Mainland travelers remain the driving force in cross-border travel to Macau

Macau welcomed a record-high number of visitors during mainland China’s three-day New Year’s break in 2025, with 2.29 million passengers crossing through checkpoints under the Zhuhai Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station, setting a new historical record, as the station noted a rising trend in travel to Hong Kong and Macau among residents of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.

The authorities reported a 31% year-over-year increase in cross-border passenger flows during the three-day mainland holiday from last Thursday to Saturday. On New Year’s Day alone, its managed checkpoints – namely Gongbei, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB), Hengqin, and Qingmao – recorded a total passenger volume of 830,000, setting a new single-day record for cross-border traffic.

Hengqin handled 147,000 passengers, while Gongbei exceeded 440,000, with both figures marking all-time highs, Gongbei achieving its highest volume in the past six years.

According to the authorities’ statistics, the four major border crossings – Gongbei, HZMB, Hengqin, and Qingmao – processed 1.24 million, 282,000, 364,000, and 362,000 passengers, respectively, during the three-day holiday.

This increase is attributed to the rising popularity of travel to Hong Kong and Macau among Greater Bay Area residents.

Authorities noted, “The diverse New Year celebrations in Hong Kong and Macau sparked a surge in cross-border travel from the mainland, primarily driven by family and group tours. Simultaneously, many Hong Kong and Macau residents took advantage of the holiday to travel north for leisure, creating a vibrant scene of ‘two-way travel’ within the Greater Bay Area.”

Notably, during the three-day holiday, the number of vehicles from Hong Kong and Macau crossing into the mainland reached 33,400 trips, reflecting a 32% year-over-year increase.

China News Service reported on Sunday that mainland travelers continue to be the main force in cross-border travel, with statistics indicating that the Hengqin checkpoint handled over 20.55 million passenger trips throughout the year.

Demand for travel between Hong Kong, Macau, and Hengqin remained strong, with annual passenger volume exceeding 9 million trips – a year-over-year increase of more than 49%.

Meanwhile, foreign visitors also saw substantial growth, with over 460,000 crossings recorded, marking an 86% year-over-year increase.