Macau’s hotel situation is “worse than during SARS”

The hotel occupancy rate plunged to just 11.6% during the last week.

Macau.- The Director of the Macau Government Tourism Office has compared the current situation facing Macau’s hotel operators with the SARS outbreak of 2003, saying the Coronavirus outbreak is worse.

Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes’ comments come after revealing that the hotel occupancy rate plunged to just 11.6% over the past seven days.

“The current occupancy rate is worse than the SARS period, it is the worst time I have seen since I’ve entered the tourism industry,” she told the media yesterday.

Fernandes also revealed that the occupancy rate of 5-star hotels was down to single digits while 57% of 2-star hotels and guest houses were occupied, according to Inside Asian Gaming.

Despite the crisis, Fernandes gave assurances that the government will help hotel and travel industries to recover.

Today, four more Macau casinos have reopened after the 15-day closure; the Waldo and President casinos operating under Galaxy Entertainment Group’s license, Melco’s Altira and Grand Dragon.

There are 33 casinos now operating with the rest to reopen by 20 March.