Notice on Issuing the Measures for Supporting the Culture and Tourism Industry Development in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin

All bureaus under the Executive Committee,

The Measures for Supporting the Culture and Tourism Industry Development in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin has been approved upon deliberation at the session of the Executive Committee of the Cooperation Zone, and is hereby issued to you for your careful implementation. Should any issues arise during implementation, please promptly report them to the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone.

Economic Development Bureau of Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin

August 14, 2023

Normative Document No. 3/2023 of the Economic Development Bureau

Measures for Supporting the Culture and Tourism Industry Development in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin

Article 1.

Purpose of the Measures

To implement the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Master Plan for the Construction of Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and the Hengqin International Leisure Tourism Island Construction Scheme, support Macao in developing into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, and promote the high-quality development of the culture and tourism industry in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (hereinafter referred to as the “Cooperation Zone”), these Measures are hereby formulated in accordance with the Implementation Plan for the Development of Tourism Sector of Guangdong Province during the 14th Five-Year Plan Period and the Three-Year Action Plan for Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Culture and Tourism Industry in the Cooperation Zone (2023-2025), with due consideration given to the actual circumstances of the Cooperation Zone.

Article 2.

Definition

For the purposes of these Measures, the following definitions apply:

1. “National 5A, 4A, and 3A tourist attractions” refers to tourist attractions that have been rated as 5A, 4A, or 3A by the China National Tourist Attractions Quality Evaluation Committee or its authorized agencies for tourism attraction quality assessment;

2. “National tourist resorts” and “provincial tourist resorts” refer to tourist resorts that meet the relevant requirements of the national standard Tourist Resort Rating (GB/T 26358) and are recognized by the national or provincial cultural and tourism authorities;

3. “Five-star and four-star hotels” refers to tourist hotels that have been rated as five-star or four-star (star-rated hotels) by the National Tourism Star-rated Hotel Evaluation Committee;

4. “National Grade-A and Grade-B tourist homestay inns” refers to tourist homestay inns that have been rated as Grade-A and Grade-B by the National Technical Committee on Tourism Standardization;

5. “National 5C and 4C private vehicle and RV campsites” refers to private vehicle and RV campsites that have been rated as 5C and 4C by the National Committee for Quality Rating of Private Vehicles and Recreational Vehicles (RVs) Campsites;

6. “Cross-border multi-stop” itineraries refers to curated tourism routes designed around the combination of “Cooperation Zone + Macao” as destinations;

7. “Quality Tourism Service Accreditation Scheme” awards refer to tourism industry merchant awards organized by the Macao Special Administrative Region Government Tourism Office, with support from the Municipal Affairs Bureau, Consumer Council, Macao Institute for Tourism Studies, Macau Hotel Association, The United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao, Association of Macau Small and Medium Enterprises of Catering, Macau Travel Agency Association, Travel Industry Council of Macau, and Association of Macao Tourist Agents;

8. “Domestic cinema chains” refers to cinema chains within China that have been approved by the national film administration authorities and consist of more than 50 cinemas;

9. “China Central Television” (CCTV) refers to CCTV Channels 1 to 17;

10. “Provincial satellite TV channels” refers to satellite TV channels of mainland Chinese provinces, excluding specialized, regional, and prefecture-level satellite TV channels;

11. “Domestic and international reputable brands” refers to brands that are representative and leading in their industries and enjoy high reputations both domestically and internationally. In principle, they shall be listed in one of the following rankings: World’s 500 Most Influential Brands or China’s 500 Most Valuable Brands released by World Brand Lab, Global Powers of Luxury Goods released by Deloitte, or Top 500 Chinese Brand released by TopBrand Union. The recognition process is conducted by a review panel organized by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone or by a third-party professional agency commissioned by the Bureau;

12. “Launch events” refers to key promotional activities in which a brand or its authorized representative debuts or showcases new products for the first time in the national market;

13. “Debut events” refers to exhibitions or showcases in which a brand or its authorized representative presents a collection of its products for the first time in the national market;

14. “Primary business revenue” refers to the revenue recorded in the audited financial statements of the previous year;

15. “Macao social organizations” refers to social organizations registered with the Identification Services Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region;

16. “National Senior and Intermediate Tour Guide Certifications” refers to tour guide certifications assessed and issued by the National Tour Guide Professional Level Examination and Evaluation Committee;

17. Unlesss otherwised specified, the terms “more than”, “exceed”, “at least”, “or more”, “up to”, “maximum” shall be interpreted as inclusive of the stated value.

Article 3.

