With Macau finally starting to ease some long-standing COVID-19 restrictions in recent weeks, its next priority must be fully opening back up to Hong Kong, according to a well-known gaming industry representative.
Song Wai Kit, President of the Responsible Gaming Association, told Inside Asian Gaming that allowing those who test positive to isolate at home was a step in the right direction, allowing Macau locals to feel more optimistic about the future.
But he said the next step must be removing barriers to travel within the greater China region, with current rules still requiring arrivals from Hong Kong into Macau to follow “5+3” measures – five days of hotel quarantine and three more isolating at home.
“The most important thing for Macau now is to resume normal immigration with Hong Kong,” Song said.
“We also have to pay attention to the resumption of electronic visas from the mainland and there is the issue of capital control, but on the whole Macau is moving in a good direction.”
Asked what the coming months might hold for Macau, Song explained, “I don’t think there will be much change in GGR this month, mainly because the Macau community is still adjusting to the new policy and everyone is wary of the virus.
“I have higher hopes that the economy will improve next year and I believe it will be better than this year, but Macau really needs to open up to Hong Kong as soon as possible.”
Aside from introducing home isolation, the Macau government has also scrapped a key gaming industry guideline that had required a distance of one meter be maintained between casino patrons, temperature and health code checks before entry and patron numbers to be capped at 50% of capacity. The discontinuation of this guideline by the Health Bureau means Macau’s casinos are no longer subject to any crowd restrictions.
However, the “5+3” measure remains in place for all non-mainland arrivals, while those who do enter from the mainland must obtain a negative COVID test within 24 hours prior.
Song said many testing stations in Macau and the mainland have been closed which was causing unnecessary inconvenience for mainland visitors to Macau, suggesting instead that the government consider the necessity of such testing.
He also highlighted the disparity in requiring non-mainland arrivals who test negative to quarantine in hotels while those already in Macau who test positive are able to stay home.
Despite recent policy changes, the local Macau community is for the most part maintaining the same pandemic prevention measures as before. People are still being asked to show their health codes when entering shopping malls, hotels and casinos, and the government has even strengthened the prevention measures for hospitals and public employees.
By contrast, Hong Kong announced on Tuesday that its “0+3” isolation policy for foreign arrivals would become “0+0” from Wednesday, removing the last major barrier for travelers to the SAR.
