jan25
Macau’s tourism boss said in Friday comments that Macau might be able to draw “38 million to 39 million” visitors this year, a level “very close” to the pre-pandemic trading year of 2019, with additional volume of arrivals from neighbouring city Zhuhai – amid mainland exit-visa policy easing – being a key factor.
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes (pictured in a file photo), director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), was speaking on the sidelines of a public event.
She also stated that visitor volume specifically during an eight-day mainland holiday encompassing Chinese New Year was forecast to reach “185,000″ daily on average. Of that tally, around “8,000″, i.e., 4.3 percent, were expected to come from international markets, a segment she noted was seeing “satisfactory” post-pandemic growth.
https://www.ggrasia.com/macau-govt-ups-2025-visitor-forecast-to-almost-2019-levels/
Macau’s visitor tally for October Golden Week beat the pre-pandemic 2019 aggregate by nearly 2.0 percent, according to data released on Tuesday by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
The visitor volume for the seven-day mainland China break that ran this year from October 1 to October 7 inclusive, was 993,117. In 2019, the tally for the seven-day break was 974,337, according to MGTO archived figures.
The daily average for this year’s October holiday break was 141,873, up 22.9 percent from the prior-year period.
The tourism industry has seen a remarkable resurgence, with inbound package tour visitors soaring 68.8% year-on-year in August 2024, reaching 224,000, according to data from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).
This surge was largely driven by a 70.7% increase in visitors from mainland China, who accounted for 211,000 of the total.
International tour visitors also grew, increasing 44.3% to 11,000, with particularly strong growth from the Republic of Korea (up 61.4%) and India (up 337.5%).
Macau welcomed a total of 166,562 tourists on Saturday, according to provisional data disclosed by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) in a press release. This figure marked the highest single-day arrival number for the summer holiday period, which began on July 1.
The latest tally represents a 7.5 percent increase compared to the highest single-day total during the same period in 2019, the last comparable period prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2019, the highest single-day arrival figure for the summer holiday period was recorded at 154,957 on July 27, according to MGTO.
The tourism office added that international tourism to Macau was also “rebounding”, with the number of international visitors during the summer holiday period recovering to 74.9 percent of the levels seen during the same period in 2019.
One of the Hong Kong government’s top tourism advisers – the leisure and entertainment mogul Allan Zeman – says the city is lagging behind Macao when it comes to attractions.
His comments will come as a stark warning to a Hong Kong tourism industry struggling to find its post-pandemic direction, with long-haul markets remaining sluggish and the domestic market shifting from affluent mainland Chinese travellers to penny-pinching day-trippers.
In remarks published by the South China Morning Post over the weekend, Zeman said Macao has things “we don’t have” and praised the Macao government’s efforts to diversify away from gambling as a tourist draw.
“Macao is becoming an exciting city. Every week there’s new names coming, putting on shows, and it’s competition for us,” he said.
Zeman added: “The casinos earn a lot of money, so they can keep bringing out new things and reinventing themselves … Macao has suddenly become a very fun place to go to.” He said concessionaires were also “getting better and better” at staging entertainment.
https://pontofinal-macau.com/2024/04/29/pequim-anuncia-medidas-que-facilitam-excursoes-e-circulacao-de-talentos-e-empresarios-para-macau/
fev24
In 2023, Macao welcomed only 71.6 percent of the visitors recorded in pre-pandemic 2019, but the latest data from the Statistics and Census Service (commonly referred to by its Portuguese initials DSEC) shows that they spent substantially more.
According to the latest DSEC data, the total visitor spending on activities besides gambling reached 71.25 billion patacas in 2023 – an 11.2 percent rise over the corresponding figure in 2019, the last full year before the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
The average per capita spend in 2023 was 2,525 patacas, a surge of more than 55 percent over the 2019 figure. However, year-on-year, this figure marks an almost 21 percent decrease from 2022, when Macao was one of the few destinations to which mainland Chinese could travel freely under the country’s onerous pandemic restrictions. Many came to Macao to splurge as a result, often picking up luxury goods.
https://macaonews.org/news/business/macau-visitor-spending-2023-tourism-macao/
fev24
The first seven days of this year’s Spring Festival Golden Week saw a rise in visitors to Macau of 2.55% to 1,232,569 visitors, 30,657 more than 2019, according to Public Security Police Force (PSP) official figures cited by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
Nevertheless, 2019 had the most visitors in a single day, with 226,326 on the third day of the new year. By contrast, this year was 8,785 short with only 217,541 visitors.
