In the first six days of the National Day Golden Week holiday, Macau welcomed 915,696 visitors, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, with one day still remaining in the holiday. According to statistics from the Public Security Police Force, the daily average of visitors reached 152,616, with the peak occurring on Sunday, at 123,288 visitors.
This year's total number of visitors has already exceeded the same period in 2019, which saw 897,020 visitors. As the holiday draws to a close, it is expected that Macau will surpass the 931,000 visitors received during the eight-day Golden Week period in 2023.
From October 2nd to 5th, the daily average of incoming visitors exceeded 150,000, maintaining strong visitor numbers. The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) reported that the highest single-day entry was on Thursday, October 3rd, with 174,313 visitors.
The number of visitors from Mainland China was particularly strong, reaching 678,067 in the first five days, an increase of 54.8% year-over-year. In contrast, the number of visitors from Hong Kong decreased by 25.2%, totaling 79,895.
CLSA states tourism and gaming industries surpass 2019 levels
CLSA noted that the start of the October Golden Week was promising, with visitor numbers surpassing 2019 levels. According to CLSA analysts, popular integrated resorts and entertainment venues such as Wynn Palace, MGM Cotai, and Studio City attracted a large number of visitors. The casinos maintained stable minimum bets and introduced new betting options, such as the "Lucky Seven" baccarat bet, which was particularly popular at Studio City and The Venetian.
Meanwhile, Kevin Lei, Vice President of Gaming Strategy and Optimization at MGM Macau, in an earlier interview with SiGMA News, stated that despite intense competition from other regions, Macau still holds a competitive edge in the gaming industry due to its geographical location and the uniqueness of its products.
Positive Outlook for Macau
CLSA predicts that Macau's gaming revenue in October will grow by 6% year-over-year, expected to reach 20.65 billion Macau Patacas (approximately 2.34 billion Euros). The research also highlighted that hotel booking demand is strong, with many top hotels like Studio City's Morpheus and the Grand Hyatt fully booked. The scarcity of available rooms reflects the increased demand from visitors, with fewer hotels available for booking this year compared to last year.
