Macao’s hospitality sector experienced a significant upturn in the first quarter of 2026, with key metrics pointing to a stabilisation of the market and a strong return of international travellers.
According to data released by the Statistics and Census Service (known by the Portuguese initials DSEC), the average occupancy rate for hotel guest rooms reached 92.3 percent, marking a 2.1 percentage point increase compared to the same period last year.
The 5-star segment performed particularly well, achieving an occupancy rate of 95.4 percent, also rising by 2.1 percentage points year-on-year. Strong increases were also observed in 4-star hotels, which rose by 4 percentage points to 88.7 percent, and 3-star hotels, which increased by 0.9 percentage points to 87.5 percent.
Overall, the number of hotel guests grew by 2.6 percent year-on-year to 3,673,000 in the first three months of 2026. Guests from the Chinese mainland totalled 2,743,000, a modest increase of 0.6 percent, while visitors from Hong Kong grew by 4.3 percent to 390,000.
[See more: Forbes names Macao the world leader in five-star hotels]
The quarter’s performance was significantly boosted by the international market, which saw a 16 percent spike in guests, reaching 338,000. Key growth markets included Thailand, which soared by 61.3 percent to 28,000 guests, and India, which saw a 51 percent increase to 19,000 guests.
Other notable increases included South Korea, up 15.1 percent to 106,000, and Malaysia, up 1.2 percent to 22,000. However, not all international markets saw growth; guests from Japan and Indonesia decreased by 2.9 percent and 18.2 percent respectively.
In a sign of evolving travel preferences, the number of inbound package tour visitors fell significantly, dropping by 14 percent year-on-year to 475,000. This decline was largely due to a 20.4 percent reduction in package tours from the Chinese mainland, which authorities attributed to more mainland travellers opting for individual travel under the Individual Visit Scheme. Conversely, international package tour visitors increased by 16.1 percent, totalling 65,000.
For the month of March alone, the average hotel occupancy rate stood at 90.8 percent, a year-on-year improvement of 1.7 percentage points. Although total guest numbers dipped slightly by 0.6 percent to 1,202,000, the strength of the international market was maintained, with these guests increasing by 22.2 percent.