Support for the Development of Tourism Enterprise Brands

For enterprises that are rated as national 5A, 4A, or 3A tourist attractions for the first time after the implementation of these Measures, a one-time reward of RMB 5 million, RMB 3 million, or RMB 1 million shall be granted, respectively (For enterprises that have already received a reward, a supplementary reward of RMB 2 million shall be granted for an upgrade from a 3A to a 4A attraction, and another RMB 2 million for an upgrade from a 4A to a 5A attraction). For enterprises that pass the annual review or evaluation-based review for national 5A, 4A, or 3A tourist attractions, a one-time reward of RMB 300,000, RMB 200,000, or RMB 100,000 shall be granted, respectively.

For enterprises that are rated as national tourist resorts or provincial tourist resorts for the first time after the implementation of these Measures, a one-time reward of RMB 5 million or RMB 3 million, respectively, shall be granted (If an enterprise has already received a reward, a supplementary reward of RMB 2 million shall be granted for an upgrade from a provincial-level to a national-level tourist resort).

For enterprises that are rated as five-star or four-star hotels for the first time after the implementation of these Measures, a one-time reward of RMB 5 million or RMB 3 million, respectively, shall be granted (If an enterprise has already received a reward, a supplementary reward of RMB 2 million shall be granted for an upgrade from a four-star to a five-star hotel).

For enterprises that are rated as Grade-A or Grade-B tourist homestay inns for the first time after the implementation of these Measures, a one-time reward of RMB 500,000 or RMB 300,000, respectively, shall be granted (If an enterprise has already received a reward, a supplementary reward of RMB 200,000 shall be granted for an upgrade from Grade-B to Grade-A).

For enterprises that are rated as 5C or 4C private vehicle and RV campsites for the first time after the implementation of these Measures, a one-time reward of RMB 600,000 or RMB 450,000, respectively, shall be granted (If an enterprise has already received a reward, a supplementary reward of RMB 150,000 shall be granted for an upgrade from 4C to 5C).

Article 4.

Support for the Development of Cultural Tourism Products

For enterprises or institutions that develop cultural tourism products reflecting the regional characteristics and cultural features of the Cooperation Zone, a one-time reward of 5% of the sales revenue shall be granted for a single product whose annual cumulative sales exceed RMB 1 million, provided that the product has been registered and recognized by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone. The maximum reward shall not exceed RMB 100,000 per product and RMB 300,000 per enterprise or institution annually.

Applicants shall register the product with the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone before sales, in accordance with the required procedures (by submitting product photos, copies of trademark registration certificates, and other necessary materials).

Applicants shall possess full intellectual property rights or a valid sales license for the cultural tourism product. If the intellectual property rights or sales license are owned by multiple enterprises or institutions, the applicant shall submit a legally valid authorization letter confirming that all co-owners agree to apply for the reward in the name of the applicant.

Article 5.

Support for the Development of Nighttime Economy

For enterprises or institutions that organize nighttime dining-themed events, such as food festivals, culinary carnivals, and beer festivals, lasting at least three consecutive days, and that have been registered with and recognized by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone, a one-time reward of 50% of the actual investment shall be granted, up to a maximum of RMB 500,000. For the same event held consecutively, starting from the second edition, an additional reward equivalent to 10% of the initial reward granted for the first edition shall be provided. For each subsequent edition, the additional reward percentage shall increase by 10%. If there is an interruption in consecutive editions, the additional reward percentage shall be recalculated. The additional rewards for consecutive editions shall be limited to a maximum of three editions.

The term “actual investment” as used in this article refers to the total expenses actually incurred by the applicant in organizing the event, including venue rental, materials, labor, utility charges, and other expenses recognized by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone. These expenses shall be verified by a special audit report on the total event investment, issued by a certified public accounting firm.

The applicant shall register the event with the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone at least 30 days in advance in accordance with the required procedures (submitting written materials such as the application report, budget, and event plan). Only one enterprise or institution per event is eligible to apply for the reward. If an event is jointly organized by two or more enterprises or institutions, the entity that registered with the Economic Development Bureau prior to the event shall, in principle, be the one to apply for the reward.

Article 6.

Support for the Development of Curated Tourism Routes

For travel agencies operating within the Cooperation Zone that develop “cross-border multi-stop” itineraries and meet the following conditions: (a) the itinerary includes at least two fee-charging attractions within the Cooperation Zone, (b) it receives no fewer than 5,000 visits annually, (c) it includes at least one overnight stay in the Cooperation Zone, and (d) it is registered with and recognized by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone, a one-time reward of 30% of the contract price shall be granted, with a maximum annual reward of RMB 200,000 per agency. If the itinerary also includes at least two consecutive nights in Macao, the reward increases to 40% of the contract price, with a maximum annual reward of RMB 300,000 per agency.

