying that Hengqin was able to make the required arrangements because central government departments had finished their assessment in March.

The Chinese Central Government is anticipated to make the final decision public shortly.

Zhongjian underlined the significance of getting input from the Macau industry and listed a wide range of factors, such as facilitating customs clearance, assessing hotel demand in Macau and Zhuhai, comprehending traveler preferences, and making logistical arrangements in Customs and Immigration.

The concept, initially presented by the government of Macau, intends to prolong visitors’ stays in Macau to alleviate complaints regarding exorbitant hotel costs.

The severity of the problem is demonstrated by statistical figures, which show that in only the first two months of this year alone, tour group arrivals increased by 1,569 percent year over year to 278,000. Significantly, 144,000 tour group travelers visited Macau in February, underscoring the urgent need for legislative actions to enhance visitor experiences and fortify the tourism industry’s resilience.

Original Story by: Asian Gaming Brief