This year’s higher visitor count occurred on the first three days of the Lunar New Year, with entries always significantly higher than in 2019, as the Times reported late last week.
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/2024-cny-arrivals-beat-2019-by-a-whisker-hotel-occupancy-at-95.html
fev24 CNY
The tally of visitor arrivals from all source markets to Macau during the Chinese mainland’s lunar new year festivities passed the 1 million mark by the end of Thursday, the sixth day of China’s eight-day holiday marking the Year of the Dragon.
Thursday’s aggregate was 176,942, pushing the tally for the first six days to nearly 1.08 million. The update was given by Macau’s Public Security Police, the agency responsible for monitoring the region’s immigration checkpoints.
The volume for the first six days this time was 3.7 percent higher than the just under 1.04 million that arrived in the first six days of the same break in the pre-pandemic trading year of 2019, when the holiday lasted seven days and started on February 4, 2019. That is according to historical data from the city’s Statistics and Census Service.
https://www.ggrasia.com/first-6-days-cny-see-4pct-more-macau-visits-vs-2019-comp/
fev24
n the first five days of the Year of the Dragon alone, the city welcomed 898,665 tourists. Wednesday saw another robust visitation with 195,567 arrivals, making it highly likely that the SAR will surpass the estimated 960,000 visitors predicted by tourism authorities for the whole eight-day holiday period.
With three days to go before the end of China’s Spring Festival Golden Week, exceeding the holiday period with more than one million visitors seems effectively within reach. This was expressed by Andy Wu, president of the Travel Industry Council of Macau, who told a Radio Television Hong Kong programme that the robust momentum could eventually result in over 1 million visitors.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/macau-logs-almost-900000-visitors-in-first-five-days-of-cny/
jan24
Total international visitor arrivals to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) are forecast to recover to the pre-pandemic level at close to 130 million by the end of 2024, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) research has concluded.
The research project, titled ‘The Development of an Automated and Self-Adaptive Tourism Demand Forecasting Platform for the Greater Bay Area (GBA-TDFP)’, was carried out by the PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management.
Based on the short-term results derived from the recently developed platform, the research team anticipates a notable resurgence in visitor arrivals to Macau, Hong Kong, and cities within the Greater Bay Area (GBA) of mainland China.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/gba-overseas-visitors-expected-to-recover-to-pre-covid-level-by-2024-study/
jan24
Macau registou o índice de preços turísticos mais elevado de sempre em 2023. Nunca foi tão caro fazer turismo na cidade.
jan24
Macao government officials have announced a target of 33 million visitor arrivals for 2024, TDM reports. That would mean a 17 percent year-on-year increase, and represent 84 percent of 2019’s figure (the last full year before the Covid-19 pandemic decimated tourism).
Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) director, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, said the government was investing in activities targeting mainland Chinese, who make up the vast majority of the SAR’s visitors.
These included events around the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the SAR – and a Macao Week series of promotions across China to be held later in the year.
https://macaonews.org/news/business/macau-2024-tourism-forecast-outlook-target-macao/
jan24
Could Macao soon be welcoming more visitors than Hong Kong?
jan24
Macao’s Tourist Price Index went up by 26 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023, when compared with the same period a year prior, new Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) figures reveal.
Hotel room rates were the surge’s biggest driver, with the accommodation index rising by a whopping 179 percent year-on-year (note that Macao was still imposing strict border restrictions in the fourth quarter of 2022, meaning that demand for rooms was negligible).
Compared with the third quarter of 2023, the accommodation index went up a still significant 20 percent, however – owing to high rates charged during the National Day holiday and the Macau Grand Prix, DSEC stated.
https://macaonews.org/news/business/macau-tourist-price-index-fourth-quarter-2023-macao/
jan24
About 1.46 million foreign passport holders visited Macao last year, making up 5.17 percent of total arrivals, according to Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes. She spoke to media at the airport yesterday, as Air Macau launched its first flight to Kuala Lumpur.
Senna Fernandes described the flow of foreign arrivals as “good,” given the global airline industry had yet to fully bounce back from the three-year Covid-19 pandemic.
While 2023’s total tourism influx managed to recover to 70 percent of the tally in pre-pandemic 2019, last year’s international visitors made up less than half of their 2019 total – which was about three million.
https://macaonews.org/news/city/macau-foreign-tourists-visitors-2023-macao/
jan24
“Sizeable headwinds remain” for recovery of outbound overseas tourism from China “in 2024 and possibly 2025,” says a report from banking group Nomura.
