MGTO makes conservative forecast of 120,000 visitors per day

Over the first eight days of the Spring Festival Golden Week, Macau is expected to receive some 120,000 visitors per day on average, the director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said yesterday.

Speaking with the media on the sidelines of the float parade blessing ceremony that will be part of the Lunar New Year celebrations, the MGTO director provided estimates of the anticipated visitor numbers, which represent a drop of around 30% compared to 2019’s daily average of 171,702 people per day across the seven-day period.

The MGTO’s conservative outlook is consistent with previous statements and projections by both MGTO and the Public Security Police Force (PSP).

The MGTO previously stated that Macau has been receiving over 100,000 visitors per day on weekends since the start of this year, with the festive season likely to account for a higher number of visitors.

Earlier this week, the PSP also said it expected the volume of passengers at border posts to be similar or up by 3% compared to 2019 levels, potentially reaching up to 6 million border crossings (from both locals and tourists) over the ten-day period from February 9 to February 18.

Senna Fernandes also noted that the hotel occupancy rate in Macau is likely to exceed 90%, with some hotel room rates potentially higher due to increased demand. Nonetheless, she assured that MGTO is in close contact with industry to prevent excessive price hikes.

The MGTO director also called on the owners of commercial establishments to keep stores operating during the Golden Week to benefit from the influx of tourists. This would also prevent tourist disappointment by ensuring that traditional stores remain open.

The float parade will continue on the streets on the third day of the new year (February 12) at the Central District and downtown, and in the Northern District area on the eighth day of the new year (February 17).

Senna Fernandes also said that the night float is also intended to incentivize tourists to stay longer, promote community tourism, and provide an economic boost.