Macau arrivals reach highest level since the epidemic

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With the implementation of Macau’s nucleic acid-free customs clearance policy on January 8, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is promoting a number of promotional programs and offers on all fronts to attract more visitors to Macau for the Chinese New Year.

Figures released by Macau on January 15 show that Macau’s visitor arrivals exceeded 50,000 on January 14, reaching 55,845, the highest single-day visitor arrivals since January 2020. From January 6 to 12 just past, Macau recorded a total of 240,880 arrivals, a daily average of 34,411, an increase of 76.2% over the daily average from December 30, 2022 to January 5, 2023, and up 172.4% over the daily average in December last year. In addition, the average occupancy rate of hotel establishments from January 6 to 12 was 67.4%, up 15.4 percentage points from December 30, 2022 to January 5, 2023, and 24.3 percentage points from December last year.

In order to promote tourism, MGTO invited about 40 Hong Kong travel trade representatives to Macau on the 15th for a study tour to understand Macau’s transformation in 3 years. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said that with the Lunar New Year approaching, it is hoped that Macau will have an average of 47,000 visitors arriving daily. She said that since the implementation of the inspection-free customs clearance, the number of arrivals has increased significantly, reaching as high as 55,000 on weekends, compared to about 100,000 before the epidemic, i.e. more than half of the level has been restored. According to the Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Mrs. Melissa Tsui Wong Mei Lun, Macau is quick to introduce different offers and it is expected that more than 50 Hong Kong tours will come to Macau during the Chinese New Year.

The Macau Daily News said that on the weekend of the 14th, there were many visitors in the Central District, and St. Paul’s was back to being a lively place, with handicraft stores and snack stores. Many tourists dragged suitcases to buy Chinese New Year goods, pharmacies, retail stores in front of the queue of people paying. Some handicraft store staff said, with the mainland people’s willingness to travel to increase, coupled with the re-entry of Hong Kong tourists after a 3-year absence, the market is gradually increasing the number of visitors to see more obvious signs of recovery. Some suspended stores also reopened one after another. The staff said that the current source of customers is still dominated by mainland customers, the authorities can continue to strengthen publicity to attract customers and stimulate the recovery of various industries. A clothing and shoe store staff also said that recent business than last December increased by two or three percent.