Hengqin authorities have issued several new policy directives with the aim of facilitating the development of the local hotel industry, an official document published late last month reveals.
One of the key policies allows empty office buildings to be converted into hotels. Hengqin’s Economic Development Bureau and the Urban Planning and Construction Bureau are also tasked with supporting hotels that want to renovate and upgrade facilities.
Other major areas of policy support include human resources, the promotion of integrated development between the hotel sector and other industries, the strengthening of organisational management and the offering of financial support.
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According to the document, the measures are effective until 30 April 2026.
The implementation of such measures coincides with the introduction on 6 May of a Hengqin-Macao multiple entry visa for mainland Chinese tourists on group tours. Previously the groups were limited to single-entry visas.
The new arrangement is expected to boost Macao’s tourism industry and the Hengqin hotel sector, as it allows mainland Chinese tour groups to visit the SAR in the daytime and stay overnight in Hengqin where accommodation is comparatively cheaper.