Some local residents currently abroad who want to return home to celebrate Lunar New Year cannot book rooms for quarantine, local media reports.
Local Chinese newspaper Exmoo reported that a local resident surnamed Chan could not book a room at either of the two quarantine hotels before Lunar New Year.
With the Lisboeta no longer operating as a selected quarantine hotel, there are only two remaining, namely the Pousada Marina Infante, a designated quarantine hotel, and the Grand Coloane Resort, a selected quarantine hotel.
From November last year, health authorities have required all arrivals to show proof of quarantine hotel bookings upon commencement of their trip to Macau.
The Times’s online search yesterday for rooms at the resort showed that the earliest date with availability on the official website was January 28. Meanwhile, rooms at the Pousada can only be booked by phone. According to the news report, the earliest availability is on January 31.
In light of the situation, Chan called the hotline of the Novel Coronavirus Response and Coordination Center. He said that he has been calling since December 28 last year and has never been able to speak with a human on the phone.
He told the Chinese media outlet that he has called the center several times a day with each call lasting several minutes.
When the Times tried to call the hotline around 8:50 p.m. yesterday, the call was connected in a single attempt.
As part of the Coronavirus Center, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) have been handling matters related to quarantine hotels. It has at several points allowed hotel operators to opt in and out of participation as quarantine hotels. For example, during high seasons, the Sheraton Grand Macao would opt out as a quarantine hotel.
An MGTO spokesperson told a press conference last week that the Lisboeta’s opting out would not affect local residents making of reservations.