The institution added in its Monday memo that “supply-side constraints” had “eased,” in terms of things such as volume of available flights and their cost, and the availability of exit visas for Chinese.
But the weakness of China’s currency the yuan relative to some other major currencies; the condition of the domestic economy; “stagnated” income growth; and high youth unemployment, meant that the “demand side” drag on Chinese consumers’ appetite for outbound travel, was “now starting to kick in”.
https://www.ggrasia.com/china-travel-unlikely-this-year-to-match-2019-nomura/
jan24
Macao’s airport processed a total of 5.15 million passengers last year, equating to 54 percent of its 2019 volume, according to a statement released by its operator.
Mainland Chinese made up 58 percent of passenger numbers at the airport in 2023, and the Taiwanese made up 15 percent. Southeast Asian nationals made up 27 percent, reflecting Macao’s large Philippine and Indonesian expatriate populations.
This is in contrast to a 70 percent recovery in overall tourism numbers, according to provisional data from the Macao Government Tourism Office. Most visitors arrive by Macao’s land crossings, or by bridge or ferry from neighbouring Hong Kong.
https://macaonews.org/news/business/macau-airport-passenger-volume-2023-macao-2/
jan24
Macau’s tourism industry ended 2023 on a high, setting a new post-pandemic record of 175,030 daily visitors on New Year’s Eve, according to provisional data from the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
The city welcomed about 28.23 million visitors in full-year 2023, a daily average of circa 77,000, said the tourism office in a Monday press release. The figure represented a recovery to about 70 percent compared to 2019, the last trading year before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.
“With the full reopening of the borders in 2023, the number of visitors to Macau maintained an upward trend, with the tourist industry showing good recovery and growth prospects, showcasing the attractiveness of Macau as a global tourism and leisure centre,” stated the MGTO.
he government expects to conclude 2023 with more than 27 million visitor arrivals for the year, according to a local media report.
The projection requires Macao to bring in five million additional visitors across November and December. If the total is reached, it would mean the city has recovered 68.5 percent of the tourism tally for 2019, which came in at 39.4 million.
Macau welcomed 3,221,691 visitor arrivals in August, its highest monthly tally since COVID and 16.7% higher than the 2,759,544 who arrived in July, according to figures from the Statistics and Census Service.
It was also 870% higher than August 2022, which was heavily impacted by the SAR’s strict COVID control measures and saw only 331,397 arrivals.
Macau, apart from taking away the crown from Las Vegas and regaining its position as the world’s number one gambling hub, has also surpassed Hong Kong to become the most popular travel destination among Chinese travelers in 2023.
Macau had on average “over 100,000” visitor arrivals daily in the first half of August, exceeding government expectations, said Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), in remarks to local media on Wednesday.
An increase in the number of tourist arrivals saw total visitor spending in Macao, excluding gaming expenses, rise to 17.48 billion patacas in the second quarter of the year, up from 14.98 billion in the first quarter.
However, per capita spending showed an almost 15 percent decline from 3,027 patacas in the first three months of the year to 2,610 patacas in the second quarter, according to figures released by the Statistics and Census Service.
ercado de turistas de Hong Kong está quase a atingir os níveis pré-pandémicos. De resto, todos os outros, inclusive o interior da China, estão abaixo de 60 por cento do volume registado no primeiro semestre de 2019. Revitalização dos mercados estrangeiros no seu conjunto não chega a 30 por cento e a recuperação dos mercados brasileiro e português é das mais fracas
The consolidated average occupancy rate of most three- to five-star hotels in Macau rose in the first half to only 10.3 percentage points below the equivalent period in 2019, i.e., a period before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The data – released by the Macao Government Tourism Bureau (MGTO) – are based on 44 establishments that are members of the Macau Hotel Association. Most of the city’s five-star hotels are within the city’s casino resorts.
The overall three- to five-star occupancy rate over the first six months this year was 82.0 percent, compared to 92.3 percent in the first half 2019. The average nightly room rate up to June 30 this year was MOP1,247.0 (US$155.04), just shy of 8.0 percent below first-half 2019’s MOP1,354.8.
The Deputy Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) said Friday that the number of visitor arrivals from Hong Kong had recovered to 80% of 2019 levels as the agency prepares to launch more promotional activities in the month ahead.
The impressive recovery in Hong Kong arrivals comes with the total number of arrivals to Macau having reached 70,000 in June, gradually creeping towards the daily average of around 108,000 pre-COVID.
