Surge in passenger traffic as holiday commences

The Macau SAR saw a total of 93,456 tourist arrivals yesterday, with entries and exits across its various ports—a figure that aligns closely with expectations set by local authorities. Traditionally, the initial days of the Golden Week see a slower influx of visitors. Many tours from Mainland China typically start in neighboring Hong Kong, leading to a gradual arrival of tourists in Macau.

Yesterday’s data from the Public Security Police (PSP) indicates that the Border Gate remains the busiest entry point, accounting for 34,344 arrivals, followed closely by the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HKZMB), which welcomed 18,783 passengers. Notably, Hengqin Port facilitated 16,002 entries.

On Sunday, the city welcomed 96,671 tourists. The government remains optimistic that visitor numbers will not only meet but could potentially exceed targets as the week progresses.

Earlier this week, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) reported that 70% of hotel accommodations have already been reserved for the holiday period, with expectations of further increases in bookings throughout this week.

The MGTO expressed optimism that if weather conditions are favorable during the National Day holiday, average daily visitor arrivals could surpass the predicted 100,000.

Golden Week in mainland China will last for seven days, from Oct. 1 to 7. After the Spring Festival Golden Week and the May Day Golden Week, National Day Golden Week is considered the third most important period for tourism in the annual calendar.

During last year’s National Day Golden Week, which lasted for eight days from Sept. 29 to Oct. 6, Macau recorded a total of 931,000 visitor arrivals, averaging around 116,000 visitors per day. The travel industry anticipates that this year’s figure could surpass that, suggesting the government’s forecast may be conservative.

Meanwhile, outbound statistics also reveal robust movement, with 86,280 passengers and 17,276 tourists departing from the HZMB Port. The Border Gate led this category, recording 32,173 exits. NS/LV