Macau tourist arrivals exceeded 29 million last year, a year-on-year increase of 4 per cent, according to a report presented by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO). Visitors from Greater China, a top tourist market for the SAR, surpassed 26 million with a rise of 5 per cent. Over 18 million came from Mainland China, 44 per cent of which came from Guangdong Province.
The number of international visitors – who tend to stay longer – dropped by 3 per cent, but the number of overnight stays and hotel overnight guests both increased by 5 and 12 per cent respectively. Hotel overnight guests from India, Mainland China and South Korea grew by 31, 18 and 17 per cent respectively. The average length of stay of all overnight visitors throughout last year remained the same as 2012, at 1.9 days.
There are over 102 hotels in Macau supplying 28,800 rooms in total, of which 1,500 rooms are budget accommodation. Three new hotels are currently under planning review, including a property from Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
Over 8.9 million visitors came to Macau on tour groups. The number of tour groups from Thailand, Australia and Mainland China surged the most by 24, 21 and 15 per cent respectively.
Total visitor expenditure from last January to September reached US$37.3 billion, a period-on-period growth of 10.7 per cent.
During the annual press conference, held yesterday at Macau Tower and Convention Center, MGTO director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes flagged Russia as top international market focus for the year ahead. As of last December Russian visitor numbers increased by a remarkable 13 per cent. In addition, she announced that the MGTO would tap into visitor potential from Mainland cities outside of Guangdong Province located along the high-speed rail.
The MGTO is also set to continue in the promotion of community tourism project by launching activities in various districts. These include 3D audiovisual projection mapping shows in Cheng Peng Theatre and St. Lazarus Parish, as well as new promotion activities, prize-winning tours and routes to the popular “Step Out, Experience Macau’s Communities” project.
For more information, visit http://industry.macautourism.gov.mo
Elizabeth Wood