Macau occupancy rate up 10.3 percentage points in February

The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) has reported that Macau’s hotel occupancy rate was 48.7 per cent in February.

Macau.- Macau’s tourism sector recovered a little in February, with 493,000 visitors staying in hotels in the city. The number of hotel guests was up by 29.3 per cent year-on-year. The average hotel occupancy rate in Macau rose 10.3 percentage points to 48.7 per cent.

The DSEC reported that of total guests 396,000 came from mainland China. That’s an increase of 30.9 per cent year-on-year. Meanwhile, 68,000 were local guests – up 25.1 per cent year-on-year. The average occupancy rate for the first two months of 2022 was up 6.8 percentage points to 46.2 per cent. 

The DSEC has reported that Macau registered 7.71m visitor arrivals in 2021, up 30.7 per cent year-on-year but down 80 per cent when compared to pre-pandemic levels. Mainland China continues to be the only country to have a largely quarantine-free travel bubble with Macau. 

Macau reduces quarantine requirements

Since March 28, the quarantine requirement for visitors to Macau has been reduced from 21 to 14 days. Inbound travellers have to show a negative Covid-19 test and proof of vaccination and need to undergo testing four times for seven days. Leisure travellers from overseas (not Hong Kong or Macau) are still not allowed to enter Macau. 

China’s tourism recovery will remain volatile in 2022, analysts say

While new Covid-19 cases have decreased in China in recent days, analysts don’t see much chance of a recovery for tourism anytime soon. According to Fitch Ratings, the sector will remain volatile throughout this year due to travel restrictions.

Fitch noted that the government’s Covid-19 guidelines have helped drive a recovery in domestic tourism but that any surge in cases would likely weigh on tourism activity.