Tourism surges with 18 million arrivals in five months, summer peak on the horizon

[Photo: Yuki Lei]

Macau registered 18.14 million total visitor arrivals in the January-to-May period, of which 1.24 million were international travelers, while cumulative arrivals for the year exceeded 20 million 18 days earlier than in the previous year, with the upcoming summer months projected to bring a further surge in tourist numbers.

Visitor arrivals reached 18.14 million in the first five months of the year, an 11.1% increase over the same period last year, while international visitor numbers grew 8.7% to 1.24 million, the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) reported yesterday. May saw 3.487 million arrivals, including 2.541 million from mainland China and 234,000 from overseas markets, with Thailand contributing more than 20,000 of those visitors.

Macau’s cumulative visitor arrivals for the year had already exceeded 20 million by last Saturday – 18 days earlier than in the previous year – averaging 116,000 per day, with a historic single-day peak of 248,000 recorded on May 2, according to earlier figures from the Public Security Police Force (PSP).

Breaking down the totals, mainland China led with 14.639 million arrivals, followed by Hong Kong at 3.461 million, Taiwan at 541,000, and foreign visitors at 1.363 million, with South Korea emerging as the top source market at over 270,000, the Philippines at 260,000, Thailand at more than 110,000, and Malaysia and Indonesia each surpassing 80,000.

Looking at the just-concluded three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, police figures recorded over 2.071 million border crossings at Macau’s various checkpoints, of which more than 776,000 were visitor movements – with the first day alone surpassing 130,000 arrivals, mainly from mainland China and Hong Kong, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) acknowledged.

Industry players now project that daily visitor arrivals during the upcoming two-month summer peak will exceed 120,000, predominantly comprising independent travelers and family groups, with hopes of lifting hotel occupancy from the current overall rate of around 80% back to 90%, while the MGTO director, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, voiced confidence in the summer performance, remarking, “Summer has always been a peak season for visitor arrivals to Macau, and August is typically the busiest month of the year.”

The tourism chief reiterated that expanding international visitor sources remains a long-term priority, expressing hope that tomorrow’s APEC Tourism Ministers’ Meeting will help promote Macau to delegates from 21 economies and broaden the city’s global appeal.

The second half of the year will see a steady stream of events, she revealed, with ongoing collaboration among the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), the Sports Bureau (ID), and community groups to organize diverse activities that draw visitors into local districts and stimulate spending throughout the city.

Meanwhile, with authorities forecasting a 10% annual increase in visitor arrivals to 44 million – following a 13% uptick in the first four months – lawmaker Leong Pou U has submitted a written interpellation pressing the government on summer public transport arrangements, warning that “Macau’s public transport service capacity has failed to improve in a timely manner” amid the sustained growth in visitor numbers, and urging all relevant public entities to make early preparations and coordinated planning for the summer peak to effectively manage the influx and enhance the travel experience for both residents and tourists.