Macau: Golden Week kicks off with 30-40% hotel occupation

The Golden Week holiday began yesterday with low occupation compared to previous years, but the sector is confident.

Macau.- The Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes has revealed hotel occupation at the start of the Golden Week holiday is running at between 30 and 40 per cent.

According to TDM Radio, the MGTO says the booking rate for five-star hotels is between 40 and 43 per cent, and at around 30 per cent for three and four-star hotels.

Fernandes said: “Of course, compared to previous years, [this rate] is still far [from the usual], but at least we are reopening tourism, we are having more tourists coming in and we are having movement in terms of our products. I think it is important for the confidence of the sector”.

Last year, Macau saw almost 1 million visitors during the annual Golden Week holiday period.

Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng predicted yesterday that the daily number of visitors during Golden Week this year, from October 1 to 8, would exceed 20,000, while daily entries from mainland China prior to the holiday were between 18,000 and 19,000.

The company responsible for Macau International Airport (MIA) estimated that about 400 flights carrying more than 10,000 passengers will operate during the holiday period.