Macau sees 1.1 million international visitors in first half of year

Provisional data from the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) indicates that the gambling city received 1.1 million international visitors in the first half of the year.

Talking to public broadcasting services TDM’s Ou Mun Tin Toi, MGTO Deputy Director Ricky Hoi said Macau is on track to surpass 2 million foreign visitors in 2024. The predicted numbers are significantly higher than last year's 1.4 million, though still short of the 3 million visitors recorded in 2019.

Hoi also mentioned that MGTO is working to broaden its international visitor base through partnerships, such as organizing one-day visits to Macau for up to 500 passengers from cruise ships docking in Hong Kong.

Additionally, MGTO plans to launch a major tourism promotion campaign for Macau in the latter half of the year. In recent months, Macau has conducted roadshows in several international locations, including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Japan.

Even as the visitor inflow signals hopes of a business revival, Macau's gaming revenue slowed in June, impacted by fewer long holidays and cautious spending by Chinese tourists.

Gross gaming revenue (GGR) grew 16.4% year-on-year to 17.7 billion patacas ($2.2 billion), according to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau. However, this growth fell short of the median analyst estimate of a 17.5% increase and represented a 12.4% decline from May's figures. The revenue was also 25.7% lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

June is traditionally a slower period for Macau's casinos, with a dip in visitors following May's Golden Week holiday. In 2019, June's gaming revenue was 8% lower than in May. The decline in spending by Chinese tourists, who make up the largest visitor group to Macau, further contributed to the revenue slowdown. Economic uncertainty has led to more cautious spending among these visitors.