Mainland Tourist Influx Expected as Eight Cities Join Hong Kong, Macau Visit Scheme

As of today, Monday, May 27, eight additional mainland Chinese cities have joined the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS).

More than 33 million potential tourists can now enter the country because to this policy adjustment, increasing the total population of the plan to 490 million people living in 59 cities.

Lou Chi Leong, Chairman of the Macau Hoteliers & Innkeepers Association, thinks airlines will eventually close this gap, even though there aren’t now direct flights from any of the eight cities to Macau.

He suggests Zhuhai Airport, which will handle 11.5 million passengers in 2023, and the extensive high-speed rail network on the Chinese mainland as alternatives for travel.

The Greater Bay Area aim, which promotes stronger economic ties between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, is congruent with this.

All of the new IVS cities are provincial capitals with strong economies and significant purchasing power, and Lou highlights their potential economic benefits.

He anticipates that they would draw in more tourists and high-spending travelers, which will significantly boost Macau’s tourism industry.

This assurance is supported by the recent inauguration of The Venetian Resort’s “Dual Cities” airport lounge, which enables travelers to check in for flights leaving from both Zhuhai and Hong Kong.

The average daily number of tourists arriving in the eight cities is now approximately 1,000, but Andy Wu, president of the Macau Tourism Industry Association, anticipates that number to potentially double.

Wu anticipates lengthier stays and higher expenses due to the longer travel distance, even though development may not match that of the nearby Guangdong Province.

He expresses confidence in a significant overall increase in 2024 and points out the more than 100% gain in visitor numbers since Xi’an and Qingdao joined the IVS system earlier this year.

Original Story by: Asian Gaming Brief