2024 Recap | Cultural and economic bonds deepen between HK and Mainland in 2024

Hong Kong 2024.12.31 14:15:00

From the inclusion of all provincial capital cities in Mainland China as eligible for "Individual Visit Scheme" travel to Hong Kong and Macao, to the launch of overnight sleeper trains between Beijing-Hong Kong and Shanghai-Hong Kong offering evening departures and morning arrivals, and the restoration and expansion of Shenzhen's "Multi-entry visas" policy for Hong Kong travel—2024 has seen a series of central government policies designed to facilitate greater ease of movement between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

2024 has been filled with vibrant events in Hong Kong, including cultural performances, sports competitions, and extravagant fireworks displays, attracting Mainland tourists who flock to the city during holidays to "check in" at iconic spots. Meanwhile, the enthusiasm for "Hongkongers traveling Northbound" remains strong, with local residents frequently traveling to Shenzhen for shopping, leisure, and wellness activities. The growing cross-booundary exchanges have enriched both regions, bringing prosperity and vitality while fostering closer ties.

1. Continued Enthusiasm for Northbound Travel Among Hongkongers in 2024

The enthusiasm for northbound travel among Hongkongers remained strong in 2024. During every holiday, large crowds of Hong Kong residents flocked to border checkpoints to travel north for leisure and vacations. Over the Dragon Boat Festival holiday (June 8–10), a total of 1.17 million Hong Kong residents traveled abroad, with approximately 915,000 (78%) heading north to Mainland China. During the "July 1st" long weekend (June 29–July 1), nearly 1.27 million Hongkongers traveled abroad, with 970,000 heading north. Similarly, over the Chung Yeung Festival long weekend (October 11–13), nearly 1.04 million Hongkongers traveled north.

Hongkongers showed strong spending intentions while traveling north, indulging in dining and entertainment while also fueling a surge in medical tourism. Many residents opted to visit Mainland China for dental care, health checkups, and traditional Chinese medicine, expanding the scope of their spending.

LegCo Member describes special boundary crossing arrangement for festival as good start, reference for future policy making

2. Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles Policy Leads to Record Traffic Volumes

Corresponding to the northbound travel trend, the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles (the scheme), implemented in July 2023, led to record-breaking traffic between Guangdong and Hong Kong. As of 4:00 p.m. on June 30, 2024, within one year of the policy's implementation, over 950,000 vehicle trips had been made under the program, with over 82,000 drivers and 67,000 vehicles registered. Self-driving trips to Mainland China have become one of the most popular and familiar travel options for Hong Kong residents.

Travel peak approaches! Congested routes during National Day holidays

38th round of computer ballot registration for Northbound Travel for HK Vehicles to open tomorrow: TD

3. Mainland Visitors Flock South, Boosting Hong Kong's Economy

Hong Kong hosted a series of major events in 2024, attracting a surge of Mainland visitors. Over the Labor Day holiday (May 1–5), more than 765,000 visitors from Mainland China traveled to Hong Kong. The "July 1st" long weekend saw 268,000 Mainland visitors arrive, while the Golden Week holiday (October 1–7) recorded 1.22 million Mainland visitors.

Mainland tourists flocked to Hong Kong during both major and minor holidays for sightseeing and shopping, bringing both vitality and financial benefits to the city.

HK retail sales drop in March, ending 15-month growth streak

HK to strive for better performance in tourism to build 'hospitable city', CE says

4. "Individual Visit Scheme" Now Covers All Provincial Capitals in Mainland China

On March 6, 2024, the National Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China began issuing "Individual Visit Scheme" permits for qualified residents in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province) and Qingdao (Shandong Province), making these two cities eligible for individual travel to Hong Kong and Macao.

From May 27, 2024, an additional eight cities—including Taiyuan (Shanxi Province), Hohhot (Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region), Harbin (Heilongjiang Province), Lhasa (Tibet Autonomous Region), Lanzhou (Gansu Province), Xining (Qinghai Province), Yinchuan (Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region), and Urumqi (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region)—were added to the program. The number of Mainland cities eligible for the "Individual Visit Scheme" expanded to 59, covering all provincial capitals.

Govt to increase revenue and cut expenditure to improve financial situation, John Lee says

Resumption of 'multiple-entry visa' boosts weekend arrivals by 10%: CE

Opinion | Utilize multiple-entry IVS effectively to promote economic and cultural exchange between Shenzhen and HK

5. Beijing-Hong Kong and Shanghai-Hong Kong High-Speed Sleeper Trains Open

Starting June 15, 2024, high-speed trains connecting Hong Kong with Beijing and Shanghai resumed operations. The total travel time between Beijing and Hong Kong was 12 hours and 34 minutes, and between Shanghai and Hong Kong, 11 hours and 14 minutes. These routes enabled overnight travel with evening departures and morning arrivals, further enhancing connectivity between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

On October 1, 2024, the sleeper trains linking Beijing West, Shanghai Hongqiao, and Hong Kong West Kowloon underwent significant upgrades to create a "mobile five-star hotel" experience. Newly developed Fuxing smart sleeper trains were deployed on these routes, offering reduced travel times, optimized stops, later departure times from Hong Kong, improved facilities, and upgraded services. The advantages of overnight travel became even more apparent after these enhancements.

High-speed sleeper train service between Beijing, HK begins

Travel time of Beijing-Shanghai-HK XRL sleeper trains to be reduced by around 1h from October

6. Shenzhen's "Multi-entry visas" Restored and Expanded

On November 29, 2024, the National Immigration Administration of China announced that, with State Council approval, Shenzhen residents and permanent residents could apply for a "Multi-entry visas" for Hong Kong travel starting December 1, 2024. This policy allows eligible individuals to travel to Hong Kong an unlimited number of times within a year, with each stay limited to seven days.

Similar policies were implemented in Zhuhai for "One Visit Per Week" to Macao and in the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone for "Multi-entry visas" to Macao.

First 'document free' channels go live for HK, Macao, and mainland travelers

1-minute News | Multiple-entry visa for Shenzhen residents gives fresh impetus to GBA

Surge, surge, surge! Search interest in HK& Macao travel increases by 30%

7. Shenzhen's 1st land port departure tax refund pilot program launched

Shenzhen's first land port departure tax refund pilot program was launched at the Wenjindu Port on Dec. 16, providing a new option for overseas travelers to handle departure tax refund services.

A Hong Kong resident completed the refund process in just five minutes, praising its convenience, with the actual refund amount being about 9%, equivalent to enjoying a discount of approximately 10%.

Hong Kong residents can apply for tax refunds on personal goods purchased at 337 designated tax refund stores in Shenzhen that meet the refund criteria. After deducting a 2% service fee from the tax refund agency, the actual refund amount is around 9%, equating to a 10% discount.

8. PayMe and Octopus allows users to scan mainland merchants' WeChat QR codes for payments

Hongkongers will enjoy even more convenience when shopping north! Starting from December 18, four payment platforms, including Octopus and PayMe, will support in-app scanning of merchant WeChat payment codes, allowing direct payment in Hong Kong dollars without the need to exchange currency in advance or install the WeChat app.

2024 Recap | Cultural and economic bonds deepen between HK and Mainland in 2024

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