GBA Sees Surging Tourism as Visa Facilitation Measures Attract Domestic and Foreign Visitors

Title GBA Sees Surging Tourism as Visa Facilitation Measures Attract Domestic and Foreign Visitors

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has witnessed a significant surge in tourism, with both domestic and foreign visitors taking advantage of China's visa facilitation measures. According to recent reports, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has seen its highest single-day traffic since opening in 2018, with over 25,000 inbound and outbound vehicle trips recorded on Saturday.

From January 28 to Saturday, total vehicle crossings have reached 95,000, representing a notable 35.6 percent year-on-year increase. Notably, over 69,000 trips by vehicles carrying number plates from Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) were recorded, marking a 40.4 percent year-on-year increase.

In Hong Kong, visitor arrivals have also seen a significant surge, with over 680,000 people visiting the city from January 28 to January 31, representing a 4 percent year-on-year rise. The city has witnessed a 16 percent rise in visitors from outside the Chinese mainland, according to official data.

Meanwhile, Macao has seen visitor arrivals reach 219,000 on January 31, an increase of 50,000 from the previous day. The city's hotel occupancy rate has exceeded 90 percent, reflecting a surge in travel during the Spring Festival holiday period.

The influx of visitors is attributed to favorable policies rolled out by the central government and regional governments since 2024. These policies have driven significant increases in people-to-people exchanges among cities in the region during the Spring Festival holidays.

According to Song Ding, a research fellow at the China Development Institute, the trend reflects residents' recovering confidence in the overall economy and an uptick in attitude toward consumption. As a result, we are seeing new breakthroughs for visitor throughput by key infrastructure in the region and a steady increase by mainland visitors to Hong Kong and Macao, he said.

In Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province, foreign arrivals and departures have seen a 38 percent year-on-year increase, with over 12,000 visitors taking advantage of the visa-free policy. Overall, Shenzhen has recorded over 2.85 million arrivals and departures, representing an 8.5 percent year-on-year increase.

The surge in tourism is expected to continue, driven by the region's favorable policies and infrastructure. As such, it is crucial for designers and professionals to capitalize on this trend and develop innovative solutions that cater to the evolving needs of tourists and local residents alike.

Keywords Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), tourism, visa facilitation measures, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, Spring Festival holiday period, people-to-people exchanges, economic confidence.

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

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