A total of 22 million inbound and outbound passenger trips have been recorded via checkpoints in south China's Zhuhai connecting to Macao and Hong Kong since July 1, the latest data showed on Thursday, highlighting the strong appetite for summer travel in the Greater Bay Area.
With the summer vacation now in full swing, the Zhuhai Port in south China's Guangdong Province has seen its average daily passenger flow peak, with single-day border crossings exceeding 754,000, as many mainland visitors flock over to the popular destination of Macao.
"We came from Wuhan and spent a few days in Macao. We went to the Venetian Macao resort and the Ruins of Saint Paul's. It was a great experience overall," said a tourist surnamed Ye.
Since the start of this year, permanent residents of Zhuhai became eligible for a "one trip per week" permit to Macao, which allows them to visit for a maximum of seven days each time, once per calendar week.
Meanwhile, permanent residents and residence permit holders in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, an island in the south of Zhuhai, also gained access to multi-entry permits, enabling unlimited visits to Macao for up to seven days per stay within the permit's one-year validity period.
The number of passengers with these two permit endorsements has exceeded 270,000, according to the latest figures, as more people look to take advantage of the benefits offered.
"Now the customs clearance process in Zhuhai is very convenient. We often come here every few days for manicures, eating and shopping," said Lee, a tourist from Macao.
Data shows that Zhuhai border inspection authorities have so far welcomed 1.35 million inbound and outbound vehicles since the start of July.
Notably, the number of single-plate vehicles from Hong Kong and Macao passing through the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge from the "northbound travel" scheme has exceeded 620,000, representing a significant year-on-year increase of 28 percent.
China's central government launched the "northbound travel" schemes for Macao and Hong Kong in 2023, under which private cars traveling from the two regions to the mainland will be exempted from paying customs duties.
China has been making efforts to boost connectivity within the Greater Bay Area -- a sprawling city cluster consisting of the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao and nine cities in Guangdong Province-- with the aim of building the area into an integrated economic and business powerhouse.
Zhuhai-Macao border sees 22 million passenger trips during summer vacation
