Trade unionist lawmakers defend conformity to mainland Covid-19 measures

With the red-code period for arrivals being extended from seven to eight days, trade unionist lawmaker Lam Lon Wai has insisted that following mainland Covid-19 standards would be best for Macau.

At a press conference yesterday held by his affiliated group, the Choi In Tong Sam Association, the lawmaker was asked by the Times what suggestions the group would make to align with Macau government’s policy aim to attract more foreign tourists.

During the press conference, the lawmaker disclosed that a recent survey by the group discovered widespread public concern over the future and the recovery of the economy. In the past decades, Macau has relied on tourism as a main source of income.

With quarantine still in force, the city is not likely to be attractive to foreign visitors when they can travel quarantine-free to most parts of the world.

In response to the question, Lam stressed that social stability is the key to an energetic tourism market. By stability, he included health as well, he added. “Covid-19 cases will scare tourists away,” he noted.

Elaborating on his views, he pointed out that Macau is still highly reliant on mainland China, despite the government’s desire to divert the focus to foreign source markets. He even commented that he took a walk in the city on Sunday and saw many tourists in groups, “which might be organized by the tourism trade or local associations.”

Based on the comment, he hinted that group tourists from mainland are needed for economic recovery.

While commenting that the government has learned more about SARS-CoV-2, Lam said that new Covid-19 cases will delay events, “for which organizers have or will have spent much time in preparations.”

Early October, Singapore saw the return of the Formula 1 Grand Prix and 300,000 spectators with new cases detected every day.

Also replying to the same question, Lam’s colleague Leong Sun Iok also insisted that conforming to the mainland on Covid-19 control measures is critical.

In addition, he said that as far as he knows, many mainland long-distance runners are hoping to come to Macau to run in the annual marathon. As such, he calls on the government to continually promote a multifaceted tourism model, which the government has branded as Tourism+.