Tour guides with qualification certificates issued by either Hong Kong or Macao will permitted to work in Hengqin New Area starting Dec 1.

Regulations on the Practice of Hong Kong and Macao Tour Guides in Zhuhai Special Economic Zone were approved Sept 29 at the 32nd Session of the Standing Committee of the 9th Zhuhai Municipal People's Congress. This is the first regional regulation in the country to allow cross-border work by Hong Kong and Macao tourism personnel.

The regulation also further opens the way for cross-border practice and boosts diversification of Macao industries. Earlier, Zhuhai allowed construction and engineering consulting professionals from Hong Kong and Macao to practice in Hengqin.

32nd Session of the Standing Committee of the 9th Zhuhai Municipal People's Congress [Photo courtesy WeChat account: zhuhairenda]

For now, Hong Kong and Macao tour guides may only lead tour groups to the Chinese mainland. They are not permitted, however, to offer guide services at scenic spots without a National Certificate of Tour Guide, according to Zhang Xipei, head of the Tourism Affairs Department of China Travel Service (Macao).

Zhang said this latest regulation will help Macao's tourism sector recover from the negative impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, and facilitate the flow of talents between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.

As of Dec 1, certified Hong Kong and Macao tour guides must have registered and trained under local tourism authorities. The validity of work permits in Hengqin will be consistent with that of Hong Kong and Macao certificates.

Since the Hengqin New Area Administrative Committee accommodated cross-border practice last September, 290 Hong Kong and Macao tour guides and team leaders had completed authentication and received training by the end of 2019.