The Macau tourism industry needs to take advantage of the current visa-free policy from Macau to Greater Bay Area (GBA) to boost one-city, multi-destination visitation, according to an aviation expert. Authorities are also aiming to boost regional connectivity, including a luggage throughput scheme with the Hong Kong airport
https://agbrief.com/intelligence/deep-dive/08/06/2023/macau-tourism-industry-needs-to-simplify-visa-free-policy-to-boost-one-city-multi-destination-visitation/?utm_source=Asia+Gaming+Brief&utm_campaign=97c0968215-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_5_19_2022_13_42_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-97c0968215-69255637&ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_5_19_2022_13_42_COPY_01)&goal=0_51950b5d21-97c0968215-69255637&mc_cid=97c0968215&mc_eid=31e20475e6mai23
Setor prepara-se para receber mais excursões agora que Pequim flexibilizou a atribuição de vistos para grupos turísticos. O novo turista de Macau já forçou alterações no planeamento dos roteiros e na gestão dos guias. Por outro lado, membros da indústria falam de uma nova estratégia entre o público e o privado, para garantir mais visitas e maior duração das mesmas
mai23
Embora tenham regressado em força à RAEM após o levantamento das restrições às viagens, os visitantes “apertaram os cordões à bolsa”. No primeiro trimestre, período em que o índice de preços turísticos subiu 18% em termos anuais, a despesa “per capita” dos visitantes caiu 14% para 3.027 patacas, devido sobretudo à quebra de 40% nos gastos médios dos turistas. Segundo dados oficiais, os participantes em convenções e exposições continuaram a ser os mais gastadores, mas desembolsaram menos 47% do que nos três primeiros meses de 2022
https://jtm.com.mo/local/turistas-apertaram-os-cordoes-a-bolsa/
mai23
A União dos Guias Turísticos de Macau revelou que a recepção de excursões durante a Semana Dourada de Maio ficou aquém das expectativas, apesar do aumento global do número de turistas. A culpa foi do elevado preço do alojamento nos hotéis. A Associação de Inovação e Serviços de Turismo de Lazer de Macau destacou a escassez de quartos de hotel.
https://pontofinal-macau.com/2023/05/18/associacoes-do-sector-do-turismo-queixam-se-dos-elevados-precos-dos-hoteis/
mai23
Macao is registering an average of roughly 118,000 daily visitors during the Labour Day Golden Week holiday so far, according to official data.
The Golden Week holiday, from 29 April to 3 May, is the first extended break since the pandemic in mainland China, which does not observe Easter. As such, Labour Day Golden Week is an important bellwether for the recovery of the nation’s tourism industry.
Macao’s daily average comfortably exceeds the government’s estimate of 70,000 visitors a day. More than half of all visitors have been arriving via the Border Gate checkpoint.
https://macaonews.org/business/macau-macao-labour-day-golden-week-arrivals-average/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=2+May+Daily+Read&utm_campaign=20230502_Daily+Newsletter
ab23
Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lei Wai Nong, said Monday that visitor arrivals to Macau reached 98,000 last Saturday 15 April, the highest single day visitor tally this year.
Since Macau’s international borders reopened on 8 January the number of visitors has been rising, reaching 96,000 on 18 March, but Lei said a new three-year high had been reached over the past weekend.
“January signaled an important change in that it has given us new opportunities, whereas in the past [the borders were] open and then closed, closed and then open again,” he said.
“Now the number of visitors last Saturday reached 98,000, the highest of the year. The number of visitors [so far this year] has recovered to 58% of 2019 levels.”
Lei noted that a major source of recovery was Hong Kong visitation, aided by the government’s efforts to market to Hong Kong since 8 January.
A total of 39.4 million visitors came to Macau in 2019, of which 7.4 million were from Hong Kong. The average daily visitor tally in 2019 was about 108,000.
“The benefit of Hong Kong visitors coming to Macau is that more Macau small and medium-sized enterprises can benefit from it,” Lei explained.
“Visitors to Macau are also now younger, with a concentration of visitors aged 18 to 35. Rua do Cunha (a famous tourist area in Taipa) is more lively than in 2019, and many people like to visit there.
https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2023/04/17/macau-visitor-arrivals-reached-98000-on-saturday-highest-since-early-2020/
abr23~
Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, chairman and chief executive of casino operator Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd, has told GGRAsia he is “pleased with the speed of the recovery” in the Macau tourism market. Most travel restrictions covering movement between mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong were eased in early January, and for overseas arrivals after that.
