The territory’s hotels can expect a maytime boom, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley, who says that occupancy rates during the so-called May Day Golden Week – a customary seven-day holiday in mainland China – will exceed those recorded during the Lunar New Year.
However, their report, cited in local media, warned that ongoing labour shortages would mean that hotels would be unable to match pre-Covid occupancy levels.
The report said that “17 out of 25 hotels surveyed have three or more days (out of 10 surveyed days) fully booked,” but “the occupancy level should remain below the 2019 May Golden Week as some rooms are still being made unavailable amidst a labour shortage.”
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Andy Wu, the head of the Macau Travel Industry Council, told gaming trade media the city looked set for its busiest week since the lifting of pandemic restrictions, with “More than half of the hotels, especially those owned by the six [gaming] concessionaires” reporting that they were full.
Macao’s busiest single day so far this year has been 15 April, when 98,000 visitors were welcomed in the territory.
The rapid spikes in demand have led to steep increases in hotel room rates, with many visitors complaining about the cost of accommodation and authorities promising to take steps to curb “abnormal prices”.
