Tour groups from Guangdong are expected to start visiting Macao again in the near future, bringing a much-needed boost to the city’s finances.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng said that if operations run smoothly, Macao would request Beijing to allow tour groups from Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai as well.
Ho was speaking during a Q&A session at the Legislative Assembly a day after he delivered his 2023 Policy Address, in which he had described Macao’s gaming industry as ‘healthy’ and said that economic recovery would be the top priority in 2023.
Ho said that he expects the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Beijing to formally announce “in a few days” that the organisation of tour groups from Guangdong will start first.
However, he noted that Guangdong’s provincial capital, Guangzhou, has been hit by Covid-19 local transmissions since last month, as have Foshan and Shenzhen.
Due to the predicament, Ho said, for the time being Macao can choose to first organise tour groups from other cities in Guangdong that are currently not affected by Covid-19.
Ho also said that since mainland Chinese electronic travel permit applications to visit Macao resumed early this month, flights from mainland China to Macao have been quite full.
Separately, Ho said that a possible 3+3 Covid-19 arrangement for arrivals from countries and regions other than mainland China would be unlikely to attract foreign visitors to Macao.
Ho was replying to a question from veteran directly-elected lawmaker José Maria Pereira Coutinho, who suggested that the Macao government implement a 3+3 measure, which would be a relaxation from the current 5+3 arrangement, which requires arrivals to undergo five days of hotel quarantine plus three days of home isolation.
Ho noted that the Hong Kong government’s current 0+3 arrangement for arrivals had not increased the number of tourists, pointing out that certain segments of Hong Kong’s civil society are calling for a 0+0. Hong Kong’s current 0+3 measure merely requires arrivals to practise three days of health monitoring without having to undergo hotel quarantine.
Ho reaffirmed that Macao will continue to stick to its zero-Covid-19 policy, The Macau Post Daily reported.
