Residents of the city centre have complained of excessively congested streets during the Lunar Year holiday, with one telling TDM he even avoided leaving his house due to the thronging crowds.
The resident, who gave his name as Leong, acknowledged that it was “difficult” balancing the needs of locals with the boon all that extra foot traffic brings to local businesses.
“There are both pros and cons. When the tourists come, it helps drive the economy. But for ordinary residents, they could feel that it’s slightly inconvenient.”
A woman named Lam agreed. “I think if you asked the shops and restaurants nearby, they must be positive about having more tourists,” she said. Residents like herself, meanwhile, suffered from disruptions.
Lok Kuok Hou, from a local neighbourhood association, said he believed the authorities could have done a better job at directing people down alternative routes – to thin out foot traffic in popular streets like the Rua dos Ervanários.
“Don’t forget that if you walk a little bit there is Calçada do Embaixador and Beco dos Faitioes,” he told TDM. “Those two streets can also lead to Arraial na Ervanários and Rua dos Ervanários. But the government did not promote this or direct the visitors to those two streets.”
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A representative from the Macau Leisure Tourism Services Innovation Association said he wanted to see shuttle buses move people out of congested tourism areas more effectively.
He noted that tourists often struggled to hail taxis, and that regular public transport options didn’t necessarily meet their needs.
TDM also spoke with a tourist from the mainland, named Zhang. According to her, the Ruins of St Paul’s were not overly crowded and she congratulated Macao’s police officers on their ability to maintain order.
“It’s already very good,” she said. “In fact, when compared with the mainland, there are only a very few people here.”
Residents also complained about the number of tourists during 2023’s May Day break. They accused tourists of making streets and pavements impassable, especially at mealtimes, when large queues formed outside restaurants catering to travellers on package tours.