Mr Ho stated, referring to inbound travel permissions from the Chinese mainland and elsewhere: “We’ve been saying it for a long time: Macau is a tourism centre and you need visitors for traffic, so now we’re seeing uninterrupted visas and stuff like that. So we’re pleased.”
https://www.ggrasia.com/melco-pleased-with-macau-recovery-speed-lawrence-ho/
mar23
Macau tourism authorities have set a goal of 50,000 daily visitor arrivals on average for this year, after taking into consideration figures compiled recently.
The target was revealed today at an event held by Sands China and the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies – where a memorandum of understanding was signed to promote the cultivation of homegrown MICE talent by creating internships, training sessions and seminars for the latter’s undergraduates.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/tourism-authorities-aim-for-50000-tourists-daily-for-2023/
mar23
Beijing has issued 12.67 million certificates for travel to and from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, up 837.7%, albeit from a low base, and 122,000 visas and residence permits for foreigners, up 33.1%.
The dramatic increase came after China lifted its Covid restrictions on Jan. 8, allowing its residents to move freely.
National Immigration Administration data shows that as of Tuesday, immigration authorities inspected about 39.72 million people entering or exiting the Chinese mainland, up 112.4% year-on-year, and about 2.5 million times checked inbound and outbound vehicles, boats, planes and trains, up 59.3% year-on-year.
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/beijing-issues-over-12-6m-travel-certificates-for-sars-taiwan-since-jan-8.html
fev23
Quatro anos após ter cedido a liderança mundial a Londres, Macau voltou ao topo do “ranking” das cidades com mais hotéis de cinco estrelas atribuídas pela revista Forbes, graças ao Grand Lisboa Palace, Galaxy e Londoner. Na edição de 2023 do seu Guia de Viagens, a publicação norte-americana atribuiu a pontuação máxima a 22 hotéis, 25 restaurantes e 16 spas de Macau. Segundo a lista, Macau possui quase um terço dos melhores restaurantes do mundo
https://jtm.com.mo/local/macau-destrona-londres-ranking-hoteleiro-da-forbes/
fev23
The market-consensus ‘negative’ rating outlook on credit instruments currently applicable to Macau gaming firms could be lifted this year, against the backdrop of the Macau casino market recovery seen since January, says Bloomberg Intelligence.
There might be debt market tapping from the second quarter for some Macau-linked names, the organisation stated.
“The better-than-expected Lunar New Year visit numbers might lead to positive earnings revisions, which could lead to faster-than-expected restoration of credit metrics,” said Cecilia Chan, credit analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, in a Monday podcast.
“We now expect the leverage of most gaming issuers could fall to below their respective downgrade thresholds, from the end of 2023, which means there is a chance that the ‘negative’ rating outlook would be lifted,” she added.
https://www.ggrasia.com/outlook-on-macau-gaming-issuers-brighter-bloomberg/
fev23
Macau January tourist numbers total 1.4mln, scholar conservative on yearly figureBut such a high figure has not been sustained since, with Jose Wong, associate professor at the Macau University of Science and Technology’s Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management, noting that “even if the daily number of visitors is over 40,000, the total visitors will not exceed 20 million, which means it will not even reach half of the pre-pandemic levels”.
In 2019, visitor arrivals to the city peaked at 39.4 million – a figure that even experts had previously believed would place an overly-large strain on the city’s infrastructure. However, the figure is now again a target for the government, whose aim is to focus on getting visitors in the door again after COVID decimated tourism revenues.
https://agbrief.com/news/macau/21/02/2023/macau-january-tourist-numbers-top-1-4mln-scholar-conservative-on-yearly-figure/?utm_source=Asia%20Gaming%20Brief&utm_campaign=c588b625c8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_5_19_2022_13_42_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-c588b625c8-69255637&ct=t%28EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_5_19_2022_13_42_COPY_01%29&goal=0_51950b5d21-c588b625c8-69255637&mc_cid=c588b625c8&mc_eid=31e20475e6
fev23
The Macau government has budgeted circa MOP600 million (US$74.2 million) this year to stimulate inbound tourism, including via consumer roadshows on the Chinese mainland and overseas, and subsidised promotions such as a ‘buy-one-get-one free’ offer on certain air tickets to the city.
