Image Source GGR ASIA

MGTO revises daily visitor arrival forecast for October Golden Week

September 18, 2023 Macau Industry Updates

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has revised its daily visitor arrival forecast for the upcoming October Golden Week, increasing it by more than 10 percent to “over 100,000” daily arrivals.

The October Golden Week is designated by China’s State Council from September 29 to October 6, coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival on September 29 and China’s National Day on October 1. During discussions with local media at a recent event, MGTO Deputy Director Ricky Hoi Io Meng announced the updated forecast.

Initially, on September 10, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes predicted an average daily influx of “80,000 to 90,000” tourists during Golden Week in October.

Ricky Hoi disclosed that the recent average daily number of visitors to Macau was approximately “70,000,” as a result of inclement weather. However, he emphasized that Macau had already received “over 100,000” visitors by September 9.

Typhoon Saola prompted Macau’s meteorological bureau to issue a Signal No. 10 warning, the highest classification for tropical cyclones, at the beginning of September. As a result, the city’s gaming venues were closed for approximately nine hours as a precaution, and transportation to and from Macau was disrupted.

Subsequently, on September 7 and 8, southern China experienced a record-breaking deluge, which resulted in inundation in several regions, including Hong Kong and several cities in Guangdong province, including Shenzhen, Dongguan, Guangzhou, and Zhuhai, which is adjacent to Macau.

According to disclosures made by Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Macau received “more than 100,000” daily visitors in August. In the October Golden Week of 2019, the last before the COVID-19 pandemic, the daily average exceeded 140,000 visitor arrivals, with 81.1% originating from mainland China, as reported by official data. The optimistic forecast for this year’s Golden Week bodes well for the tourism industry in Macau and its incremental recovery.

Original story by: GGRAsia