Travellers left after an average of 1.1 days in Macao during the first half of 2025 – a pattern that, if continued, would make the average length of stay this year the lowest in a decade. Is that a bad thing? Not according to researcher Ali Bavik of the University of Tourism Macao, who says it’s possible that the decrease reflects visitors’ growing preference for short but frequent trips, which generates more tourism revenue,
Macao’s volume of visitors has been growing throughout the years, with numbers increasing nearly 24 percent between 2023 and 2024. Among them, however, a building proportion have been same-day visitors, which outpaced growth in the number of overnight visitors with a 35 percent jump compared to the latter’s 12.8 percent rise.
[See more: Visitor arrivals in July are up 14.5 percent]
This uneven development means that the average length of stay for tourists has been continually shrinking: from a peak of 1.6 days in 2021 to 1.1 days between January and June 2025.
According to the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), part of the problem is Macao’s image as a stopover location. “Many tourists may view Macao as a place that can be explored in a day or two, leading them to overlook the potential for a longer and more enriching stay,” they wrote in a statement to Macao News.
Caption: The average length of stay in Macao has decreased in recent years from its peak in 2021. Note: the figure for 2025 only reflects the average for the first half of the year. (Graphic – Macao News/Kayla Chan)
The MGTO says it has been combating this perception using promotional campaigns that highlight the “depth and diversity of experiences” Macao offers, and underscoring its suitability for a more extensive trip.
Types of visitors to Macao
Fluctuations in the number of overnight visitors are seasonal, according to Vikram Reddy, general manager of the Four Seasons Hotel Macao. “Major entertainment and sporting events are primary drivers,” he wrote in a statement to Macao News. Periods with major concerts tend to see higher demand, Reddy wrote, and the hotel anticipates the NBA China Games 2025 this October will similarly be a strong draw.
One reason why length of stay is an important metric is its impact on tourist spending, said Bavik. Travellers who stay for shorter periods of time may only visit major landmarks, whereas those on longer trips are likely to support a wide range of local businesses and industries, he told Macao News. “That means the financial benefit will potentially be distributed to everyone, rather than a small segment.”
But greater diversity in expenditure on longer trips doesn’t mean tourists necessarily spend more. Visitors tend to get more budget-conscious after they’ve visited a few major sites, so longer trips tend to yield diminishing returns for the local economy, Bavik said.
The decrease in average length of stay may be a reflection of shifts in the types of people visiting Macao. “Distance also influences time,” said Bavik: those travelling from farther away are more likely to stay for longer, since it would be more costly for them to revisit the city. He theorised that the increase in short-term visits could be a symptom of rising interest from proximate areas such as Zhuhai.
[See more: Non-gaming visitor spending in Macao rises 4.6 percent in the second quarter]
This falls in line with the official statistics from the MGTO: “Nearby regions [tend] to have shorter stays, while visitors from further areas tend to stay longer,” they wrote. These shorter but more regular trips lead to more tourism revenue, said Bavik.
That said, the MGTO has not let up on its efforts to increase visitors’ length of stay. The bureau says that the integration of technology and travel has made a difference, with special promotions on digital platforms having found success in encouraging visitors to prolong their stay. It also pointed to its “Macao Full of Fun – Smart Trip Planner,” launched last year, as a tool that aims to attract more overnight visitors.
[See more: Macao could be in for a record tourism performance in 2025, says academic]
At the end of the day, a location’s success as a tourist destination depends on more than just the volume of visitors. As far as tourism revenue is concerned, “It’s not just quantity, but also the quality of visitors,” said Bavik.
Also vital is a destination’s ability to keep visitors coming back for more. In that, Macao excels. “That’s why we are having short, short visits – because [visitors] know that they can come again,” Bavik said.