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), mentioned the steps in comments to local media.
https://www.ggrasia.com/macau-has-us74mln-for-2023-travel-promos-tourism-boss/
fev23
A oferta de 120 mil bilhetes de avião a turistas do Continente chinês, de Taiwan e de países estrangeiros, é um dos temas de interpelação de Che Sai Wang. O deputado quer saber qual a percentagem para os visitantes de fora da China e de que forma serão emitidos. Além disso, aborda a questão do restante subsídio de 4 mil milhões de patacas que não foi gasto na segunda ronda do plano de apoio
https://jtm.com.mo/local/che-sai-wang-pede-explicacoes-sobre-oferta-de-bilhetes-de-aviao/
fev23
O perfil dos turistas que visitam Macau está a mudar, de acordo com a Direcção dos Serviços de Turismo, que revelou que cerca de 85% dos visitantes de Macau são jovens e gastam dinheiro em compras e gastronomia. Com menos de 5% dos turistas que vêm ao território exclusivamente para apostar nos casinos, as autoridades consideram que a imagem de Macau relativamente ao turismo registou uma transformação, estando a deixar de ser tanto uma cidade de jogo.
https://pontofinal-macau.com/2023/02/09/dst-diz-que-a-imagem-do-turismo-de-macau-mudou-com-menos-turistas-jogadores/
fev23
Macau’s tourism authority aims to subsidise package tour travellers drawn either from overseas, or Hong Kong or Taiwan, at a rate of MOP350 (about US$43) per head if they stay one night, or MOP500 (about US$62) per head, if they stay two consecutive nights, said on Monday an official.
Cheng Wai Tong, deputy director at the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), made the remarks to local media, adding that the proposal still had to be approved.
The Macau government already has a similar subsidy scheme for package tour travellers from mainland China. The scheme offers up to MOP250 per night per tourist from mainland China, for tour groups that comprise at least 10 people.
https://www.ggrasia.com/macau-mulls-subsidy-of-up-to-us62-per-overseas-visitor/~
fev23
Macao will offer 120,000 free flight tickets in 2023 to visitors from the Chinese mainland, China's Taiwan region and overseas, its tourism chief said at a news briefing on Friday.
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-02-03/Macao-to-offer-120-000-free-flight-tickets-in-2023-to-woo-tourists-1h81M6Ift6g/index.html
Subsidies of up to MOP 400 on offer for overnight visitors in massive tourism drive
fev23
A República Popular da China anunciou, na passada sexta-feira, o fim de todas as restrições relacionadas com a pandemia de Covid-19 nas deslocações para as regiões administrativas especiais de Hong Kong e Macau, dando luz verde para o reinício das excursões organizadas para os dois territórios, a partir de hoje.
De acordo com o Gabinete para os Assuntos de Hong Kong e Macau do Conselho de Estado, Pequim, em comunicado, confirmou o cancelamento da necessidade de registo e das quotas para atravessar as fronteiras que ligam as duas regiões à China continental.
https://pontofinal-macau.com/2023/02/06/china-da-luz-verde-para-excursoes-organizadas-com-destino-a-macau-e-hong-kong/
fev23
Macau’s casinos recorded gross gaming revenue of MOP$11.58 billion (US$1.43 billion) in January, the highest monthly GGR figure since January 2020.
According to information from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), the January total was 82.5% higher than January 2021 and 233% higher than December, when GGR reached just MOP$3.48 billion (US$431 million). Gaming revenues had plummeted to as low as MOP$398 million (US$49 million) in July, at the height of Macau’s first major COVID-19 outbreak.
https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2023/02/01/macau-ggr-climbs-to-mop11-58-billion-in-january-highest-in-three-years/
jan23
Segundo dados oficiais que remontam a 1997, o pior ano para os hotéis do território foi 2020, no início da pandemia de covid-19, com uma taxa de ocupação de 28,6%, devido à proibição que durante vários meses a China impôs às viagens para Macau.
A cidade registou em 2022 5,11 milhões de hóspedes, ou seja, menos 22,8% em termos anuais, nos cerca de 37 mil quartos disponíveis nos 123 hotéis, indicou, em comunicado, a Direção dos Serviços de Estatística e Censos (DSEC).
https://www.sapo.pt/noticias/economia/hoteis-de-macau-fecham-2022-com-segunda-pior-_63d7b9430d9e0976d0779231
jan23
Macau had nearly half a million visitor arrivals in the seven days that mainland China counts as the Chinese New Year holiday, according to provisional data from the city’s Public Security Police, issued on Saturday by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
The 451,047 tally was up 297.0 percent on the previous lunar new year, which fell in early February 2022.
