China to resume unrestricted cross-border travel with its Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions for the first time in three years on Monday, Feb. 6, slashing existing border transit quotas and eliminating mandatory COVID-19 testing requirements before departure.
In addition to the return of group tours, the number of customs checkpoints is also expected to return to pre-pandemic levels, China's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Bureau said in a statement on its website.
After reopening its borders to the world on Jan. 8, China maintained a quota system and mandatory COVID-19 testing for travelers between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.
Beijing's announcement came a day after Hong Kong launched a promotional campaign including 500,000 free flights to attract visitors, businesses and investors to the financial hub after more than three years of tight restrictions to contain the pandemic.
Hong Kong has been largely sealed off over the past three years in a bid to contain the virus, with mandatory quarantines of up to three weeks for incoming people, as well as intensive testing and screening.
The former British colony closely followed China's 'zero tolerance' policy on Covid until mid-2022, when it decided to start easing the measures.
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