The Macau government has budgeted circa MOP600 million (US$74.2 million) this year to stimulate inbound tourism, including via consumer roadshows on the Chinese mainland and overseas, and subsidised promotions such as a ‘buy-one-get-one free’ offer on certain air tickets to the city.
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), mentioned the steps in comments to local media.
She said tickets had been earmarked for that promotion, and the government was in talks with the aviation industry regarding how they might be allocated route-wise, though noted they would be for journeys linking directly to Macau.
The tourism boss made the remarks on the sidelines of a Tuesday event in Macau hosted by Malaysia-based budget regional airline AirAsia.
In a written reply to GGRAsia, MGTO confirmed that the MOP600-million budget covers promotional offers for “package tours, flights and hotel stays” in Macau.
Macau’s Civil Aviation Authority has already authorised the resumption of weekly scheduled flights between the city and several Southeast Asia cities, according to a notification published on February 7.
The approval covers connections to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Bangkok in Thailand, and Phnom Penh in Cambodia, with services due to start this month. Services to Manila in the Philippines, Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia, Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Danang and Cam Ranh in Vietnam, are due from March.
Earlier this month, Cheng Wai Tong, deputy director at MGTO, said the city was considering subsidising package tour travellers drawn either from overseas, or Hong Kong or Taiwan, at a rate of MOP350 per head if they stay one night, or MOP500 per head, if they stay two consecutive nights.
