Cross-border traffic surge as city sees increase in vehicle registrations and air travel

Macau’s cross-border traffic saw a significant rise in 2024, with the number of trips by vehicles, passenger ferries, and commercial flights all experiencing notable increases.

According to data from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), cross-border vehicular traffic surged by 25.8% year-on-year, reaching 9.2 million trips. This growth was driven by a 26% rise in light passenger car trips, which totaled 8.6 million. Notably, trips between Macau and Hengqin, as well as those under the “Northbound Travel for Macau Vehicles” policy, saw increases of 20% and 33.6%, respectively.

In addition to road traffic, the ferry sector also experienced growth, with passenger ferry trips increasing by 17.5%, reaching 79,599 trips for the year.

Similarly, Macau International Airport saw a 44.4% jump in arriving and departing commercial flights, with a total of 56,595 flights recorded in 2024. The surge in air traffic reflects a broader recovery in international travel.

The increase in traffic was accompanied by a 7.7% rise in new motor vehicle registrations, totaling 12,900 new vehicles, including 4,045 electric vehicles.

Light automobiles made up the majority of new registrations, with a 33.5% year-on-year increase, while heavy motorcycle registrations dropped by 22.5%. Despite this, traffic accidents rose by 14.4% in 2024, with a total of 15,510 reported incidents, resulting in 5 fatalities and over 5,300 injuries.

Additionally, the city’s digital connectivity also saw growth, with mobile phone subscribers rising by 5.4% to 1.45 million, and internet subscribers up by 7.4% to 774,678.