Hengqin Port handled a record 147,000 cross-border passenger trips on New Year's Day, as cross-border travel surged amid holiday celebrations in Macao and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
On January 1, the first day of the 2026 New Year holiday, Hengqin Immigration Inspection Station processed 147,000 inbound and outbound passenger trips, up 84% year on year, according to border authorities. Tourists from the Chinese mainland traveling to Macao accounted for more than 100,000 of the total, or about 71%.
Vehicle movements also rose sharply, with more than 11,000 cross-border vehicle trips handled during the day. Around 7,000 involved Macao or mainland single-plate vehicles, representing roughly 63% of the total.
The spike in traffic was driven by a series of New Year events in Macao, including countdown concerts, ceremonies, and fireworks, which attracted large numbers of visitors via Hengqin Port. Authorities said the port's 24-hour operations, along with policies such as the "multiple-entry permit," Hengqin and Macao group tours, and facial-recognition clearance, have further improved travel convenience.
From midnight to 5 a.m. on January 1, 32,000 returning passengers entered the mainland through Hengqin Port, 2.4 times the volume recorded during the same period on New Year's Day in 2025 and 12 times that of a typical weekday.
Meanwhile, New Year celebrations in Hengqin also drew visitors from Hong Kong and Macao. Activities at the Chimelong International Ocean Tourist Resort and major commercial areas attracted large crowds, with more than 37,000 Hong Kong and Macao residents crossing the port on the day, accounting for about 25% of total passenger traffic.
Reporter | Dai Bosi
Photo | Hengqin Online
Editor | Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
