The director of Macao Government Tourism (MGTO) opened the Asian IR summit at the Galaxy International Convention Centre yesterday afternoon, praising the recovery in tourist arrivals even as per-capita sending was down last year.
Speaking at a presentation entitled “Macao: Navigating the Future as Asia’s Premier Entertainment and Tourism Destination,” Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes voiced optimism as visitor and overnight stays continue to inch closer to their pre-pandemic figures.
She said that the first three months of 2025, Macao welcomed 10 million tourists, nearly matching levels reached in 2019 for the same period, adding that the 4 million overnight visitors accounted for 85 percent of the pre-pandemic number.
Among those staying overnight in hotels, the figure already exceeds what was achieved in 2019, due in part to the 6,000 additional rooms that have been added to the market, Fernandes explained, noting that the offering is well anchored among three-, four-, and five-star accommodations, with a hope to expand more budget options in the future.
The broad-based recovery is largely fuelled by the near-complete return of visitors from mainland China and Hong Kong, along with an unexpected surge in visitors from the Philippines and Indonesia, both of which have surpassed 2019 levels. Korean tourists, which represent Macao’s fourth largest demographic by arrivals in 2025, are still just 66 percent of its 2019 level, she said.
Macao as a global centre for tourism
With the recovery in tourism stabilising, Fernandes stated that her department is actively collaborating with other government entities to align with the government’s “1+4” development strategy for economic diversification – a rubric that refers to the development of four new industries (life sciences, event production, technology and financial technology) around the one central pillar of tourism.
In the coming year, Macao also plans to host a variety of large-scale cultural expos, showcasing intangible cultural heritage and events focused on culture, sports, and tourism to celebrate its recent recognition as a Culture City of East Asia 2025, which was won alongside Huzhou in Zhejiang province, Kamakura in Japan, and Anseong in South Korea
A gastronomy festival is set for late July, building on last year’s success, which featured over 100 food stalls and 60 chef-led stage sessions, and coincided with a forum discussing the integrated development of gastronomy and wellness.
As part of Culture City of East Asia 2025, Macao will also leverage its unique blend of Chinese and Western influences to strengthen its position as a global centre for tourism and leisure, reinforcing Macao’s golden calling card as an international metropolis, Fernandes said.
The MGTO director spoke at the Asian IR Summit which is currently taking place alongside the Global Gaming Expo Asia (G2E). The joint events are expected to attract over 10,000 visitors from over 80 countries and regions after 8,000 attendees participated last year. The Asian IR summit will run until Thursday while G2E concludes Friday.
