Often statistically labeled as “others” during the major holidays and celebratory seasons in Macau, foreign visitors occupied just a small percentage (3.8%) of all the visitors to Macau in the first five months of this year.
Since the figure is low, it is often statistically presented as one group, failing to identify which markets are contributing more to the rise of international visits in Macau, a goal clearly stated as being one of the main aims for Macau for both the government as well as the gaming concessionaires.
According to the official statistics released by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), the record of foreign nationals’ entries to Macau is divided into 29 different categories, most of them representing countries, in the cases where the number justifies it, the remaining ones being grouped by continent.
The Top 3
Without many surprises, the top 10 countries contributing most to the number of entries of foreign visitors in Macau are the Asian countries. At the top, we have the Philippines which contributed 89,047 entries from January to May this year. This figure is more than double the second highest contributor, which is Indonesia (43,241).
The top 3 closes with South Korea, with 31,877 visitors. Currently and according to information by the Civil Aviation Authority (AACM), there are direct flight routes between Macau and the cities of Seoul (Air Macau and Jin Air) and Busan (Air Busan) with the first two currently operating seven flights a week but planning to double this capacity from July 1. As for the Busan route, this is currently suspended, but is expected to resume with three weekly flights from July 25.
The Top 4-10
Surprisingly, or not, occupying the fourth position of the ranking of those supplying more international visitors to Macau is the first non-Asian country of the rank, the United States of America, with some 21,780 visitors.
The list continues with more Asians, in the case of Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore with, respectively, 21,598, 20,423, and 18,195 visitors. Following this group closely is Japan with 17,123.
Another surprise appears in the ninth position with India, bringing some 13,751 people to Macau. Once a traditional market source for Macau, India’s surprising entry into the top 10 comes mostly from the fact that visitors from this Asian country often reached Macau via the traditional tour groups that have been away from Macau since the Covid-19 pandemic started. Additionally, Macau does not have any direct flight to India, a factor that also influences the tourist visitation from most Asian countries.
Completing the top 10 is another North American country, with 10,532 Canadians visiting Macau in the first five months of this year.
Other significant contributions
In the 12th position comes Australia with a 9,763-strong contribution to international visitation to Macau. The 11th position is occupied by the first continent group of countries stated as “Other Asian countries” with 10,510.
It is necessary to scroll down to the 13th position to find the first of the European countries, a place occupied currently by the United Kingdom with 9,430 visitors. The UK is followed on the list by France although the latter has significantly fewer visitors (5,909). Still, the number of visitors from France is slightly higher than a group of other European countries combined (5,734) which ends the top 15.
Note the few Portuguese (1,658) which is barely half of the number of Germans (3,413). Low figures were also recorded by the Spanish (1,234), Brazilians (1,580), and Italians (1,848).
In reality, the number of visitors arriving from all European countries (Russia included) only totals 35,622, which is just about 10% of all international visitors to Macau.
Notable also is South Africa (1,032), the only African country singled from the ranking.
Uncountable factors play a role in statistics
Certainly not coincidentally, the first two places on the ranking of foreign visitors to Macau are occupied by the Philippines and Indonesia. Definitely contributing to this result are a large number of non-resident workers, especially those working in the neighboring region of Hong Kong. Since the pandemic restrictions subsided, these workers returned to use Macau, for obvious reasons (related to proximity as well as no visa requirements), as the preferred destination to exit Hong Kong while waiting for working permit renewals, the so-called “U-turns.”
The same is happening with some former workers as well as new workers who are now returning to jobs in Macau using a similar method while seeking jobs in Macau.
This is due to the enforcement of the new law on hiring non-resident workers that do not allow a person entering Macau on a tourism visa to apply for a work visa while staying in the territory.
Seeking concrete data to support and provide clarity regarding these types of cases the Times contacted both immigration services in Macau and Hong Kong.
While the Public Security Police Force, in a written reply to the Times, said that “the department does not possess statistic data on the matter,” the Immigration Department of Hong Kong (IMMD) said in a phone communication that the services “do not monitor such type of cross border activity,” an official named Sunny remarked.
The same official said the IMDD only produces and issues statistical reports on the number of visa permits issued, by type, not being able to provide data on “for example, the number of foreign workers who come to Macau, returning to Hong Kong right after.”
