Macau: only 16.8% of arrivals come for gambling

Gambling activity is not the main reason for the increase in tourism from mainland China, according to a survey.

Macau.- The resumption of visas from mainland China has led to expectation of an increase in gaming revenues in Macau, but according to a new survey less than 20 per cent of tourists arriving after the resumption of the individual visit scheme IIVS) said they were visiting mainly for gambling.

The survey by Macau Research Centre questioned 107 tourists between September 1 and 6 at local border checkpoints about their travel and consumption purposes in Macau.

The resumption of the IVS had begun in Zhuhai on August 12 and Guangdong on August 26. Two-thirds of respondents to the survey were from Zhuhai.

According to the study some 14,600 tourists entries were reported on September 1, a number three times higher than the average 4,000 visitors per day reported in July.

Some 51.4 per cent of the tourists surveyed said shopping was the main purpose of their visit, while 21.5 per cent said they came for tourism and 16.8 per cent said they came mainly for gambling.

However, more than one-third of travellers, about 31.8 per cent, actually engaged in gambling during their stay in Macau, with an average gambling budget of MOP16,022.

Tourists also revealed that they chose to travel to Macau mainly because they feel the epidemic in Macau is under control and that pandemic prevention measures are appropriate.

IVS permits resumed for all of China on September 23.