Businesses report divergent sales performance during holiday season

Macau’s holiday season saw varying business results, as merchants at the 17-day Christmas market in Tap Seac Square reported declines in both foot traffic and sales, while retailers in major tourist areas enjoyed strong revenue gains.

The differences reflect rising visitor numbers and residents traveling abroad during the festive period.

According to the Public Security Police Force (PSP), New Year’s Day 2026 saw a record 188,000 visitor arrivals, the highest ever for the holiday.

As reported, the hotel and tourism industry expressed strong confidence for 2026, with preliminary projections suggesting total visitor arrivals could increase by approximately 5% to 8% from the already high 2025 baseline, along with steady rises in hotel occupancy and room rates.

TDM reported that merchants on Rua do Cunha in Taipa experienced robust holiday business, with increased foot traffic driving revenue growth of approximately 30% to 40% compared to regular days.

Similarly, interviews in the Ruins of St. Paul’s area revealed that merchants reported sales increases over last year, with some noting a rise of about 20% and others indicating business was at least 30% higher than usual.

However, according to Jornal Cheng Pou, visitor numbers to the Christmas market at Tap Seac Square – held from December 16 last year through New Year’s Day – were lower than the previous year. Its interviews with merchants revealed that both customer traffic and business volume declined, with many reporting results worse than expected, likely due to intensified consumption migration.

The report suggests that this year’s handover holiday and compensatory holiday coinciding with the Christmas period prompted many residents to travel abroad, leading to reduced foot traffic at the market.

As reported, a food stall owner noted that December 24 and 25 typically see the highest business and foot traffic, but this year’s market experienced less-than-ideal figures, with sales down 20%–30% year on year.

A vendor selling handwoven clothing observed that last year, half of their inventory was sold by Christmas Day, while this season, half of their stock remains unsold, reflecting a decline in consumer willingness and spending power.