Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said yesterday that the number of overnight visitors last year outnumbered same-day visitors for the first time in 10 years, a year-on-year increase of nearly 10 per cent.
Senna Fernandes made the remarks during a press conference at Macau Tower about last year’s tourism development and this year’s plans for the sector.
Senna Fernandes said that the total number of overnight visitors last year exceeded 15.7 million, up by 9.8 per cent, accounting for 50.7 per cent of the total number of visitors, which stood at 30.95 million, an increase of 0.5 per cent year-on-year.
Close to 28 million visitors came from the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, up 0.1 per cent year-on-year.
The number of foreign visitors rose 7.9 per cent.
Senna Fernandes said that overnight visitors stayed for an average of 2.1 days.
She also said her office would promote the city using various methods and attract international organisations to hold events and activities in the city.
The MGTO chief said she believed that the number of new hotel rooms will meet the visitors’ demand this year.
Senna Fernandes also said her office would complete the drafting of the Macau Tourism Industry Development Master Plan this year.
(Macau News / The Macau Post Daily)
