Macau: IR occupancy drops in 2019

Latest figures from the Macau Government Tourism Office reveal a drop in stays at 5-star and 4-star hotels.

Macau.- The Macau Government Tourism Office has published the latest occupation numbers which reveal a decline in occupancy at 5-star and 4-star hotels. According to the report, Macau’s hotels reached a combined occupancy rate of 91.0% in 2019, down 0.9% percentage points over the previous year.

There was a 0.9 percentage point decline in occupancy at 5-star hotels to 92.3% and a 7.5 percentage point fall in 4-star hotel occupancy to 84.9%. Conversely, 3-star hotels enjoyed a 7.5 percentage point increase to 94.4%.

No reasons were provided for the changes but analysts had already warned about the impact the recent visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping would have on the city. They have attributed a 13.7% year-on-year decline in Macau’s gross gaming revenue in December to tightened visa controls and heightened security measures ahead of the Jinping official tour for the SAR’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

In December, occupancy across all hotels fell to 90.6% from 96.6% during the same period last year. All hotel segments suffered falling occupancy rates in December, with 5-star hotels down from 96.5% to 94.1% and 4-star hotels falling by 20.3 percentage points to 75.3%.