International visitors arriving from Portugal and Spain have yet to reach the levels seen in pre-pandemic years, official statistical data show.
Despite the clearly stated government intention to attract this type of visitor and the significant investments made in recent years, results seem to be falling short of expectations when compared with data from the last decade (excluding 2020–22).
In reality, the highest number of visitors arriving from these European countries between 2013 and 2025 was reached in 2017 (Portugal) and 2018 (Spain).
Slow recovery for Portuguese visitors
In 2017, some 16,259 Portuguese visitors entered Macau, although this figure did not represent a significant difference when compared with previous or subsequent years.
Between 2013 and 2019, the average number of visitors per year from Portugal stood at 15,787, which is roughly 1,316 per month.
On the other hand, from 2023 to 2025, this average has dropped to 10,110 per year, or 843 per month. This happened particularly because of the low figures recorded in 2023, when the borders fully reopened and Macau tourism resumed operations.
In that year, only 6,013 Portuguese visitors entered Macau as tourists, a figure that contrasted with the higher figures from 2024 (9,985) and 2025 (14,331).
When comparing the last three years before the pandemic (2017–19) with the three years that followed (2023–25), tourism arrivals from Portugal recorded a 36.6% drop.
Fewer from Spain, but quicker recovery
As for the Spaniards, in 2018 these visitors reached a record of 10,578, but, similarly to the Portuguese, the number of these visitors has maintained a steady trend at an average (2013–19) of 9,540 visitors per year, or 795 per month.
Also, similarly to what occurred with the Portuguese, visitors with a Spanish passport recorded a drop in the post-pandemic years, with the annual average falling to 7,417, or 618 per month.
The year 2023 was also the year of the lowest figure, with Spanish visitors dropping to just 4,517.
Slightly different from the Portuguese was the speed of recovery after 2023, with the figure growing faster, particularly in 2024.
Last year alone, the number of visitors from Spain stood at 9,986, surpassing the pre-pandemic average (9,540) and edging close to the average of the previous three years before the pandemic (2017–19), when it was 10,062, or 839 per month.
Residual markets
Despite the bid from the government to increase visitation from the Iberian Peninsula, which has been visible in roadshows organized in Portugal, visits of delegations from the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), and other governmental groups that often include representatives of the business and commercial sector, tourism industry, and gaming and education sectors, among others, these markets continue to be residual in the local tourism panorama.
At the end of 2025, visitors from Portugal accounted for 0.036% of all visitor arrivals, while those from Spain represented 0.025% of the market share.
Together, they represent a share that is inferior to the one held by the French, for example, who contributed 28,061 visitors last year, and are closer to Germany’s share (23,687).
Even in the context of just the international visitors to Macau in 2025, Portugal and Spain continue to be at the bottom of the list of the countries that supply more visitors, with the share of Portugal being just 0.52% (20th position in the ranking), while Spain occupies the 24th position in the same ranking with a share of 0.36%.
In general, European markets account for 7.01% of international visitor arrivals, with the United Kingdom topping the list at 1.53%.
Unsurprisingly, the three highest-ranking European countries in terms of visitors to the region are the UK, France, and Germany. The same countries also have the most flight connections to Hong Kong.
Lack of appeal
Still, with easy, relatively fast transfers between Portugal/Spain and the aforementioned European neighbors, the lack of direct links should not be a significant issue.
According to data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Portuguese visitors to the kingdom reached 57,497 in 2025, a 4.93% increase from the previous year.
According to data from Portuguese tourism authorities cited in a recent United Nations (UN) report on tourism, Thailand was the second most-visited long-haul destination by the Portuguese in 2025, behind only Brazil.
In 2025, a record-breaking 273,483 Portuguese tourists visited Brazil, marking the highest number since 2007 and more than a 25% increase from 2024.
The same UN report, as well as tourism-related websites, note that Spanish tourists primarily prefer domestic travel, favoring coastal, island, and major city destinations, while top international choices include mainly neighboring European countries.
Among the long-haul markets, Spain was said to favor destinations such as the United States and the Caribbean islands.
In 2024, in an interview with the Times, several European visitors expressed the view that Macau is unappealing to Europeans, citing travel distance, flight connections, and costs as the main reasons.
These tourists found Macau particularly expensive and with little to explore, noting that their short stays in the region were usually part of longer tours through Southeast Asia.
At the time, two Portuguese nationals interviewed by the Times said they believed that it is “very unlikely” that Macau will appeal to the “average Portuguese.”
“We might believe that Macau, due to its historical relation with Portugal, could be appealing to the Portuguese, but I doubt many will venture here, particularly due to the prices,” Ana told the Times, citing the costs of food and lodging, an opinion also shared by another tourist from Italy.
Lisbon roadshow since 2023
Although Macau has kept a constant presence in activities in Lisbon over the years, namely through participation in the BTL (Portugal’s leading tourism fair), the local government has significantly increased its investment in Portugal as a tourism market since 2023.
It has expanded the “roadshow” concept that was previously used in cities in mainland China and nearby Southeast Asian countries to Lisbon.
The series of Macau promotions in Lisbon, which have downtown Lisbon’s Praça do Comércio as the center stage, have been adding new elements and themes every year, aiming to attract visitors to Macau.
According to MGTO, over 44,000 people participated in the events staged in Lisbon last September, which included not only the MGTO but also booths representing the six major leisure and entertainment companies and the IPIM, which has been focused on attracting Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) events to Macau.
Late last year, Macau also hosted the 50th Congress of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT).
During the congress, the APAVT announced that Macau would be its “Preferred Destination 2026,” paving the way for yet another expansion in cooperation between the MGTO and the APAVT to promote visitor source markets from Portugal, Spain, and Europe.
Among these activities is the inclusion of Macau promotions (via APAVT) at tourism fairs in Spain, such as the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) in Madrid.
Results from these new projects are expected at the end of this year and in the coming years.
Macau showcases ‘Tourism +’ at FITUR in Spain to boost European reach
The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) showcased the city’s unique offerings at the 2026 FITUR international tourism trade fair in Madrid from Jan. 21–25. For the first time, MGTO partnered with China’s Pavilion to host a destination presentation and tasting event, promoting Macao’s diverse “tourism +” experiences to European travel trade and visitors.
Deputy director Cheng Wai Tong, alongside representatives from Macau’s travel trade and integrated resorts, showcased signature Macanese cuisine and cultural workshops including Portuguese folk dance, Tai Chi, Wing Chun, and tile painting. The activities offered European industry participants a firsthand experience of Macau’s heritage, aiding future multi-destination tourism planning.
The Macao Pavilion also hosted a presentation on the city’s travel programs, infrastructure, and latest developments, attended by officials from China, Spain, and Portugal. MGTO continues to expand its European outreach through multilingual online training programs and visitor surveys to strengthen strategic marketing for 2026.
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