Applicants shall register the itinerary in advance with the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone and submit the required written materials (such as itinerary details). Only one travel agency per tour group (calculated based on total tourist visits) may apply for the reward. In cases where multiple agencies submit applications for the same tour group, the reward shall be granted to the agency that actually organized the tour.

Article 7.

Support for Macao Cultural Tourism Brands to Establish in the Cooperation Zone

Enterprises or institutions recognized under Macao’s Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme that register for the first time and operate substantively in the Cooperation Zone for at least one year shall be eligible for a one-time brand establishment reward of RMB 100,000.

Applicants shall obtain authorization from the accredited brand owner to use the brand’s name, trademarks, logos, and other brand-related identifiers.

Article 8.

Support for Hong Kong and Macao Tour Guides to Work in the Cooperation Zone

For Hong Kong and Macao tour guides and group leaders who obtain the Hengqin tourism practitioner certificate under the Regulations of Zhuhai Special Economic Zone on the Professional Practice of Hong Kong and Macao Tourism Practitioners in Hengqin New Area after the implementation of these Measures, a one-time reward of RMB 3,000 shall be granted.

For Hong Kong and Macao tour guides and group leaders who hold a Hengqin tourism practitioner certificate and work in the Cooperation Zone for at least 30 or 45 days within a calendar year, a one-time reward of RMB 20,000 or RMB 30,000 shall be granted, respectively. The term “work in the Cooperation Zone” in this clause refers to the applicant who has signed a labor contract with a travel agency within the Cooperation Zone and is assigned to provide guiding, interpretation, and related tourism services to visitors within the Cooperation Zone.

Applicants who, after the implementation of these Measures, violate relevant laws and regulations, including the Tourism Law of the People’s Republic of China, the Regulations on the Administration of Tour Guides, and the Measures for the Administration of Tour Guides, shall not be eligible to apply for this reward.

Article 9.

Support for the Development of Performing Arts Industry

For enterprises operating tourist attractions or resorts that produce performing arts productions such as musicals, dance dramas, and light shows, which are registered with and recognized by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone, a one-time reward equivalent to 30% of the actual investment per performance shall be granted, with a maximum reward of RMB 50,000 per performance. The annual reward for the same production shall be limited to three performances, and the annual reward for the same enterprise shall not exceed RMB 1 million.

The term “actual investment per performance” refers to the total expenses incurred for a given performance, including venue rental, publicity, labor fees for performers and staff, and other expenses approved by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone. These expenses shall be verified by a special audit report on total performance investment issued by a certified public accounting firm.

Applicants shall register the performance with the Economic Development Bureau at least 30 days in advance (submitting written materials including the production title, script, director, cast, schedule, duration, synopsis, and budget). Only one enterprise or institution per performance shall be eligible to apply for the reward. If a performance is jointly organized by two or more enterprises or institutions, the entity that registered with the Economic Development Bureau prior to the performance shall, in principle, be responsible for applying for the reward.

Article 10.

Support for the Development of Film and Television Industry

For films that positively depict Hengqin-Macao themes or primarily tell stories about Hengqin-Macao characters, and are released in domestic cinemas, a reward of RMB 1 million shall be granted to the primary production company, upon recognition by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone. For films that positively showcase the cityscape of Hengqin or Macao at least five times (each appearance lasting more than five seconds) and include the names of filming locations in the opening or closing credits, and are released in domestic cinemas, a reward of RMB 50,000 per cityscape scene shall be granted, with a maximum reward of RMB 500,000 per film, upon recognition by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone.

For TV dramas that positively depict Hengqin-Macao themes or primarily tell stories about Hengqin-Macao characters, and are broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) or provincial satellite TV channels, a reward of RMB 1 million shall be granted to the primary production company, upon recognition by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone.

For online series that positively depict Hengqin-Macao themes or primarily tell stories about Hengqin-Macao characters, and are broadcast on major domestic online platforms such as Youku, iQIYI, Mango TV, Tencent Video, and Sohu Video, rewards shall be granted based on viewership and ratings, upon recognition by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone, as follows: RMB 500,000 for ranking in the top 10% of online film and television works during the same period; RMB 400,000 for ranking in the top 20%; and RMB 200,000 for ranking in the top 30%.

For documentaries or variety shows filmed in the Cooperation Zone or Macao, and broadcast on CCTV or provincial satellite TV channels, a reward of RMB 500,000 shall be granted to the primary production company, upon recognition by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone.

