850,000 visitors flock to the city during Golden Week holiday

Macau saw a surge of 850,034 visitors during the five-day Labor Day Golden Week holiday from May 1 to 5, according to preliminary data from the Public Security Police Force (PSP). This figure significantly exceeded government projections and marks a strong rebound for the city’s tourism sector, with arrivals rising 40.5% from last year’s nearly 605,000 visitors.

On average, more than 170,000 tourists entered Macau daily, surpassing the government’s forecast of 127,000 to 140,000 per day. The highest single-day total since the pandemic was recorded on May 2, with 221,968 arrivals. Other daily arrivals included 176,873 on May 1, 204,041 on May 3, and 154,411 on May 4, according to the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).

Mainland Chinese tourists accounted for much of the growth, with 678,521 arrivals during the holiday period – a 39.6% increase from the previous year.

Visitors from Hong Kong also surged by 42.3% to 111,189. Together, these groups made up more than 90% of all arrivals during the holiday, MGTO reported.

Border crossings also saw a sharp rise, with a total of 3.12 million entries and exits recorded at various checkpoints in the first four days-a 28% increase year-on-year, averaging nearly 780,000 crossings daily. The Qingmao checkpoint handled 480,000 crossings (up 27%), Hengqin port saw 440,000 crossings (up 46.5%), and the Border Gate checkpoint recorded 1.577 million crossings (up 23.5%).

To manage the influx, local authorities implemented extensive crowd control and traffic measures. The PSP established pedestrian zones near key landmarks such as the Ruins of St. Paul’s and temporarily closed parts of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro to vehicles. For the first time, similar crowd control measures were applied in Taipa Village around Rua do Cunha. From May 1 to 5, sections of Rua Fernão Mendes Pinto, Rua Direita Carlos Eugénio, Rua Correia da Silva, and nearby roads were closed daily from noon to 7 p.m. to traffic.

Bus operators also increased service frequency to every five minutes on major routes to ease transit.

Despite these efforts, long taxi queues and crowded buses were common. Some residents expressed concerns to local media that tourists were prioritized over locals, with bus rides extending from the usual 15 minutes to as long as 45 minutes due to congestion. Tourists also reported frustration over overcrowding and limited ride-hailing options.

The tourism sector reaped benefits from the visitor influx. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, head of MGTO, reported hotel occupancy rates above 95% on May 1, noting that many visitors opted for day trips from nearby Zhuhai.

“We are very happy with this figure. It indicates that tourists are very willing to come to Macau,” Senna Fernandes said. “Whether they stay overnight or not, we hope they feel greater ease in visiting Macau, which is the most important thing.”

Since January 1, 2025, Zhuhai city residents with household registration can apply for a new “one-trip-per-week” visa to visit Macau, allowing stays of up to seven days. Mainland Chinese residents holding both household registration and a Hengqin residence permit can apply for a multiple-entry visa, permitting unlimited trips within the visa’s validity, with each visit limited to seven days. These measures aim to promote easier travel between the cities.

Meanwhile, border inspection agencies across China have recorded about 10.9 million entry and exit trips made during the five-day May Day holiday, representing a year-on-year increase of 28.7%, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA) yesterday.

Of these trips, 5.78 million were made by mainland residents and four million were made by residents from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, up 21.2% and 37.1% year on year, respectively.

Nadia Shaw