The Philippines to resume visa-free travel for Macau and HK residents

Authorities have announced that residents of Macau and Hong Kong will be allowed to enter the country as temporary visitors without a visa.

The Philippines.- Authorities in The Philippines have confirmed that the country has resumed visa-free travel for Hong Kong and Macau residents in an effort to boost its tourism industry. The policy had been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic but visitors can now stay for 14 days without a visa.

However, the measure is unlikely to have a significant impact on tourism in the short term due to new Covid-19 countermeasures in Macau and Hong Kong. 

In February, The Philippines reopened its borders to fully vaccinated tourists after a two-year closure.  The country had initially planned to reopen in December 2021 following an increase in vaccinations and a drop in Covid-19 infections, however, the Omicron strain delayed those plans.

According to acting presidential spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, in 2021 the country saw only 1.4 million arrivals, significantly lower than the 3.6 million in 2020. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, The Philippines was seeing 16.9 million annual arrivals.