Top image: Artificial island of the HZMB (Photo/CGTN)
Sitting along the southern coast of China's Guangdong province, Zhuhai is one of the nation's most charming tourist destinations. Now a scenic new icon, the world's longest man-made cross-sea span adds a new dimension to the city's picturesque view. Visitors from far and wide have already come to see the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge, and experts say this trend will only continue.
Travel agencies launched sightseeing programs well in advance of the mega structure's debut. At a cruise terminal in Zhuhai, a ferry route has been running for months, with ships taking passengers offshore to see the bridge up close both day and night.
Standing on the deck, passengers can see the three cable-stayed bridges of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. One of them, shaped as a symbolic Chinese knot, is the main sight that people have come to see. Cruise operators say some 1,500 tourists take to the waters to get a closer glimpse of the bridge on a daily basis.
While many visitors are flocking to see the bridge, industry insiders hope the attraction boosts tourism in general. They say the bridge will deliver a higher volume of visitors among three cities in a shorter period. Xu Jianmao, the deputy general manager of the cruise company, said the bridge will lead to the integral growth of tourism in the Greater Bay Area. More frequent travel will further revolutionize market size, and travel experiences.
Larry Leung, the managing director of an integrated tourism and entertainment project in Zhuhai, believe the city will become a transfer point for mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong and Macao, and vice versa. Businesses in Zhuhai have started preparing for the future. They say they will continue to develop and diversify products based on the city's rich resources to meet the increasing needs.
