Visitor numbers hit 3.02 million in July, according to preliminary data from Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) – up 9.4 percent when compared with the year prior.
The figure was an 18 percent improvement on June’s figures (June is typically a slow month) and in line with the government’s forecast, MGTO’s deputy head Cheng Wai Tong told local media. July’s total represented a recovery of 86 percent when compared with the same month in 2019, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
July’s average hotel occupancy rate stood at around 90 percent, slightly higher than the average recorded across the first half of 2024.
[See more: Finalised data confirm exponential growth in visitor arrivals in the first six months]
Cheng said he expected high numbers for August as the month tended to be the busiest part of summer. Last August, Macao welcomed 3.2 million visitors.
He noted that visitor numbers were currently on track to hit the government’s target for the year of 33 million, meaning MGTO could switch its focus to improving the quality of tourism services on offer in the SAR.
Cheng also said that about 20 mainland tour groups were taking advantage of the new Hengqin-Macao multi-entry visa scheme each day, and overnighting in more affordable Hengqin during trips to Macao.
He said he expected more visitors to start arriving from the mainland cities of Xi’an, Taiyuan and Harbin due to promotional events MGTO would be staging in them this month. The cities recently joined the Facilitated Individual Travel Scheme, which allows independent travellers from the mainland to spend up to seven days in the SARs every three months.
