With effect from May 6, a number of visa-policy easing measures take effect for mainlanders wanting to visit Macau.
They include the possibility of multiple entries between Macau and Hengqin for individuals from mainland China taking part in “Macau-Hengqin tour groups”, said on Sunday Macau’s Government Information Bureau, in press releases issued in Portuguese and Chinese.
Addtionally, residents from 20 big Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, can also now apply either for a Macau or Hong Kong visa entirely online, without having to visit the country’s Public Security offices.
Another move makes it possible for those mainland residents seeking a business visa either for Macau or Hong Kong, to apply at any immigration office throughout China. Those seeking business visas for multiple trips over a designated period, will now be able to do so electronically. That is according to a Sunday announcement from China’s National Immigration Administration summarising all the eased visa protocols.
Group tour members will be able to have multiple trips between Hengqin and Macau via the Hengqin Port immigration point (pictured, centre), within seven days. This would be on the basis that the whole group travelled together, in and out, each time.
The idea of a multiple-entry visa between Macau and Hengqin island – a piece of mainland territory next door – had been mentioned by the Macau government earlier this year.
It was described as a possible way to extend the per-trip presence of mainland tourists in Macau, by enabling such visitors to sleep overnight in lower-cost Hengqin hotel rooms.
The Macau government said an announcement on Sunday by China’s National Immigration Administration about Hengqin multi-entry to Macau, was “an important measure that will contribute to expanding the sources of visitors and promoting the integrated development between Macau and Hengqin”.
Macau’s statement said the Macao Government Tourism Office would “communicate with local travel agencies to cooperate in the implementation of the measure, in order to ensure its orderly implementation, as well as carry out related promotional work”.
Other measures announced on Sunday by the National Immigration Administration, included that mainland residents that go to Macau for the purpose of taking part in exhibitions, medical appointments or performances can apply to visit Macau multiple times a year via a visa classified as “other”.
Those that apply for medical appointments in Macau can have up to two companions signing the same type of visa.
Macau has pledged to develop medical tourism as part of its economic diversification effort. It recently opened on a trial basis, a new medical complex in collaboration with a leading mainland healthcare institution.
JP Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Ltd described all the easing moves in a Sunday note, as “surprise gifts from the motherland” to Macau.
The brokerage stated that the online visa application protocol for 20 big cities, as well as the multi-entry to Macau for groups via Hengqin, were steps that “could prove meaningful for Macau gaming industry”.
According to the brokerage, these measures “could help in attracting incremental visitors to Macau … and aid somewhat sluggish recovery in the grind/base mass segment”.
“But perhaps, more importantly, the news, alongside the Individual Visit Scheme expansion news two months ago, suggests the mainland is fully supportive of Macau’s economy and travel/leisure industry,” wrote analysts DS Kim, Mufan Shi and Selina Li. “We wouldn’t be surprised if the Chinese gambling demand will be increasingly ‘ring-fenced’ around Macau,” the JP Morgan team added.
(Updated 11.42am, April 29)