The rewards under this article shall be reviewed and recognized by a review panel organized by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone or a third-party professional agency commissioned by the Bureau. Each work shall be eligible for only one reward, and multiple works may be accumulated, with an annual reward maximum of RMB 3 million per enterprise or institution.

Article 11.

Support for the Development of Fashion Industry

For enterprises organizing launch or premiere events for domestic and international reputable brands in the Cooperation Zone, a one-time reward equivalent to 50% of the actual investment in the event shall be granted, upon recognition by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone, with a maximum reward of RMB 1 million.

The term “actual investment in the event” refers to the total expenses actually incurred in organizing the event, including venue rental, materials, setup costs, publicity, and other expenses approved by the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone. These expenses shall be verified by a special audit report on the total event investment, issued by a certified public accounting firm.

Article 12.

Support for the Development of Health and Wellness Tourism

For enterprises in the Cooperation Zone that independently invest in cultural tourism and wellness projects, including specialized medical services, rehabilitation, and beauty care, and achieve annual primary business revenue of RMB 50 million or RMB 100 million, a one-time reward of RMB 500,000 or RMB 1 million shall be granted, respectively, to first-time applicants (for enterprises that have already received a reward, a supplementary reward of RMB 500,000 shall be granted if their annual primary business revenue increases from RMB 50 million to RMB 100 million).

Article 13.

Support for the Development of Coastal Tourism

For enterprises in the Cooperation Zone that independently invest in coastal leisure tourism projects, including yacht tourism, water sports, and low-altitude aviation activities, and achieve annual primary business revenue of RMB 20 million, RMB 50 million, or RMB 100 million, a one-time reward of RMB 500,000, RMB 1 million, or RMB 2 million shall be granted, respectively, to first-time applicants (for enterprises that have already received a reward, a supplementary reward shall be granted based on revenue growth as follows: RMB 500,000 for revenue growth from RMB 20 million to RMB 50 million; RMB 1 million for revenue growth from RMB 50 million to RMB 100 million; and RMB 1.5 million for revenue growth from RMB 20 million to RMB 100 million).

Article 14.

Support for the Development of Educational Tourism

For enterprises that are rated for the first time as national, provincial, or municipal-level educational tourism (study travel and experiential education) bases (camps) after the implementation of this measure, a one-time reward of RMB 500,000, RMB 200,000, or RMB 100,000 shall be granted, respectively (For enterprises that have already received a reward, a supplementary reward shall be granted as follows: RMB 100,000 for an upgrade from municipal to provincial level; and RMB 300,000 for an upgrade from provincial to national level).

Article 15.

Support for Cultural and Tourism Exchanges

For enterprises or institutions that, in collaboration with Macao social organizations, organize cultural and tourism forums, promotional events, or other exchange activities in the Cooperation Zone, a one-time reward of RMB 50,000, RMB 100,000, or RMB 200,000 shall be granted to the event organizer or undertaker, provided that: the total number of participants reaches 20, 50, or 100 or more; at least 30% of the participants are from Macao social organizations; and the event is recognized and filed with the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone.

The applicant shall register the event with the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone at least 30 days in advance in accordance with the required procedures (submitting written materials such as the application report, budget, and event plan). Only one enterprise or institution per event is eligible to apply for the reward. If the event is jointly organized by two or more enterprises or institutions, the entity that registered with the Economic Development Bureau prior to the event shall, in principle, be the one to apply for the reward.

Article 16.

Improve the Service Quality of Tourism Practitioners

Tourism practitioners who obtain a National Senior or Intermediate Tour Guide Certificate and are engaged in full-time tour guiding work in the Cooperation Zone after the implementation of these Measures shall be granted a one-time reward of RMB 30,000 or RMB 20,000, respectively.

After the implementation of these Measures, tourism practitioners who win first, second, or third prizes in national-level cultural and tourism service skills competitions shall be granted a one-time reward of RMB 30,000, RMB 20,000, or RMB 10,000, respectively; tourism practitioners who win first, second, or third prizes in provincial-level cultural and tourism service skills competitions shall be granted a one-time reward of RMB 20,000, RMB 10,000, or RMB 8,000, respectively; and tourism practitioners who participate in cultural and tourism service skills competitions organized by the Cooperation Zone and win first, second, or third prizes shall be granted a one-time reward of RMB10,000, RMB 8,000, or RMB 5,000, respectively.

Applicants shall have signed a full-time labor contract of at least two years with a tourism enterprise that operates substantively in the Cooperation Zone, and the contract shall remain valid at the time of approval. In addition, applicants shall have continuously and normally paid social insurance premiums in the Cooperation Zone for at least one year.

Article 17.

