Zhuhai residents’ weekly Macau visas surge

Mainland authorities have issued 353,000 visas to Zhuhai residents in the first nine months of 2025, allowing weekly trips to Macau, in a move aimed at strengthening cross-border ties and supporting the city’s tourism rebound, the National Immigration Administration announced yesterday.

At a press briefing, officials noted a marked increase in mainland visitors to both Macau and Hong Kong this year.

According to authorities, about 29,000 multiple-entry visas were also granted to residents of Hengqin, enabling more frequent travel to the city.

“An increasing number of mainland residents are now taking advantage of weekly and multiple-entry permits,” the administration said.

The 2025 visa adjustments replaced the previous rules, under which Zhuhai residents could only apply for a Macau visa once every two months.

The changes contributed to a reported 24.4% year-on-year rise in daily visitors from the mainland, averaging 56,000 per day in the first nine months of 2025, according to mainland authorities.

Local government data, however, shows slightly higher numbers, with 19.59 million mainland visitors in the first eight months, averaging 79,955 daily, up 18.9% from last year.

Officials said the surge in visitors has boosted confidence in local tourism, pushing hotel occupancy above 90& during holidays and lifting retail and dining revenues by more than 20%.