Organisers of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Lantern Carnival announced on January 27 that Hong Kong residents will receive transport, accommodation and dining subsidies when the 90-day festival opens in Guangzhou’s Nansha district on February 10. Travellers who upload their high-speed rail, ferry, highway-toll or air-ticket receipts can claim a 10 per cent rebate—capped at RMB100—via designated mobile platforms. Tour groups of ten or more will enjoy discounted admission, while partner hotels and more than 20 restaurants will extend special rates. (chinadailyhk.com)
The 53.8-hectare carnival site is being marketed as an immersive cultural-tourism anchor for the Lunar New Year peak. Over 100 large-scale lantern installations, a 2.5-kilometre main parade route and nearly 1,000 live performances are scheduled. Eleven award-winning lantern designs from a cross-border youth competition will be showcased, reinforcing the event’s regional integration theme.
Why this matters for mobility managers: the subsidies effectively lower the cost of short-stay assignments and incentive trips into the Greater Bay Area. Corporate travel planners can bundle the allowance with group rail tickets, making Nansha a cost-effective venue for kick-off meetings or regional retreats during the first quarter. Immigration-wise, Hong Kong residents can continue to enter Guangzhou visa-free with a Home-Return Permit, but companies should remind staff to carry printed proof of carnival tickets if they intend to claim the rebate at Nansha.
![Nansha Lantern Carnival to subsidise travel costs for Hong Kong visitors]()
For non-permanent residents or overseas employees who do not hold a Home-Return Permit, VisaHQ’s Hong Kong office can fast-track single or multiple-entry China visas and advise on the latest Greater Bay Area travel policies. The streamlined online portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) lets corporate coordinators upload documents, monitor progress in real time and arrange courier pick-ups, ensuring that international staff can join Guangzhou meetings just as smoothly as Home-Return Permit holders.
Event organisers have signed MOUs with China Travel Service (Hong Kong), Trip.com and Big Line Holiday to provide door-to-door packages that start at West Kowloon Station. Early-bird bookings include priority entry to the opening-night fireworks and fast-track lanes at Nansha ferry pier.
Analysts see the scheme as another example of targeted, micro-level incentives designed to stimulate two-way flows within the Greater Bay Area in the run-up to the 2026 National Games, when cross-border passenger numbers are forecast to break pre-pandemic records.
The 53.8-hectare carnival site is being marketed as an immersive cultural-tourism anchor for the Lunar New Year peak. Over 100 large-scale lantern installations, a 2.5-kilometre main parade route and nearly 1,000 live performances are scheduled. Eleven award-winning lantern designs from a cross-border youth competition will be showcased, reinforcing the event’s regional integration theme.
Why this matters for mobility managers: the subsidies effectively lower the cost of short-stay assignments and incentive trips into the Greater Bay Area. Corporate travel planners can bundle the allowance with group rail tickets, making Nansha a cost-effective venue for kick-off meetings or regional retreats during the first quarter. Immigration-wise, Hong Kong residents can continue to enter Guangzhou visa-free with a Home-Return Permit, but companies should remind staff to carry printed proof of carnival tickets if they intend to claim the rebate at Nansha.
For non-permanent residents or overseas employees who do not hold a Home-Return Permit, VisaHQ’s Hong Kong office can fast-track single or multiple-entry China visas and advise on the latest Greater Bay Area travel policies. The streamlined online portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) lets corporate coordinators upload documents, monitor progress in real time and arrange courier pick-ups, ensuring that international staff can join Guangzhou meetings just as smoothly as Home-Return Permit holders.
Event organisers have signed MOUs with China Travel Service (Hong Kong), Trip.com and Big Line Holiday to provide door-to-door packages that start at West Kowloon Station. Early-bird bookings include priority entry to the opening-night fireworks and fast-track lanes at Nansha ferry pier.
Analysts see the scheme as another example of targeted, micro-level incentives designed to stimulate two-way flows within the Greater Bay Area in the run-up to the 2026 National Games, when cross-border passenger numbers are forecast to break pre-pandemic records.
