Hengqin rolls out voucher drive to boost cross-border tourism

In hopes of capturing peak summer travel demand and deepening cross-border spending from Hong Kong, Macau and overseas visitors, Hengqin has rolled out a new round of consumption vouchers worth up to RMB10 million (USD1.47 million) in partnership with AlipayHK.

The campaign, which runs through Aug. 30, allows users of AlipayHK, MPay and other international e-wallets to redeem weekly vouchers worth RMB125 for eight consecutive weeks when spending in Hengqin.

The initiative targets a rebound in regional leisure travel and builds on a previous scheme that delivered strong growth in both user numbers and spending.

Consumers can claim the vouchers by searching for “Hengqin Consumption Vouchers” or “Legou Hengqin,” with multiple denominations available.

More than 300 merchants have joined the latest campaign, nearly 50% more than in the previous round.

Participating businesses include shopping centers such as Hengqin Huafa Mall, tourist attractions and hospitality venues such as the Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort in Hengqin.

The latest Hengqin consumption push also comes at a time when rising traffic is being seen through Hengqin Port. Mainland customs data show passenger trips reached more than 17.77 million in the first half of 2026, up 27.8% from a year earlier.

Macau residents accounted for 4.72 million of these crossings, an increase of 36.6%, while mainland travelers made 11.57 million trips, up 24.1%. In the first half of the year, crossings by Macau residents grew the fastest (+36.6%), indicating that more residents are commuting, visiting or conducting business in Hengqin.

Hengqin Port is the only land crossing between Macau and the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone, and it provides 24-hour customs clearance.

Separately, AlipayHK has partnered with the Macau Government Tourism Office to offer additional incentives for Hong Kong visitors from July 15 to Oct. 16, including monthly discounts at participating merchants.

Hong Kong remains Macau’s second-largest source of visitors after mainland China. Official visitor data show arrivals from the city rose 1.6% year on year to 3.08 million in the first five months of 2026, contributing to total visitor arrivals of 18.14 million, up 11.1%.

According to AlipayHK, a similar cross-border program between December 2025 and February 2026 drove nearly 90% year-on-year increases in both the number of users and total transaction value in Hengqin.

That earlier campaign allowed users to claim digital vouchers directly through overseas e-wallets without downloading local apps at participating merchants.