The total number of guests from Macao’s biggest markets, mainland China and Hong Kong, also posted sharp increases.
Business
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, the head of the Macao Government Tourism Office, says average daily visitor totals are now at about 50 percent of their pre-pandemic levels.
The gaming, hospitality and restaurant trades saw the biggest increases in employment, according to the DSEC.
A-listers and top officials walked the red carpet at last night’s swanky festivities, commemorating the rebrand of Sands China’s latest integrated resort.
Billy Chan, who heads the Centre for Education in Medical Simulation at Macau University of Science and Technology, takes the top slot on AustCham’s board.
The relaxation of pandemic border controls and the resumption of tourism lie behind the strong performance, the Statistics and Census Service says.
The return of tourists comes as a huge relief for Macao’s retail sector, which posted big sales increases in the first quarter of this year.
After comparing first-quarter results from all six concessionaires, a top consultant hails MGM for pulling off particularly impressive jumps in gaming revenue and earnings.
Chairman Lui Che Woo says ‘solid pent-up customer demand following the relaxation of travel restrictions’ has paid off for the gaming operator.