Preliminary data indicates CNY tourist numbers up 5.2 percent

Data from the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) indicates that 548,536 tourists arrived in Macau between February 7 and 10. This represents a a 5.2 percent increase from the previous Chinese New Year.
Mainland residents continue to represent the majority of tourist arrivals, accounting for 71 percent of the total number of visitors. As in the previous year, measures to control the flow of pedestrians were introduced by local authorities.
Macau continues to draw regional visitors, with many mainland tourists citing more interest in Macau than Hong Kong.
“This is my second time coming to Macau, I have no plans to go to Hong Kong because I have other places to visit,” Ms Wu, a mainland resident, told the Times. When asked, Wu declined to elaborate on her reasons for not visiting Hong Kong.
Others are still drawn to the neighboring SAR. Another mainlander, Mr Lu, stated: “I am going to Hong Kong regardless. The customer service and the political issues are not problems for me at all.”
Mr Yao, a visitor traveling with his wife and daughter, agreed. “This is the first time my daughter and I are visiting Macau. We won’t go to Hong Kong this time, but we will surely go next time,” he told the Times.
Hong Kong tourism associations had previously estimated a 70 percent drop in the number of tourists travelling in organized groups during the Chinese New Year, arguably the region’s most important holiday.
Unexpected riots late on Monday night in Hong Kong, which left the city on alert, may have also discouraged visitors from spending time there. Staff reporters

Lower sales for retail industry

The majority of retailers         interviewed by local media saw a drastic drop in business from mainland visitors during the Chinese New Year. Mr Kuok, a fireworks trader, said that his overall volume of business was half what it had been last year. Clothing and cosmetics’ retailers were not spared from this decline.
One cosmetics’ company representative noted a 10 percent year-
on-year drop, despite the rise in visitors. Snack stores appeared to be the sole exception, with the vice manager of a shop near the Ruins of St. Paul’s claiming that business was on par with last year.

macau, hk residents visit guangzhou

several package tour groups from Hong Kong and Macau were seen at Guangzhou’s gardens and tourist attractions during Chinese New Year, Guangzhou Daily reported. The management of Guangzhou’s Baiwan Sunflower Garden said that visitors from Hong Kong and Macau accounted for 30 percent of total visitors, almost double that of last year. Guangzhou Daily also reported that tourists outnumbered local residents in some of the gardens.