MGTO claims the goal of two million foreign visitors will be achieved

Cheng Wai Tong

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is confident Macau will reach its goal of two million international visitors this year, MGTO deputy director Cheng Wai Tong told the media on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Carnival of Macau International Museum Day 2024 at the Garden of the Mount Fortress.

Questioned on the topic, Cheng said: “So far, we are fulfilling our expectations. We trust that we will fulfill the whole year goal of two million [international visitors],” he said, noting that the roadshows and other promotions hosted by the MGTO feature across several locations in Asia, all of which count towards the goal.

Cheng also noted that the focus in the first half of 2024 was solely on the short-haul market, namely across southeast and northeast Asian markets such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. He said more promotions will soon be unveiled targeting other markets.

In a recent meeting, at the end of last month, the MGTO met members of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT) to discuss cooperation opportunities aiming at the expansion of tourist sources for Macau in international markets, namely with Portugal.

At the same meeting, the local tourism authority also agreed to a collaboration with APAVT to promote Macau at the 2024 International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Spain, eyeing not only the Spanish market but also a few other European markets as well as Ibero-America markets in which FITUR is a well-known and referential platform.