Macau braces for massive cross-border rush during Golden Week

Macau authorities anticipate up to 750,000 border crossings per day during the upcoming eight-day National Day / Mid-Autumn Golden Week holiday (Oct 1–8), with total entries and exits projected between 5.6 million and 6 million over the period. Of that, roughly 1.2 million visitor arrivals are expected (averaging 150,000 per day), driven by more relaxed entry policies such as multiple-entry permits via Zhuhai and Hengqin.

Hotel demand is already showing signs of strength, with occupancy rates forecast to top 90 %, according to the Macao Government Tourism Office. Local tourism operators, guides, and hotel groups are on alert, coordinating logistics and service levels to accommodate the surge. The busiest congestion is expected on October 3 and 4, with outbound pressure peaking the evening before the holiday and inbound traffic spiking late on October 7. 

Vehicle volumes via key ports will be heavily tested. The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge is estimated to see more than 14,000 vehicle movements daily (inbound + outbound), Hengqin Port about 12,000, and the traditional Border Gate roughly 9,500. To manage this, authorities pledge tighter coordination with Zhuhai and Hong Kong, increased police deployment at tourist hotspots, and traffic control plans to mitigate bottlenecks.