• About Us
  • The Team
  • Advertise with Us

The latest news on the gaming industry in Asia

() () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () () ()
  • Home
  • Macau
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Japan
  • Rest of Asia
  • World
  • Features
  • Industry Talk
  • Trends & Tech
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • RSS Feed
    • LinkedIn

Macau draws nearly 36mln visitors, up 10pct in 2018: govt

Jan 23, 2019 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  


Macau draws nearly 36mln visitors, up 10pct in 2018: govt

Total visitor arrivals to Macau in full-year 2018 was slightly above 35.80 million, up 9.8 percent from the 32.61-million record set in 2017, according to data published on Wednesday by the city’s Statistics and Census Service. The average length of stay per trip for those visiting during the calendar year remained stable at 1.2 days, added the bureau.

On Wednesday the statistics bureau said that for full-year 2018 the overnight-stay visitor tally rose by 7.2 percent to slightly above 18.49 million, accounting for nearly 51.7 percent of total visitor arrivals and setting a new record in terms of quantity. Same-day visitors stood at 17.31 million, up 12.7

Visitor arrivals by land surged by 18.9 percent year-on-year, to approximately 22.15 million, with 1.05 million entering via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. The director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, told reporters in December that the opening of the bridge, in October, had helped further push up visitor arrivals to Macau.

Visitor arrivals by air grew by 20.1 percent, to nearly 3.30 million last year. Arrivals by sea however saw a decline of 7.8 percent, to approximately 10.36 million, according to Wednesday’s data.

On January 22, Macau International Airport Co Ltd said improvements planned for 2019 at the city’s air hub should help boost its passenger traffic capacity to 8.70 million movements this year. Macau International Airport’s record-breaking annual passenger volume in 2018 amounted to 8.26 million arrivals and departures, said the facility’s operator.

In 2018, more than 25.26 million visitors came from mainland China, a rise of 13.8 percent. Approximately 41.6 percent of the visitors from mainland China had been travelling from Guangdong province.

The aggregate figure for mainland Chinese included nearly 12.27 million visitors under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), a system allowing independent outbound travel for visitors hailing from certain economically-developed cities. Arrivals via IVS visa constituted 48.6 percent of mainland visitor arrivals.

Among international feeder markets, South Korea continued to rank first, contributing more than 812,800 visitors to Macau, albeit a decline of 7 percent in 2018. Arrivals by Japanese visitors fell by 1 percent. The tally of visitors from the United States and Australia rose by 8.3 percent and 2.2 percent respectively.

In December alone, visitor arrivals to Macau totalled nearly 3.57 million, up by 16.9 percent year-on-year. Overnight visitors and same-day visitors in that month grew by 6.5 percent and 28.9 percent respectively.

Preliminary figures from MGTO indicate that the total of overnight guests at hotel establishments increased by 6 percent, to approximately 14 million last year. The average occupancy rate of hotel establishments in Macau in 2018 topped 90 percent, a year-on-year increase of more than 3 percentage points. The average room rate of three- to five-star hotels last year was US$168.80, up by 7 percent, according to the tourism bureau.

Up to the end of 2018, there were 120 hotel establishments in Macau supplying a total of 40,109 rooms, a year-on-year increase of 5.8 percent. The number includes 50 budget accommodation establishments with an aggregate of 1,776 rooms.

Total visitor expenditure between January and September 2018 – excluding spending on gaming – amounted to US$29.8 billion, up 11.9 percent from the prior-year period.

The tourism office said in a statement issued following a media briefing on Wednesday that in 2019 it would strive to foster smart tourism and implement strategies and recommendations proposed by the Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan, which was published in September 2017. It said additionally that it would actively work to develop Macau into a tourism education and training base in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, and to enhance the quality of the city’s tourism industry.

(Updated at 3:36pm, Jan 23)


  • tweet
Related articles
  • 2020 tourist tally down 85pct at 5.9mln: Macau police
    2020 tourist tally down 85pct at...

    Jan 14, 2021  

  • Macau no guess if impact by China no CNY travel call
    Macau no guess if impact by China no...

    Jan 12, 2021  

More news
  • Digital yuan eventually for Macau mass bets mulls Bernstein
    Digital yuan eventually for Macau mass...

    Jan 22, 2021  

  • Macau Covid-19 case no bar to mainland travel ties
    Macau Covid-19 case no bar to mainland...

    Jan 22, 2021  


Latest News

Digital yuan eventually for Macau mass bets mulls Bernstein

Digital yuan eventually for Macau mass bets mulls Bernstein

Jan 22, 2021  

Were China’s central government-backed digital yuan (CNY) to be adopted in Macau for casino chip transactions, it could in the long run benefit mass and premium-mass play, as cross-border money...
Read More
Macau Covid-19 case no bar to mainland travel ties

Macau Covid-19 case no bar to mainland travel ties

Jan 22, 2021  

Mohegan seeks govt nod to delay Inspire opening

Mohegan seeks govt nod to delay Inspire opening

Jan 22, 2021  

Sign up to our FREE Newsletter

UB8V5.qr.16(Click here for more)

Partners

Pick of the Day

"The entire company is eagerly anticipating the launch of our newest themed destination – The Londoner Macao"

Wilfred Wong Ying Wai

President of Macau-based casino operator Sands China



Most Popular

  • Sands China sixth Macau op to pledge staff extra paymentSands China sixth Macau op to pledge staff extra payment January 21, 2021
  • Londoner Macao first phase launch Feb 8 says Sands ChinaLondoner Macao first phase launch Feb 8 says Sands China January 21, 2021
  • Wynn and Melco also flag bonus for Macau staffWynn and Melco also flag bonus for Macau staff January 19, 2021
  • Investors see 2H Macau gain, rebound 2022: BernsteinInvestors see 2H Macau gain, rebound 2022: Bernstein January 19, 2021
  • Melco likely to take on more debt for expansion: Moody’sMelco likely to take on more debt for expansion: Moody’s January 20, 2021
Copyright 2014-2020 TEAM Publishing and Consultancy Ltd / All rights reserved
  • Code of Ethics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Useful Links
  • Contact Us