Tourism on the rise in Macau: MGTO expects visitors to surpass target

Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said the city could reach 34 million visitors this year.

Macau.- Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, the director of Macau’s Government Tourism Office (MGTO), has said she was confident Macau will surpass the target of 33 million visitors this year. Speaking at a press conference, she said numbers could reach 34 million, matching the forecast of outgoing chief executive Ho Iat Seng in his speech to the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday (November 19).

A week ago, the government reported over 30 million visitors so far, already exceeding last year’s total of 28.25 million. Fernandes told reporters the Macau Grand Prix had boosted November’s visitor numbers and expressed optimism for December, traditionally a peak period due to holidays and events.

Fernandes also highlighted the significance of new infrastructure. The new outdoor venue near the Grand Lisboa Palace will host its first live event on December 28, while Cotai Arena is also soon to open.

The MGTO director mentioned that the six casino operators would be involved in organising this year’s Light Up Macau, the annual light festival, which will take place across seven districts and include decorative lighting, projection displays and interactive installations.

MICE events up 29.8%

The number of MICE events held in Macau in the first nine months of the year was up by 29.8 per cent in year-on-year terms. There were 1,011 events, 94 per cent of the number in pre-Covid-19 2019. The sector generated MOP4.48bn (US$557m) in non-gaming revenue. That’s a rise of 5.4 per cent compared to the same period in 2023 (MOP4.26bn).

There were 943 meetings and conferences, an increase of 30.2 per cent in year-on-year terms. The number of participants grew by 12.7 per cent to136,000. There were 40 exhibitions down by four compared to 2023. Exhibitions drew 4,680 exhibitors and 28,295 professional attendees, down by 0.7 per cent and 9.2 per cent year-on-year, respectively.

Close to 41 per cent of events during the first nine months of the year revolved around commerce and management (409 events). Other topics included IT (108 events), tourism (108 events), and medical and health (97 events). There were 28 incentives, up by 17. The participant count grew by 16 per cent to 12,000.