This aerial photo taken on Dec. 15, 2023 shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in south China. (Photo: Xinhua)

Since its official opening to the public on October 23, 2018, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) has facilitated 93.34 million cross-border passenger trips and 19.42 million vehicle trips, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday. The bridge has played a pivotal role in promoting the integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and stimulating economic and trade growth, said a Chinese expert.

As of 8 am on Wednesday, passenger traffic through the HZMB port in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province had exceeded 93.34 million trips, while vehicle traffic surpassed 19.42 million trips, according to data from the Zhuhai exit-entry inspection station.

The bridge's checkpoint in Zhuhai has witnessed dramatic growth, with annual passenger and vehicle traffic soaring from 12.88 million travelers and 860,000 vehicles in 2019to 27 million and 5.55 million in 2024, according to the Zhuhai exit-entry inspection station.

Since January 1, 2025, more than 25.1 million people, up 17 percent year-on-year, and 5.46 million vehicles, up 25 percent, have crossed the HZMB port, the station said. 

"With the continuing growth of passenger and vehicle flows at the port, it is expected that the total passenger trips through the port will exceed 30 million and vehicle flows will surpass 6 million this year," said Chen Faqiu, head of the inspection station.

The continued increase in southbound passengers is the main factor driving the growth of port traffic. With the expansion of Chinese mainland cities eligible for individual travel to Hong Kong and Macao, and the implementation of policies such as "multiple-entry visas" and the "one trip per week" Individual Visit Endorsement for travel to Hong Kong and Macao, cross-city boutique travel routes based on the HZMB have become very popular, and the number of mainland residents traveling to Hong Kong and Macao for leisure, entertainment, and exchanges has increased significantly, according to the Xinhua report.

During its seven years of operation, the bridge has cut the driving time from Hong Kong to Zhuhai and Macao from three hours to about 45 minutes, according to Xinhua.

Meanwhile, under the northbound travel program for Macao and Hong Kong vehicles that took effect in 2023, the vehicle traffic flow at the bridge has increased significantly. The average daily vehicle flow at the Zhuhai Highway Port of the bridge has risen from approximately 9,000 vehicles in 2023 to more than 18,000 vehicles currently, according to Xinhua.

The bridge has also boosted travel in the GBA - as an architectural wonder, it is now a popular tourist attraction in the area. The bridge not only facilitates faster and more convenient travel among the three regions but also enhances regional integration and cooperation. 

Moreover, the bridge has spurred the development of tourism-related industries in the GBA. Hotels, restaurants and tour operators in cities such as Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macao have all benefited from the increased flow of visitors, Song Ding, a research fellow at the China Development Institute, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Global Times