Arrivals to Macau Fall During Chinese New Year – Government Hopes to Uplift Tourism

Though there was much expectation that visitor numbers to Macau would rise during the Chinese New Year Golden Week period in February, this was not the case; the first three days saw just 30,413 arrivals, partly due to a new COVID-19 outbreak in China. However, the Macau government is taking steps to uplift the tourism industry and hospitality sector; as reported on 15th March 2021 on the GGRAsia website, from May to December, the tourism tax which is part of a 5% levy on hotels, massage parlours, karaoke venues and bars, will be waived by the government; the total estimated value of this is US$55 million (MOP440 million).

The government will also spend around US$15 million (MOP120 million) from April to December on providing residents with subsidies to encourage them to stay at city properties or join local tours. In Macau, five-star hotels including properties such as Hotel Okura Macau continue to provide guests with safe stays and these measures will hopefully help to boost arrivals too.