Following the addition of Xi’an and Qingdao to the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) on 6 March, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China announced Saturday the addition of eight new cities to the IVS for Hong Kong and Macau.
The eight new cities are 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.
China’s Exit and Entry Administration will provide endorsements to Hong Kong and Macau for people from these eight cities as of 27 May.
Together with the recent addition of Xi’an and Qingdao, the Individual Visit Scheme will now cover 59 cities across mainland China.
After the policy was announced, Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng noted that this would bring further economic benefits to Macau’s retail and tourism sectors.
“The SAR Government will endeavor to promote the hosting of more international events, enriching the content of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions), as well as cultural and sports activities, so as to create a diversified travel experience for visitors,” he said.
Since the implementation of the IVS to Hong Kong and Macau in 2003, the number of mainland visitors to Macau has increased significantly, driving the growth of the city’s tourism industry and related business activities.
At present, IVS endorsement for Macau is divided into three-month and annual endorsements, with each stay not to exceed seven days.
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