Macao ended 2021 on a hopeful economic note, recording a full year’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) of MOP 86.86 billion (US$10.82 billion) in 2021, up 43.7 per cent on 2020 but down 70.3 per cent compared with 2019, according to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.
December performed especially well, with GGR reaching MOP 7.96 billion (US$991.4 million) – up 1.8 per cent year-on-year and 18 per cent ahead of November.
The better-than-expected figures were largely due to higher visitor numbers, which increased after border restrictions between Macao and Zhuhai were eased on 19 October.
Authorities last week reported more than 95,000 arrivals over the Christmas period, including 40,284 on 24 December – the third highest daily visitor tally of the year. It was also the first time since Golden Week in May that visitor arrivals had exceeded 40,000.
