The Macau SAR government previously announced that Hengqin as an In-Depth Cooperation Zone aimedto promote collaboration in tourism, trade fairs, and exhibitions under the “Greater Bay Area” initiative.
This year, Hengqin and Macau authorities planned to launch projects such as “One-Stop Tourism” and “One Fair, Two Locations.”, however sources have revealed to Plataforma that the anticipated visa for mainland residents allowing multiple entries to Macau for up to 144 hours remains unresolved.
In September 2021, when the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin was established, a comprehensive plan was proposed.
It advocated allowing exhibition staff, professional participants, and domestic and foreign visitors holding exhibition tickets to obtain multiple-entry visas for entering and exiting the area as required during cross-border exhibitions jointly organized with Macau. This would facilitate multiple free movements between Zhuhai, Macau, and Hengqin.
The progress has been slow despite the proposal being put forward almost two years ago.
According to data from the Macau Statistics and Census Service, the Macau MICE industry had a strong rebound after authorities removed all COVID-19 restrictions. The number of MICE events in Macau for the second quarter of this year increased by 1.9 times (171 events) to 263 events.
With the increase in large-scale exhibitions, participants and visitors surged significantly by 66.4 per cent to 509,000 people.
Furthermore, during the second quarter of this year, Macau hosted 1,409 exhibitors and 5,342 professional visitors at various exhibitions.
