Every month, Chiu Yu-ho, a resident of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, drives to Shenzhen on the Chinese mainland with his family for shopping. They go straight to Sam’s, Costco, or Hema Fresh in the morning to stock up, then have a meal in a nice restaurant. In the afternoon, they take their son to Happy Valley or a wildlife zoo. After a day of excitement, they drive back home to Hong Kong at night.
Chiu has noticed an increasing number of people from Hong Kong spending weekends in Shenzhen.
“My son is very interested in Happy Valley, and I noticed a lot of Hong Kong parents with their kids there, as well as at Children’s Paradise Park and Shenzhen Safari Park,” Chiu said. “There are a lot of free parks in Shenzhen, and hotels here are very spacious. It’s very suitable for family travel.”
Since the implementation of the “Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles” scheme on July 1 last year, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has seen a growing number of private cars from Hong Kong entering Guangdong Province. Official data shows that by March 9, over 500,000 trips had been made by private Hong Kong cars through the bridge’s check station. The daily number of exits and entries at the station reached a record high of 18,400 on March 31.
The Hong Kong-based newspaper Ta Kung Pao estimates that about 53.34 million Hong Kong residents went to Guangdong in 2023, accounting for 74 percent of the region’s overall outbound proportion. This means that, on average, each Hong Kong resident travels to Guangdong 7.2 times a year.
The surge in cross-border travel highlights the deepening integration within the Greater Bay Area, which encompasses Hong Kong, Macao, and nine cities in Guangdong Province. Enhanced connectivity has not only boosted tourism but also fostered economic and cultural exchanges across the region.
With more policies facilitating travel and collaboration, residents and businesses alike are exploring the opportunities presented by the Greater Bay Area. Families like Chiu’s are at the forefront of experiencing the benefits of this integration, enjoying the diverse attractions and amenities available just across the border.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
