Airport traffic volume in 2023 recovers to 55% pre-pandemic levels

The traffic volume of Macau International Airport (MIA) gradually recovered last year as it recorded a significant increase in air passengers, with a total annual airport passenger volume of 5.15 million passengers and 42,504 aircraft movements.

The MIA handled an average of approximately 14,000 passengers and 116 aircraft movements per day, according to data released yesterday.

Compared to the same period in 2019, overall passenger volume and aircraft movements have recovered by approximately 55% and 54% respectively. MIA currently accommodates 25 airlines, offering in total 48 routes covering various destinations in the mainland of China, China Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia.

Passengers from the mainland of China market accounted for 58%, the China Taiwan market accounted for 15% of the total of passenger volume and Southeast Asia routes made up the remaining 27%.

Aligned with the new tourism development strategy of the government, the Macau International Airport Co. (CAM) has anticipated the ongoing promotion of Macau in the markets of medium-haul routes, which will attract more international tourists to Macau and, with them a faster recovery of the aviation sector.

During the summer, SAR’s flagship airline Air Macau announced an increase in the number of flights to numerous popular travel spots across Asia, including Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.

The company appears determined to improve momentum for the aviation industry in Macau for the summer this year to compensate for the poor results in 2022, when Air Macau registered a 23% decline in its operating revenue compared to 2021, dropping from MOP1.05 billion to about MOP812 million.

In a statement, the MIA pledged that it will continue to cooperate with the tourism development direction of Macau SAR Government and consolidate the passenger market of the mainland in 2024.

In addition, the MIA will maintain close contact with airlines to explore international markets, and actively work with various airlines to develop international passenger source markets. In response to the market demand, the network of major cities of Mainland China and international routes has been rapidly recovered.

Meanwhile, MIA will constantly collaborate with overseas and base airlines to explore international markets to develop more direct or connecting long-haul routes.

“In order to increase routes from Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, MIA enhanced communication with overseas airlines for promoting [the] tourism market, aiming to attract more international tourists to visit Macau,” the firm said.