Guangdong motorists will be able to drive their own vehicles to Hong Kong from November, with a daily cap of 100 applications, Hong Kong’s transportation chief said on Wednesday.

The southbound cross-border driving program, as a reciprocal arrangement of the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles program implemented in July 2023, is expected to benefit various industries in Hong Kong and create more regional synergy.

It will allow Guangdong vehicles with only Chinese-mainland-issued plates to enter the city through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), with a daily limit of 100 vehicles – a scale acceptable to both Hong Kong and Guangdong authorities, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said at a news conference.

READ MORE: Guangdong cars to be allowed to drive south via HZMB

Details of the application procedure will be announced soon.

After entering Hong Kong, Guangdong vehicles must be parked in the designated automatic parking lot at the Hong Kong port of the HZM Bridge, which has 1,800 parking spaces, in the program’s initial stage, Chan said.

Nonlocal cars will be allowed to enter the city by the end of this year, once the first-stage implementation status and traffic conditions in the surrounding areas are evaluated, she added.

The daily quota will be increased gradually at a steady and controllable pace, Chan said.

The issue of how many days Guangdong vehicles can stay in Hong Kong is under discussion with the Guangdong authorities, Chan said, with an initial estimate of around three days.

Chan hopes the program allows mainland tourists to enjoy different travel experiences and increases the incentive for extended stays and greater spending.

The program is also expected to attract more mainland visitors to use the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) as the Hong Kong port of the HZM bridge — the entry point for Guangdong vehicles —  is very close to the HKIA.

The transportation chief said all vehicles should be insured and inspected before entering Hong Kong, and they need to comply with the city’s traffic laws during their stay.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government will further communicate with Guangdong authorities to ensure the provision of guided routes and recommendations, aiming to enhance southbound motorists’ experience.

Meanwhile, the northbound driving program, which allows eligible Hong Kong single-plated private cars to travel in Guangdong province via the HZM bridge, has achieved satisfactory results during the first two years of implementation.

Chan said over 100,000 Hong Kong private cars had entered Guangdong province under the program. The two-way vehicular flow of the HZM bridge reached a total of 450 000 in May, a 170 percent increase compared to that before implementation of the program.

Steven Yiu Siu-chung, executive director overseeing airport operations at the Airport Authority, said at the news conference that the designated car park, which will host Guangdong vehicles in the first stage of the program, can handle about 500 vehicles per day.

READ MORE: 152 HK cars make mainland crossing under travel scheme

Guangdong drivers using the airport can leave their cars at the park and take a shuttle bus to the airport’s restricted area to complete check-in procedures, Yiu added.

In a statement to welcome the southbound program, Agnes Chan Sui-kuen, chairwoman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC), said the inflow of Guangdong vehicles will inject new vitality into industries such as catering, retail, tourism and services, thereby benefiting Hong Kong’s overall economy.

Chan also urged local enterprises to seize the opportunity, by providing supporting services and discounts to the tourists.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com