Arrivals during first eight days slightly exceed 2024 and 2025 results

The number of visitors arriving in Macau during the Spring Festival Golden Week exceeded, although only slightly, the results seen in the past two years (2024 and 2025).

Official figures collected by the Public Security Police Force (PSP) for the first eight days (from Saturday, February 14, through Saturday, February 22) show that the average number of visitor arrivals this year stood at 169,967, a figure that is 3.81% higher than in 2025 (163,731) and just 0.14% higher than in 2024 (169,725).

Comparative analysis also shows that the figures obtained so far remain lower than those in 2019 (pre-pandemic), when the first seven days of the Spring Festival averaged 186,283 visitor arrivals per day. Compared with 2019, this year’s figures show an 8.76% decline.

In general, the flow of visitors this year followed a pattern that was more similar to what happened in 2024 for most days, with a relatively strong start in the first weekend, a drop on Monday, and a gradual increase that peaked on the sixth day of the analysis period (the third day of the Lunar New Year).

Last year, the peak was on the fourth day, when 219,119 visitors arrived in Macau; the previous year, the peak was on the third day (217,541).

This year, the peak (227,943) was reached on the sixth day, also setting an all-time record for daily arrivals. According to official data, the previous single-day record of 221,968 visitor arrivals was set last year during the Labor Day (May 1) holiday. The new all-time record surpasses the previous one by almost 6,000 people (5,975).

In total, the first eight days, ending on Saturday, February 21, resulted in 1,359,738 visitor arrivals, a figure higher than tourism authorities’ expectations, which had forecast a maximum of 1.4 million visitors over nine days.

As is usually the case, crowds gathering in specific areas of the city, such as the Ruins of St. Paul’s, Senado Square, or Rua do Cunha in Taipa, have prompted police authorities to enforce crowd control measures on several occasions.

The high number of tourists has also contributed to congestion at bus stops and taxi stands, placing pressure on local public transport and causing significant commuting delays. These delays were observed more frequently between the city centre and Cotai, as well as on routes that include the Border Gate area.

Fewer visitors from Hong Kong

Although results are not final, preliminary data at the end of the eight-day period indicate an increase in visitors from all source markets except Hong Kong.

Compared with 2025, mainland visitor arrivals recorded an increase of nearly 11%, while arrivals from Taiwan increased by 18.5%.

International visitor arrivals also grew, surpassing last year’s level by 12.1%.

In contrast, visitor arrivals from Hong Kong declined by 3.4%, according to available data.

Despite these fluctuations, market share distribution remained largely unchanged, with mainland visitors accounting for about 77% of the total. Visitors from Hong Kong accounted for about 16%, while international visitors represented approximately 5%. Visitors from Taiwan accounted for around 2% of arrivals during the festive season.

Compared with last year, the decline in Hong Kong visitors further reinforced the dominance of mainland visitors, which absorbed the 1% share lost by Hong Kong in the year-on-year comparison.

Ninth day continues strong performance

Data reported up to 9 p.m. on Sunday also showed that the ninth day of the Spring Festival Golden Week continued to record strong visitor arrivals.

By 9 p.m., visitor arrivals had exceeded 179,130, placing the day among the top five highest arrival days of the year.

The Golden Week holiday officially concludes today (the seventh day of the Lunar New Year), coinciding with the second drones and fireworks display.

Authorities said that although festivities will continue at a smaller scale until the beginning of March, visitor arrivals are expected to remain above average in the coming days.