Macau’s hotels reached a combined occupancy rate of 91.0% in 2019, down 0.9% percentage points over the previous year due to lower occupancy in 4-star and 5-star hotels.
The figures, published by the Macao Government Tourism Office, included a 0.9 percentage point decline in 5-star hotels occupancy to 92.3% and 7.5 percentage point fall at 4-star hotels to 84.9%. Conversely, 3-star hotels enjoyed a 7.5 percentage point increase to 94.4%.
No reasons were provided for the changes, however they followed significant declines in December where occupancy across all hotels fell to 90.6% from 96.6% in the prior year period. All hotel segments suffered falling occupancy rates in December, with 5-star hotels down from 96.5% to 94.1% and 4-star hotels falling by 20.3 percentage points to 75.3%.
Analysts have previously attributed a 13.7% year-on-year decline in Macau’s gross gaming revenue in December to tightened visa controls and heightened security measures ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit for the SAR’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
While hotel occupancy ultimately fell for FY19, room rates saw a slight increase – up 1.5% to MOP$1,360.90 including a 1.0% increase at 5-star hotels to MOP$1,644.60.
