HK-Macau travel bubble plans seem to fall apart again

Plans to launch a travel bubble between Hong Kong and Macau have been halted again after a case of the Delta variant of Covid-19 was detected in Hong Kong.

Macau.- The long-awaited travel bubble between Hong Kong and Macau won’t be happening soon.

According to media reports, Hong Kong has detected the first local Covid-19 case of the more transmissible Delta variant. That’s led to 180 people being quarantined in the Tai Po area.

Authorities say the city will continue with plans to ease the mandatory quarantine period to seven days for fully vaccinated travellers. However, it means Hong Kong won’t reach the 28 days without a local Covid-19 case that Macau set as a condition for travel bubble.

Alvis Lo lek Long, Macau Health Bureau director, stated that a travel bubble between Hong Kong and Macau could only be contemplated once Hong Kong passed 28 days without a local Covid-19 case.

Authorities had previously said Hong Kong should reach 14 consecutive days without a new Covid-19 case to start talks about a travel bubble.

A travel bubble between Macau and Hong Kong is vital for Macau’s economic recovery as Hong Kong provides 10 to 15 per cent of Macau’s annual casino gross gaming revenue (GGR).

For now, mainland China is the only country to have a largely quarantine-free travel bubble with Macau.