Macau cuts accommodation rates for visitors via mainland

Macau has reduced the permitted length of stay for mainland Chinese passport holders passing through the city from seven days to five days. On Monday, police said the new rule will take effect from July 1.

Currently, Macao immigration regulations allow mainland passport holders to stay in Macao for up to seven days if they use Macao as a means of transfer to another destination.

This is to prevent some mainlanders from intentionally bypassing existing entry requirements into Macau.

In April, China Central (CCTV) said travel agencies in Zhuhai and Shenzhen were accused of helping tourists from the mainland bypass the normal visa application process to visit the two SARSs. The agencies will sell international travel, which is later canceled if tourists enter Macau or Hong Kong. The Macau government said in May that it was in touch with mainland authorities to prevent those who exploit the policy.

Macau's security minister's cabinet announced in May that about 2.08 million mainlanders visited Macau in 2013 after going through the normal visa application process. Official figures show that in 2013, 2.64 million mainlanders entered Macau through transit, but only 20.8 percent actually traveled abroad.

Mainland passport holders who violate the new transit rules will only be allowed to stay for one day if they come to Macau via transit for a second time within 60 days, police said in a statement.

If the same person claims to use Macau as a third stop within 60 days after previously failing to travel to a third destination, they will be banned from entering the country for a period of 60 days.

Analysts said the impact of the move on casino gross gaming revenue should be limited, and stressed that a low single-digit percentage of visitors risks being affected by the new rules.

BY: 동행복권파워볼