Mainland tourists might flock to Macao due to global uncertainty

The National Immigration Administration recently announced that it would gradually start handling Chinese mainland residents' applications for tourist endorsements for individual or group tours to the Macao Special Administrative Region.

China has largely controlled the novel coronavirus outbreak, with a majority of regions now in the low-risk category. Macao has done particularly well, not reporting any imported infection cases in the last 45 days or domestic cases in the last 130 days.

According to Macao Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, in the first half of 2020, Macao's GDP declined 58.2 percent year-on-year; it was particularly bad in the second quarter, declining 67.8 percent year-on-year.

There is an urgent need to rescue Macao's economy. As tourism is the key driver of Macao's economy, many residents have asked for resumption of domestic tours to Macao now that the epidemic is largely under control.

According to the National Immigration Administration, tourist endorsements for residents of Zhuhai, Guangdong province, began on Wednesday. The service will gradually be extended to the entire province. And beginning Sept 23, all domestic tourists from low-risk regions will be able to apply for a tourist endorsement to visit Macao, as long as the virus situation remains stable both on the Chinese mainland and in Macao.

The resumption of domestic tourist endorsements for Macao demonstrates the success of epidemic prevention and control measures both on the Chinese mainland and in Macao, as well as scientific policymaking for economic recovery.

As outbound tourism is unlikely to recover in the near future, considering the global spread of the novel coronavirus, Macao will remain much in demand among mainland tourists.

However, Macao and domestic tourists should pay great attention to epidemic prevention and control measures once tourism activity resumes. The authorities should dynamically handle tourist endorsements to safeguard the health and security of both Macao residents and mainland tourists.

— WANG YIQING, CHINA DAILY