Tourism in Macau: 25.9m visitors in first nine months of the year

Visitor arrivals increased by 30.1 per cent in year-on-year terms.

Macau.- The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) has reported that Macau received 25,920,914 visitors in the first nine months of the year. That’s an increase of 30.1 per cent when compared to last year and represents 85.8 per cent of the 2019 level.

Same-day visitors (13.83 million) rose by 42.8 per cent year-on-year and overnight visitors (12.05 million) by 18.1. The average length of stay shortened by 0.1 days in year-on-year terms to 1.2 days, with that of overnight visitors remaining unchanged at 2.3 days.

Mainland Chinese tourists accounted for the majority of arrivals at 18,217,413. That’s a rise of 36.3 per cent year-on-year but only 84.9 per cent of 2019 levels. The number travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS; 9,257,455) grew by 20.4 per cent year-on-year.

Visitors from Hong Kong reached 5,402,071, up 0.8 per cent year-on-year to 97.2 per cent of 2019 levels, while the number of tourists from Taiwan (623,880) reached 76.5 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels and was up 81.9 per cent compared to last year. International travellers totalled 1,677,550, up 95.1 per cent year-on-year to 70.7 per cent of 2019’s levels.

In terms of Southeast Asian markets, there was a 75.6 per cent increase in visitors from the Philippines (345,537), a 33.6 per cent increase from Indonesia (127,861), a 70.6 per cent increase from Thailand (95,108), and a 61.6 per cent increase from Singapore (74,156) in year-on-year terms. Visitors from Malaysia rose 136.4 per cent to 117,739.

In the South Asian markets, the number of visitors from India rose by 133.6 per cent to 77,071. From Northeast Asian markets, visitors from the Republic of Korea (341,497) and Japan (93,001) increased by 207 per cent and 102.6 per cent respectively. From long-haul markets, visitors from the USA (103,379) were up 83.2 per cent.

In September, Macau received 2,528,011 visitors. The figure was up by 9.9 per cent compared to the same month last year. Visitor arrivals reached 91.4 per cent of those in the same month of 2019, before Covid-19. International visitor arrivals reached 173,614, 92.7 per cent of 2019 levels.

Same-day visitors (1,308,147) and overnight visitors (1,219,864) grew by 15.6 per cent and 4.3 per cent year-on-year respectively. Meanwhile, the average length of stay shortened by 0.1 day year-on-year to 1.3 days.

Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, the director of Macau’s Government Tourism Office (MGTO), has said she is confident Macau will reach 34 million visits this year, 6 million more than in 2023.

MGTO to investigate claims of casino entry fee for tourists

Fernandes has announced the launch of an investigation into claims on Chinese social media that casinos were charging an entry fee for tourists. Macau Business claims to have seen a post on Xiaohongshu that said the Venician Macao was charging MOP200 (US$25) to enter.

Fernandes appeared to suggest that travel agencies may have been spreading misinformation and warned that the MGTO may issue fines or even withdraw licences if that’s the case. She said penalties would be also imposed if unauthorised tour guides were found to be involved. She urged travellers to avoid low-budget tours.

A Legislative Assembly committee is examining proposed legislation against “zero-cost” tours, which often rely on tourists making purchases to generate commissions. Operators could face fines ranging from MOP50,000 (US$6,218) to MOP70,000 under the proposed law.