Published on
August 16, 2025
A new phase of collaboration is unfolding in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, where historic commercial streets are shifting from traditional rivalry to shared growth. What was once a competition for shoppers and tourists has become a coordinated partnership aimed at positioning the Greater Bay Area as a stronger and more appealing global tourism hub.
The turning point came on August 8, 2025, when the Dongmen Chamber of Commerce in Shenzhen signed a cooperation agreement with Macao’s Industry and Commerce Federation of Islands. This partnership formally linked Shenzhen’s Dongmen Old Street with Macao’s Rua do Cunha. Both are heritage pedestrian streets that represent not only commerce but also cultural pride. Dongmen tells the story of Shenzhen’s transformation from a fishing village to a modern metropolis, while Rua do Cunha reflects Macao’s blend of Chinese and Portuguese traditions.
This partnership, together with Hong Kong’s Temple Street, forms a triangle of collaboration across three cities. By connecting these historic streets, the Greater Bay Area has created the foundation for multi-destination experiences that can be amplified by airlines offering new ways to package travel.
Airlines Positioned to Capitalize on Cross-Border Tourism
The timing of this cultural alliance aligns with significant growth in regional aviation. Airlines serving Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Macao are well placed to turn this cultural collaboration into an opportunity for bundled itineraries. For example, a traveler flying from Tokyo or Seoul could arrive in Hong Kong, spend a day shopping in Shenzhen, and conclude the trip dining in Macao before flying out through another hub.
Such open-jaw and multi-stop trips appeal to modern travelers who value diverse cultural experiences and efficient transport options. The ability to market Hong Kong as an entry point, Shenzhen as a shopping hub, and Macao as a dining and entertainment capital gives airlines new ways to boost passenger volumes and strengthen regional connectivity.
Demand Signals From Key Markets
The demand for multi-city travel already exists. Hong Kong recorded 3.82 million visitor arrivals in March 2025, though retail sales declined by 3.5 percent year on year. This shows that travelers are coming but are looking for added value and packaged experiences to make their visits more engaging.
Macao has rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels, receiving 19.22 million visitors between January and June 2025, about 95 percent of its 2019 numbers. Visitors from Hong Kong alone contributed over 3 million arrivals during the first five months of the year. Monthly traffic remains strong, with nearly 2.9 million visitors recorded in June.
These flows demonstrate the base demand for cross-border itineraries. Airlines can step in to convert day trips into extended multi-destination stays.
Airline Capacity and Route Expansion
Hong Kong as a hub has regained its prominence. The Cathay Group, including Cathay Pacific and HK Express, now covers over 100 destinations, adding 19 new points by mid-2025. Passenger traffic rose by more than twenty-five percent year on year in June, ensuring capacity to support bundled itineraries. HK Express has expanded extensively in Japan and Korea, launching routes to cities such as Miyako, Komatsu, and even Kuala Lumpur Subang. These routes connect key source markets directly into the Greater Bay Area.
Greater Bay Airlines has strengthened its footprint with services to Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, and Manila, and participates in upstream check-in programs at Hong Kong International Airport. This enables seamless baggage transfer and easier intermodal connections. Hong Kong Airlines continues to rebuild its network, adding long-haul routes that widen international feeder options.
Macao International Airport has also expanded. In early 2025, it added fifty-eight extra scheduled and charter flights across Mainland China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia. This expansion gives airlines the ability to market Macao not just as a stand-alone destination but as part of a three-city tour with Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport has increased its international network with new services to Sapporo, Nagoya, and Jeju, strengthening its appeal for Japanese and Korean travelers who want direct access to the mainland before linking by rail or bridge to Macao and Hong Kong.
Infrastructure That Enables Seamless Trips
The transportation backbone of the Greater Bay Area is essential to turning these airline strategies into reality.
- The high-speed rail from Hong Kong West Kowloon to Futian takes just fourteen minutes, while Shenzhen North is only eighteen minutes away. This makes same-day transfers between Hong Kong and Shenzhen practical and convenient.
- The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has demonstrated its capacity, carrying a record 156,000 passengers in a single day in January 2025. The bridge connects Macao and Zhuhai directly with Hong Kong, enabling efficient cross-border trips.
- SkyPier at Hong Kong International Airport integrates with nine Greater Bay Area ports. Participating airlines such as Cathay Pacific, HK Express, Greater Bay Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Korean Air allow baggage check-in and through service from Macao, Zhuhai, and other GBA ports directly to flights.
This infrastructure turns the idea of a Hong Kong–Shenzhen–Macao itinerary into a realistic product that airlines can market.
Policy Tailwinds
China’s 240-hour transit without visa policy, expanded in December 2024 to cover ten days, improves flexibility for international travelers wishing to visit multiple cities in Guangdong. Meanwhile, measures supporting easier cross-boundary movement between Hong Kong and Macao provide further incentives for airlines to develop packages that highlight the convenience of multi-city travel.
Airline Strategies to Capture Growth
Airlines can act immediately to benefit from the Greater Bay Area tourism alliance:
- Weekend trip bundles: Create itineraries where visitors fly into Hong Kong on Friday, shop in Shenzhen on Saturday, dine in Macao on Sunday, and depart on Monday.
- Event-driven travel: Align flight schedules with festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Food and Culture Carnival hosted across the three historic streets.
- Leveraging upstream check-in: Offer baggage-through services from ports in Macao and Zhuhai to long-haul flights, ensuring seamless transfers for international visitors.
- Targeted marketing: Focus on Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, where strong air connectivity already exists and travelers are accustomed to short-haul multi-city trips.
Expected Outcomes for 2025 and Beyond
Passenger volumes are expected to rise as Cathay Pacific, HK Express, and other carriers continue to expand networks across Asia. The integration of rail and bridge links will convert single-city visits into multi-destination journeys, increasing the length of stay and overall spending per traveler.
With Macao’s arrivals nearly back to 2019 levels and Hong Kong’s steady inbound flows, the new alliance provides a strong narrative for airlines to market. Longer stays, higher spending in retail and dining, and more robust load factors on regional flights are all anticipated outcomes.
Why Airlines Are Central to the GBA Story
The cultural collaboration among Temple Street, Dongmen Old Street, and Rua do Cunha has created a foundation for cross-border tourism that aligns perfectly with airline strategies. Airlines are not only carriers but also connectors, capable of turning these symbolic partnerships into practical travel products. With strong infrastructure, visa facilitation, and growing demand from Asia, the Greater Bay Area.
