Tourism group head reiterates importance of tourists staying longer

The head of the tourism group, Travel Industry Council of Macau, has restated the importance of enticing tourists to stay longer in Macau, amid the gradual climb in tourist arrivals.

The tourism industry will work harder to increase the lengths of tourists’ stays by organizing more activities, attracting them to spend more, generate energy in the community and promote multifaceted development in Macau, Andy Wu, president of the Travel Industry Council of Macau, told local media outlet Exmoo.

Wu pointed out that after normal travel resumed, the city’s tourism recovery was faster than expected by the industry. He added that most tourists visited Macau as individuals  rather than in group tours, with many coming from Guangdong and Fujian provinces.

In response to claims that border clearance and visa issuance entities will share information, Wu pointed out that similar systems had been in place and “become mature.” The priority now is to clarify the details of the system to boost incentives to visit Macau.

In addition to the local government’s effort to entice foreign tourists, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also disclosed the possibility of waiving visa requirements for foreign group tours from Macau and Hong Kong entering Guangdong. Commenting on the implication of local travel agencies organizing Guangdong tours for local foreigners, Wu said that he hoped that authorities from both sides of the border could clarify these plans shortly and keep the tourism industry in the loop.

Wu pointed out that most local resident travelers are on individual travel plans, with most popular destinations being Southeast Asian countries, Japan and South Korea. He believed that the tourism industry will benefit from both outbound and inbound businesses, especially with Air Macau resuming flights to a greater number of destinations.