Macau anticipates 120,000 daily visitors during CNY holiday

When the eight-day Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday starts on February 10, Macau’s tourism authorities anticipate 120,000 tourists every day on average.

Compared to the 80,000 daily visits registered on weekdays in January, this projection indicates a significant rise. Macau receives 114,000 tourists per day, including during non-holiday seasons like Christmas in December, according to Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).

A total of 33 million tourists are expected to visit the city in 2024, an increase of 17% over 2023 and an 84% recovery from 2019 levels.

Although Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland have traditionally provided most of Macau’s tourism, efforts are being made to diversify the industry by drawing visitors from other regions. Plans were unveiled by Senna Fernandes with an eye on Northeast and Southeast Asia, which included roadshows in Thailand and Malaysia in the coming months. Additionally, the MGTO is considering strategies to draw travelers and airport users to Hong Kong.

Macau’s tourism outlook is still bright despite the COVID-19 outbreak’s concerns; hotel bookings show a strong recovery. Stockbroker CLSA Ltd. reports that hotel bookings for the Chinese New Year weekend are on the rise, with average prices climbing by 27% annually. Demand from tourists is increasing, as shown by the fact that ten of the thirty-three hotels under observation are fully booked for the holiday weekend.

Original story by: GGRAsia