Support for Tour Agencies to Expand Tourist Market

For tour agencies whose annual primary business revenue reaches RMB 100 million, RMB 150 million, or RMB 200 million or more after the implementation of these Measures, a one-time reward of RMB 100,000, RMB 300,000, or RMB 500,000 shall be granted, respectively, to first-time applicants (for agencies that have already received a reward, a supplementary reward shall be granted as follows: RMB 200,000 for revenue growth from RMB 100 million to RMB 150 million, RMB 200,000 for revenue growth from RMB 150 million to RMB 200 million, and RMB 400,000 for revenue growth from RMB 100 million to RMB 200 million).

For tour agencies that organize tours to the Cooperation Zone, if the tour includes at least one overnight stay and one fee-charging attraction in the Cooperation Zone, and the total number of tourists reaches 30,000, 50,000, or 100,000 or more in a given year, a one-time reward of RMB 50,000, RMB 100,000, or RMB 200,000 shall be granted, respectively. Additionally, for tour agencies that annually receive more than 5,000 overnight visitors from outside the Chinese mainland (including those from the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions) each year, an additional one-time reward of RMB 100,000 shall be granted.

Article 18.

Application Requirements

If the applicant is an enterprise, it shall meet the substantive operating requirements stipulated in the Rules for Determining the Substantive Operations of Enterprises in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (Normative Document No. 2/2023 of the Executive Committee). Social organizations or non-enterprise private units shall also be subject to the requirements applicable to enterprises.

If the applicant is an individual, corresponding provisions shall be followed.

Applicants shall not be eligible to apply for awards or subsidies under these Measures if, during the application year or the preceding year, any of the following circumstances exists:

1. The applicants have been included in the list of dishonest persons on Credit China; and

2. The applicant has received administrative penalties for violating laws, regulations, or rules related to work safety, market regulation, environmental protection, fire safety, taxation, etc., during business operations, and the administrative penalty is subject to a hearing as stipulated in the Implementation Measures for Administrative Penalty Hearing Procedures in Guangdong Province.

Article 19.

Application Procedures

The application procedures are as follows:

(1) Application: The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone will publish the support fund application guidelines annually and organizes relevant entities to carry out the application process as needed based on actual circumstances. Applicants shall complete the application form and submit the required documents in accordance with these Measures and the relevant application guidelines;

(2) Acceptance: The Economic Development Bureau will conduct a preliminary review of the application materials. Applications that do not meet the acceptance criteria will not be processed. If the submitted materials are incomplete, applicants will be notified once of the missing documents, which shall be provided within the specified timeframe. Applications that meet the acceptance criteria and have complete documentation will be processed;

(3) Review: The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone will organize a review panel or commission a third-party professional institution to review the authenticity and validity of the application materials and, in conjunction with on-site inspections, reach a review conclusion;

(4) Fund Determination: Based on the review conclusion, the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone will determine the support fund allocation plan;

(5) Public Announcement: The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone will publicly announce the proposed list of recipients and the corresponding funding amounts on the Cooperation Zone’s official website for seven working days; and

(6) Funds Disbursement: If no objections are raised during the public announcement period or if objections are found to be unsubstantiated upon investigation, the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone will disburse the funds in accordance with the regulations.

Provisions with special requirements for the application process shall be implemented in accordance with the corresponding standards.

Article 20.

Applicable Rules

Where these Measures overlap with other support policies of Guangdong Province, Zhuhai City, or the Cooperation Zone (including those carried over from the former Hengqin New Area), support shall be provided based on the principles of applying the more favourable and higher standard provision without duplication, unless otherwise stipulated.

Article 21.

Source of Funds

Funds required for these Measures will be managed through budget control and allocated annually from the special funds budget of the Cooperation Zone.

All amounts involved in these Measures are set according to pre-tax standards and are denominated in Renminbi (RMB).

Article 22.

Source of Funds

Applicants shall be responsible for the authenticity and legality of the application materials. Those who obtain support funds through fraudulent means shall have their eligibility revoked, be required to return the funds, and be permanently barred from applying for subsidies or rewards under these Measures. Cases constituting violations of law or crimes shall be referred to the competent authorities for legal action.

Article 23.

Operational Guide

The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone shall develop an operational guide for these Measures and be responsible for their implementation.

Article 24.

Power of Interpretation

The Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone reserves the right to interpret these Measures.

Article 25.

Effective Date and Validity Period

These Measures shall come into effect on January 1, 2023, and remain valid for a period of three years. If the valid period expires while any portion of the relevant funds remains unpaid, payments shall continue until all due amounts are fully disbursed.

This English translation is for reference only. The Chinese version shall prevail in case of any inconsistencies.