Macau saw around 62,000 visitors arrive during the three-day New Year’s holiday from 31 December to 2 January, with the average of more than 20,000 visitors each day representing a decrease compared to the same period last year.
Including local comings and goings, there were a total of 352,000 arrivals to Macau, of which 62,000 were tourists. The highest number of arrivals was on 31 December, with 28,000 visitors entering Macau – falling to 18,000 arrivals on New Year’s Day.
This was lower than the New Year’s period last year, when 42,000 visitors arrived on New Year’s Eve and 31,000 on New Year’s Day. The number of arrivals on 1 January 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic had effected the Macau tourism industry, was 241,000.
The number of positive COVID cases in both Macau and mainland China has risen sharply since Beijing confirmed a relaxation of epidemic prevention policies, which has seen a reduction in regional travel.
However, it has been announced that after 8 January there will no longer be a quarantine requirement for entry into China and outbound travel for Chinese citizens will resume. Macau has since become the most searched tourist destination for the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday period on many Chinese travel platforms.
