Macau SAR Government asks concessionaires to double foreign customers over next decade

Macau’s Secretary for Administration and Justice, André Cheong, said Friday he hoped to see foreign patronage and revenue at the city’s integrated resorts at least double the current level by the end of the 10-year concession period.

“In 2019, foreign patronage accounted for 3.58% of gross gaming revenue, and it will take time for concessionaires to develop foreign visitor sources,” Cheong told reporters after the six concessionaires signed their new contracts.

“The government will ask concessionaires to submit plans to attract foreign patronage, with the goal of doubling the current level of foreign patronage after the 10-year concession period.”

Cheing added, “Before the liberalization of gambling licenses, the proportion of foreign visitors was very high, but after liberalization the proportion of foreign visitors has decreased by about 10%.

“The Government will ask concessionaires to increase the proportion of foreign visitors every year and to double it after 10 years. The Government will follow up on the situation.”

Cheong explained that there would be “dedicated staff” to follow up on the investment situation of the six concessionaires, who have pledged to invest more than MOP$100 billion (US$12.5 billion) over the next 10 years.

“The government does not want the scale of the gaming industry to expand indefinitely, but to control the scale of the gaming industry so that there is more room for non-gaming development,” he said.

Meanwhile, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Elsie Ao Ieong U, said the government continues to monitor the city’s immigration policies after it was confirmed Macau would scrap its hotel quarantine requirement for all arrivals. While hotel quarantine has now been replaced by five days of home isolation, it was pointed out on Friday that even this remains unattractive to foreign visitors.

In response, the Secretary said the government will first observe the implementation of this new policy and if the results are positive, the immigration policy will be relaxed further.