Higher-star hotels record higher occupancy

The higher the star of a Macau hotel is, the higher its occupancy rate, according to the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes.

During yesterday’s Legislative Assembly (AL), the MGTO head told lawmaker Lam Lon Wai that in Macau, the highest occupancy rates of hotel guestrooms has been recorded in five-star hotels.

Lam proposed to the local government that the vicinity of the Taipa Ferry Terminal should be explored as a space to develop tourism projects. 

Lam advanced that the ferry terminal is a large space that many tourists visit first and last. Moreover, its location is convenient for visitors, being near the airport and the Cotai casino area.

Lam wants the local government to provide tax benefits to parties that develop low star hotels, such as 2-star and 3-star hotels, because, in Lam’s view, tourists either go to high-star hotels or they go to Hac Sa beach for the affordable camping area.

The MGTO Director explained that budget hotels do not promote themselves very well. However, Lam revealed that in the near future a total of 17 budget hotels will open, providing a total of 1,000 guestrooms.

Discussing the use of the Taipa Ferry Terminal for tourism purposes, a representative of the Marine and Water Bureau said that the local government is considering organizing performances or exhibitions at the Taipa Ferry Terminal. Currently, a water supply exhibition is being held at the terminal.

However, the proposal of more exhibitions was criticized by Mak Soi Kun, who wants the government to first solve traffic congestion issues near the terminal.

“If the government keeps promoting tourism activities at the ferry terminal, then we don’t need to take ferries or flights anymore,” said Mak.

Besides the abovementioned proposals, lawmaker Angela Leong suggested that aspects of the cultural and creative industry should be introduced at the ferry terminal to present Macau’s cultural and creative products. Other proposals include building a theater at the ferry terminal.

Government representatives said during yesterday’s AL plenary, that the Taipa Ferry Terminal has recorded a 14% increase in ferries sailing between Shenzhen and Taipa since the beginning of this year. At this terminal, 90% of the commercial spaces are currently occupied.