MGTO confirms illegal tour providers’ complaints, claims to be investigating

A social media post by ‘tour guides’ offering services, featuring photos of clients

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) said it is investigating several social media posts offering “private” tour services in Macau by unlicensed individuals or companies.

In a reply to the Times, the office confirmed that it has “received complaints about tourism advertisements on social media platforms,” adding, “We have immediately assigned personnel to conduct relevant investigations.”

In the same response, the office notes that it will also follow up and monitor all such situations, including “regularly dispatching personnel to relevant tourist attractions and border checkpoints for inspection and monitoring to strictly crack down on illegal activities that disrupt the order of the tourism market, including illegal tour guides, to maintain Macau’s image as a tourist city.”

According to an investigation by the Times, several individuals have been offering paid tours of Macau through social media platforms, including transportation, site visits, and photo-taking services – with many of them on tourist visas.

The investigation also revealed that most of these posts originate from neighboring regions such as Hong Kong and other Southeast Asian countries, targeting different markets.

Speaking to a travel blogger from Romania, who preferred not to be named, the Times learned that “the service is quite complete and convenient,” including pickup from the ferry terminal or the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Port, visits to landmarks, and hotel drop-off. The tour typically consists of a one- or two-day itinerary to a series of notable landmarks.

A social media post by ‘tour guides’ offering services, featuring photos of clients

The blogger told the Times she learned about the service from a similar provider in Hong Kong, who introduced her to a contact in Macau who could provide the local tour.

Unaware that this was an illegal activity, she told the Times she was pleased with the service.

Confronted with the fact that her blog posts contain inaccurate information and locations, she said she had relied on the information provided by the guide and had not verified it thoroughly.

In her case, as in many others, the blogger was taken to the A-Ma Cultural Village on Coloane’s hilltop, believing it to be the A-Ma Temple in Barra, among other misrepresented locations shown in her posts.

With over 20,000 followers on Instagram, the blogger told the Times she would investigate further and correct her posts, so as not to perpetuate misinformation about Macau as a travel destination.

According to MGTO, people offering such services are violating Decree-Law No. 48/98/M of November 3, as amended by Administrative Regulation No. 42/2004.

They may also be penalized separately for providing “illegal transportation” via private vehicles.

When asked why she chose this service over a licensed travel agency, she explained that her extensive travel experience led her to prefer recommendations from “locals” over commercial agencies, which, in her opinion, not only charge much higher prices but also focus solely on the most crowded tourist sites – often pressuring visitors to buy souvenirs they’re not interested in.

According to one of the self-proclaimed “tour guides,” who requested anonymity, they typically charge MOP100 per person.

She told the Times that there is a noticeable increase in individuals offering similar services at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Port and the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal.

“Those who used to offer these tours are now recruiting others in need of work, turning it into a business,” she said. She added that they also receive commissions from some souvenir shops.