HONG KONG -- Hong Kong's Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme was officially implemented from midnight on Tuesday.

Under the scheme, approved private car owners from south China's Guangdong Province with confirmed travel bookings may drive into Hong Kong's urban area via the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

The first phase of the scheme covers the cities of Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, and Zhongshan, and will be expanded to other cities across Guangdong Province after six months.

Applications for Guangdong private cars to enter Hong Kong's urban area opened at 9 a.m. local time on Dec. 9. With an initial daily quota of 100 vehicles, each Guangdong vehicle may stay in Hong Kong for up to three days per visit.