In pre-pandemic times, the Chinese New Year festival has been a period of high demand for Macau’s casino and tourism industries. In 2019 Macau had seen over 1.2 million visitor arrivals for that seven-day holiday period, the highest tally since record-keeping began, according to official data.
https://www.ggrasia.com/almost-half-million-visitors-to-macau-for-7-days-of-cny-hols/
26/1/23
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng has hailed the massive influx of tourists over Chinese New Year (CNY) as the light at the end of the tunnel after the three years when the Covid-19 pandemic shrank visitor numbers to almost zero.
While touring the city during the new year holiday he said that “Macao had begun to emerge from the fog of the pandemic”, and that thanks to the relaxation of border measures, residents can look forward to economic recovery and social normality.
Between the eve of CNY and the third day of the holiday, Macao welcomed a grand total of 244,664 visitors, with an average daily rate of 61,166, marking an increase of 276.9 per cent compared to the CNY golden week in 2022.
https://macaonews.org/tourism/almost-quarter-million-visitors-flood-macao-at-chinese-new-year/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=26+January+Daily+Read+%F0%9F%97%9E%EF%B8%8F&utm_campaign=20220126_Daily+Newsletter
jan23
The third day of the Chinese New Year holiday period has breached another record in daily visitor arrivals since the early 2020 pandemic outbreak, with more than 90,400 visitors entering the SAR.
A total of 90,416 tourist arrivals were reported yesterday (Tuesday), about 20,000 more than the amount reported the previous day.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/third-cny-day-breaches-90000-daily-visitation-mark/
jan23
The Macau SAR will be the second city worldwide – only after Hong Kong – with the most significant international travel spending by 2032, a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) indicates.
The report – sponsored by Visa and researched in partnership with Oxford Economics- analyzed key indicators such as Travel & Tourism’s contribution to GDP, employment, and traveler spending.
https://www.macaubusiness.com/macau-to-rank-second-worldwide-in-tourism-spending-by-2032-report/
jan23
Macau’s six gaming concessionaires are already printing a profit again following the recent dumping of border restrictions, with mass gaming revenue now back to 50% of pre-COVID levels according to investment bank JP Morgan.
In his weekly GGR update, JP Morgan analyst DS Kim said gaming revenues for the first 15 days of January were estimated at MOP$4.3 billion (US$535 million) or between MOP$285 million and MOP$290 million (US$35 million to US$36 million) per day – suggesting GGR over the past seven days had improved to MOP$310 million (US$38.5 million) per day as visitation increases.
“What does this print tell us? Stripping out largely lifeless VIP segments, the print implies mass/slot GGR run-rate has recovered to over 50% of pre-Covid levels, hitting well over EBITDA break-even levels (mid-30%s recovery in mass) and reaching an important milestone of FCF (free cash flow) breakdown (mid- 50%s of recovery in mass) for the industry,” Kim said
https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2023/01/17/macau-operators-already-profitable-again-says-jp-morgan/
jan23
Most of the luxury Macau hotels located at casino resorts in the city’s Cotai district were by Wednesday already fully booked for the upcoming Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday period, according to checks by GGRAsia.
China’s State Council has designated the holiday period for mainland residents as January 21, a Saturday; to January 27, a Friday, inclusive. The festive break in Hong Kong – another important source market for Macau’s tourists – is designated as running from January 23 to January 25.
Chinese New Year is the first major holiday season for the Macau hospitality sector since the local authorities cancelled Covid-19 related travel controls, including the dropping of all testing requirements for inbound travellers from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
https://www.ggrasia.com/most-macau-cotai-hotels-sold-out-for-7-day-cny-holiday/
The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) said Thursday (12/1) that the reservation rate of Macau’s hotels for the Chinese New Year holiday period currently stands between just 30% and 50%, although that figure is expected to rise over the next two weeks according to Acting Director Cheng Wai Tong.
“There is still some time before the Chinese New Year holidays and the booking rate is expected to increase,” Cheng said.
He also noted that the hotel occupancy rate was around 63% in 2022, compared with 93% in 2019. Visitation is also expected to increase during the holidays following the recent easing of border restrictions with mainland China and Hong Kong.
https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2023/01/12/mgto-says-macau-hotel-bookings-for-chinese-new-year-still-between-30-and-50/
jan23
Macau Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said Thursday that the government will maintain its 2023 gross gaming revenue forecast of MOP$130 billion (US$16 billion).
