Lawmaker proposes incentive scheme to lure short-haul tourists into local communities

[Photo: Nadia Shaw]

With summer tourist arrivals expected to rise by 10%, a lawmaker has proposed a targeted incentive scheme to direct short-haul travelers from Southeast and Northeast Asia into local neighborhood’s.

Legislator Chan Lai Kei has argued that the key to achieving sustainable growth in international visitor numbers is to overcome existing geographic and service constraints and effectively guide international tourists into Macau’s local neighborhood’s, thereby converting the “flow” of civil aviation and tourism flows into “retention” for community-based economies.

In a written inquiry addressed to the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Chan queried the bureau on the current implementation status and outcomes of its subsidy scheme for international travellers arriving via Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

Noting that, with the extension of multiple visa-free arrangements and the 240-hour transit-free policy, “visit the mainland, stop by Macau” has become a common travel pattern, he asked whether the bureau would consider developing a “Ticket-to-Community Consumption Incentive Scheme” for foreign visitors – building on existing airline-led boarding pass discount initiatives and the “Fly You to Macau” free bus ticket scheme – by establishing a liaison framework with local district associations, chambers of commerce, and community organizations.

For the lawmaker, this would allow international travelers to redeem discounts at community shops upon presenting their transport tickets to Macau, thereby converting flight traffic into sustained spending in local districts.