Macau hopes to reach pre-pandemic foreign tourist levels by 2025

The director of the MGTO sticks to the target of 33 million visitors this year.

Macau.- Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, the director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) said she expects the number of foreign visitors will return to pre-pandemic levels next year. In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Fernandes also said she is confident the city will reach the goal of 33 million visitors this year.

She said this would require engagement through compelling content and reasons to visit, stating that it’s no longer enough to rely on traditional advertising methods, particularly in light of tourist preferences for “personalised services” and family-oriented offerings.

Last year, Macau received 28.23 million, 71 per cent of the 2019 pre-pandemic levels (39.4 million). A week ago, a survey by the China Tourism Academy revealed that Macau was the most popular destination for mainland Chinese tourists in the first quarter of 2024.

The MGTO aims to attract around 2 million visitors from outside of China this year. The city welcomed 3.1 million foreign tourists in 2019, with South Korea the largest market.