Expectations for the summer holiday period in July and August have been diminished due to the outbreak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Macau.- Analysts expected better GGR for Macau\u00a0<\/strong>in July and August during the summer holiday period, but that may be off the cards after the city\u00a0detected local cases of Covid-19.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Andy Wu Keng Kuong<\/strong>, president of Macau Travel Industry Council, said the city now expects an\u00a0average hotel occupancy rate of less than 50 per cent<\/strong> for August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said: “We hope that the local Covid-19\u00a0situation can be controlled within 14 days<\/strong>\u00a0so that hospitality businesses here can gradually pick up starting from late August.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, he said it may take another month to see a recovery in tourist arrivals. Ma Chio Hong<\/strong>, a member of the Public Security Police, reported that only 1,800 tourists arrived in Macau on Wednesday while on Tuesday there were 12,900 arrivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Authorities had already implemented new controls requiring\u00a0all visitors to Macau<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>from any mainland Chinese city to hold a negative\u00a0nucleic acid test certificate<\/strong>\u00a0for Covid-19.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ian Couglan<\/strong>,\u00a0Wynn Macau president<\/a>, has said he is confident that Macau’s outbreak will quickly be under control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Casinos remain open for now, though Couglan said a return to \u201cnormal levels\u201d of business will depend on an increase in the vaccination rate <\/strong>in the city and its neighbouring provinces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some\u00a0289,941 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in Macau<\/strong>, but only 234,849 people have received two doses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sanford C. Bernstein Ltd<\/a> has predicted that Macau\u2019s GGR for August could be down 60 per cent compared to August 2019 as the Covid-19 cases are still spreading across China, and Macau-Hong Kong bubble travel<\/a> is not likely to reopen soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n