Catering sector urges gov’t to build on past stimulus success

[Photo: Yuki Lei]

The catering industry has called on the government to introduce targeted consumption-boosting measures in next year’s policy address, urging authorities to leverage the region’s “City of Gastronomy” status and build on the success of past stimulus schemes to revitalize the sector.

The local government is currently gathering views from various sectors for next year’s policy address, with the catering industry urging authorities to introduce more economic stimulus measures and make full use of the city’s “City of Gastronomy” status to boost the dining sector.

Fong Kin Fu, vice president of the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao (UAFBMM), told the media that although tourism has been thriving and visitor arrivals have reached record highs, tourists’ spending patterns have changed significantly, with many showing little or no spending. He said past government stimulus measures had proven effective in lifting the overall dining market and urged the authorities to introduce fresh incentives in next year’s policy address to encourage both tourists and residents to spend more.

On the industry side, Fong said operators should adjust their services to match consumer preferences and actively find ways to attract more customers. He pointed to the success of restaurants that have gained popularity on social media as a model worth learning from and encouraged traditional restaurants to embrace digital transformation and upgrade their management and online marketing capabilities. He also called on the government to invest more in systematic training for industry workers to raise service standards.

Fong urged industry peers to unite and work with the government’s policy direction, embrace market changes, and pursue higher-quality services to move the city’s catering sector towards higher-quality development.

Official figures show that Macau now has close to 5,000 food and beverage establishments in operation, covering both traditional eateries and takeaway services.

However, industry observers note that while the dining sector in residential areas held steady in early 2025, overall business activity is estimated to have fallen by 5% year-on-year, weighed down by factors including cross-border spending and declining household income. Shops in less prime locations have experienced wider performance gaps and greater difficulty in attracting customers.

The structure of community dining has also shifted, with some outlets closing and new ones opening – many adopting lighter operational models such as takeaway-only shops.