China’s decision last month to expand its 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit scheme to five additional Greater Bay Area (GBA) ports is already being leveraged by local authorities to attract long-haul visitors. From 14–18 December the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Hengqin Cooperation Zone jointly hosted ten senior members of the Indonesian Travel Agents Association (ASTINDO). Their five-day familiarisation trip was timed to coincide with new visa-free entry points at Hengqin Port and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge, effective 5 November.
Delegates landed in Macao, toured heritage districts, sampled “tourism +” tech attractions such as teamLab SuperNature, then crossed the land border to Hengqin using only their passports—no visa needed. On the mainland side they inspected Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Sumlodol Camping Town and several business-class hotels, while immigration officers briefed them on the electronic arrival-and-departure process.
![Macao–Hengqin Showcase China’s 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit to Indonesian Trade Delegation]()
MGTO data show Indonesia is Macao’s sixth-largest source market; arrivals between January and October hit 163,475, up 15.5 percent year-on-year. By packaging Macao (Macau SAR) and Hengqin (Guangdong) as a twin-destination short-break, officials hope to capture more Southeast Asian traffic that may otherwise connect via Hong Kong.
For corporate travel managers the message is clear: travellers from any of the 55 eligible countries can now route through Guangzhou, Zhuhai, or Macao, spend up to 10 days inside Guangdong’s 24 visa-free provinces, and continue to a third country without pre-arranged paperwork. Companies can schedule last-minute site visits or conferences in the GBA with fewer lead-times and lower compliance costs.
MGTO says further trade fam trips will be organised in 2026 and is working with airlines to secure additional wide-body capacity into Guangzhou Baiyun and Macao International Airport. Travel buyers should watch for dynamic hotel pricing as demand builds during peak convention periods.
Delegates landed in Macao, toured heritage districts, sampled “tourism +” tech attractions such as teamLab SuperNature, then crossed the land border to Hengqin using only their passports—no visa needed. On the mainland side they inspected Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Sumlodol Camping Town and several business-class hotels, while immigration officers briefed them on the electronic arrival-and-departure process.
MGTO data show Indonesia is Macao’s sixth-largest source market; arrivals between January and October hit 163,475, up 15.5 percent year-on-year. By packaging Macao (Macau SAR) and Hengqin (Guangdong) as a twin-destination short-break, officials hope to capture more Southeast Asian traffic that may otherwise connect via Hong Kong.
For corporate travel managers the message is clear: travellers from any of the 55 eligible countries can now route through Guangzhou, Zhuhai, or Macao, spend up to 10 days inside Guangdong’s 24 visa-free provinces, and continue to a third country without pre-arranged paperwork. Companies can schedule last-minute site visits or conferences in the GBA with fewer lead-times and lower compliance costs.
MGTO says further trade fam trips will be organised in 2026 and is working with airlines to secure additional wide-body capacity into Guangzhou Baiyun and Macao International Airport. Travel buyers should watch for dynamic hotel pricing as demand builds during peak convention periods.
Source: Travel and Tour World
