Coronavirus: quarantine-free travel between Hong Kong and Macau could resume this month, but plan limits access to hotel facilities in casino city

Two governments close to agreeing a deal to reopen the border, subject to conditions such as a swimming pool ban in Macau hotels

But Macau raises threshold, with Hong Kong required to reach 14 days without either local infections or community ones linked to imported cases

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Macau could open up again to Hong Kong tourists in July, but a proposal to do so involves facilities restrictions in hotels. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 2:11pm, 1 Jul 2021Updated: 12:05am, 2 Jul 2021

Vaccinated Hong Kong residents will be allowed to visit Macau without undergoing mandatory quarantine as early as this month under a plan that limits visitor access to hotel facilities and mask-free activities such as visiting bars, the Post has learned.

But shortly after the plan was revealed on Thursday, the Macau government ramped up its requirements. It raised the threshold for resumption of travel, with Hong Kong required to reach 14 days without either local coronavirus infections or community ones linked to imported cases. Previously, the requirement was for no untraceable cases for 28 days.

A Hong Kong source with direct knowledge of discussions earlier on Thursday said both governments were finalising arrangements to reopen the border and allow quarantine-free travel, subject to conditions such as compulsory Covid-19 vaccination, accommodation restrictions and initial passenger quotas.

“Both sides are eager to resume travel, and at this moment, it seems reopening the border with Macau will come sooner than with Guangdong province where more factors have to be taken into consideration,” the government insider said. “Of course, the prerequisite is that we must have a stable pandemic situation.”

In a letter to hotels in the casino city seen by the Post, the Macau Government Tourism Office said the plan was for Hong Kong arrivals to carry a specific health code and operators could welcome such guests provided they placed them on designated floors.

But the visitors would be banned from hotel swimming pools and other facilities involving water-based activities, the office added.

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