“This year’s budget states that gross gaming revenue is MOP$130 billion, and the average monthly gross gaming revenue need to be more than MOP$10 billion,” Ho said. “The government will not revise this forecast for the time being and hopes that all sectors of the community will work hard to achieve this figure.”
He also noted that Macau’s economy is starting to show signs of recovery and it is important to wait and see the prevailing economic situation.
The government initially estimated GGR for 2023 at MOP$130 billion when announcing its budget in November. This forecast was exactly the same as in each of the past two years, although the real GGR figure fell well short in both 2021 and 2022.
In 2021, GGR reached MOP$86.9 billion (US$10.8 billion) before falling to just MOP$42.2 billion (US$5.2 billion) in 2022. In 2020, the first year of the pandemic in Macau, GGR was MOP$60.5 billion (US$7.5 billion).
However, since 8 January 2023, visitors to Macau from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan no longer have to be tested for COVID-19 while foreign visitors are exempt from quarantine.
Investment bank JP Morgan said in a recent note that GGR for the first eight days of January had reached MOP$2.1 billion (US$261 million) – around 30% of 2019 levels and a significant improvement on GGR levels in 4Q22.
https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2023/01/12/chief-executive-maintains-macau-ggr-forecast-of-mop130-billion-for-2023/
jan23
As autoridades de Macau disseram hoje esperar um máximo de 50 mil visitantes diários no Ano Novo Lunar, menos 70% do que antes da pandemia, devido à situação ainda irregular dos transportes marítimos e aéreos.
https://www.sapo.pt/noticias/economia/falta-de-transportes-limita-numero-de_63bfa72b2585c276be5aa629
jan23
Beijing says that nations are “taking discriminatory entry restriction measures targeting China” and that the nation would “take reciprocal measures” as the nation continues to be swept by a wave of infections after it reclassified COVID-19 as a less infectious disease and opened up to foreign countries.
jan23
Macau’s casino operators generated gross gaming revenues of MOP$2.1 billion (US$261 million) for the first eight days of January, representing recovery to 30% of 2019 levels and the highest weekly total since February 2022, according to investment bank JP Morgan.
Resuming its weekly GGR channel checks following the reopening of borders between Macau, mainland China and Hong Kong on Sunday, JP Morgan analyst DS Kim noted that the estimated GGR figure of MOP$260 million (US$32.3 million) per day for 1 to 8 January was more than double the MOP$120 million (US$14.9 million) average for both 4Q22 and FY22. It was also “very encouraging” given it included only one day of full border reopening on 8 January.
“The print implies a mass GGR recovery of 45% to 50% of pre-COVID-19, if we assume that VIP accounted for 10% to 15% of this MOP$260 million print,” he wrote, adding that the signs were increasingly good ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday period.
https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2023/01/10/macau-ggr-reaches-us261-million-for-first-eight-days-of-january-highest-in-almost-a-year/
jan23
The long-awaited reopening of borders between Macau and Hong Kong saw 5,630 people from Hong Kong visit the SAR on Sunday [8/1/23], representing a near 300% increase over the same day in 2022.
The Hong Kong visitation figure, which came on the same day that remaining border restrictions within the Chinese territories were officially removed, contributed to the total of 39,606 people visiting Macau on Sunday – a 153.5% increase on Macau’s average daily visitor arrivals in 2022. Of these visitors, 32,860 were from the mainland, up 134.9% over the same period last year.
https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2023/01/09/macau-welcomes-more-than-5600-visitors-from-hong-kong-on-first-day-of-border-reopening/
Macau already returning to pre-Covid tourism levels'
2023-01-10 HKT 08:53
A former Macau legislator, Agnes Lam, says inbound tourism to the SAR is returning to pre-pandemic levels after the SAR dropped all travel restrictions on Sunday. [8/1/23]
Lam, who is an associate professor at the University of Macau, told an RTHK programme that people are happy they no longer have to use a health code or report Covid cases.
"On Sunday, 70,000 tourists came to Macau," she said. "A week before, as some restrictions were eased, there were 20,000 per day, so this is already the maximum number of visitors in the past three years. People here are happier and feel more confident about the state of the economy now that the restrictions have been lifted."
Lam said most ferry services would take a couple more weeks to reach full capacity as operators had to re-hire and train staff.
She added: "From January 8, we don't really have any restrictions now. There's no restrictions about reporting any Covid results. If you are sick, and test positive, you can rest at home. If a person feels OK, they can work, as long as they are not working in public services."
