Tour groups on the rise with significant jumps from Korea, India

Tour groups have seen remarkable growth in Macau, according to the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC). In July 2024, inbound package tour visitors surged by 66.1% year-on-year to reach 188,000, with visitors from mainland China increasing by 68.9% to 171,000. International tour visitors also rose by 30.5% to 13,000, with significant jumps from the Republic of Korea (up 152.8% to 5,000) and India (up 712.5% to 2,000).

For the first seven months of 2024, total inbound package tour visitors hit 1,173,000, a striking 146.0% increase compared to the previous year. Visitors from mainland China accounted for 1,036,000, a 129.6% rise, while international visitors soared by 464.2% to 118,000.

In July, 66,000 residents opted for outbound services through travel agencies, marking a 48.9% increase. The number of residents traveling on package tours jumped 169.7% to 32,000, with 29,000 heading to mainland China. Over the first seven months, outbound services purchased by residents rose by 48.5% to 322,000.

The city’s hotel sector also expanded, with 144 establishments by the end of July, an increase of 12 year-on-year. Available guest rooms rose by 1.8% to 45,000. While the average occupancy rate dipped slightly to 88.4%, it remains robust, especially in five-star hotels (91.9%). In July, hotel guests totaled 1,227,000, reflecting 98.0% of pre-pandemic levels. LV