Macau welcomes nearly 1.36 million visitors in eighth day of CNY break

According to the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) on Sunday, Macau had almost 1.36 million visitors during the course of the eight-day Chinese New Year festivities, with an amazing average hotel occupancy rate of 95.2%.

The number of visitors over the holiday season exceeded estimates, which delighted the tourism office. The actual figures surpassed the MGTO’s projection of around 120,000 daily visitors throughout the break, suggesting a solid trend in the city’s tourist revival.

Over the course of the Chinese New Year, the average daily number of visitor arrivals was 169,725, almost matching the pre-pandemic daily total of 171,702 visitors that was recorded in 2019. In the seven days of the 2019 Chinese New Year holiday, Macau welcomed around 1.21 million visitors.

From February 10 to February 17, this year’s eight-day vacation saw a record number of tourists, particularly on February 12, the third day of Chinese New Year, when almost 218,000 people came in Macau—the highest amount for a single day since 2019.

Over 76.2 percent of all visitor arrivals over the eight-day period came from mainland China, which made a significant contribution. The average daily arrival rate from mainland China has returned to 2019 levels, as reported by MGTO, signifying a 101.3 percent recovery rate.

In addition, the average daily visitor numbers from Hong Kong and overseas sites rose from 2019 levels to 97.8 percent (32,000) and 78.5 percent (6,600), respectively.

The average room price in Macau’s hotel companies increased by 23.4 percent, or around MOP1,922 (US$240), over the Chinese New Year vacation compared to the previous year. On February 13, the fourth day of the Chinese New Year, the average occupancy rate rose to 97.9 percent, an increase of around 10 percentage points over the previous year.

Original story by: GGRAsia