Zona de Azar China – Macao Government Tourism Office Aims for 33 Million Visitors in 2024

China.- January 19th 2024 www.zonadeazar.com The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is optimistic about the prospects for tourism in Macau this year, setting a target of welcoming around 33 million visitors in 2024. To achieve this goal, the MGTO plans to conduct roadshows in Thailand, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian countries during the first half of the year.

During an event on Thursday, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes shared insights, stating, “The average daily visitor arrivals from January to the present range from 70,000 to 80,000, reaching as high as 100,000 on weekends.”

With the upcoming eight-day Chinese New Year holiday, the government is gearing up to attract mainland tourists to Macau through a series of activities. A highlight of these efforts is the “float parade,” where each of the six concessionaires will participate by sending a float to the event.

Senna Fernandes expressed expectations of an increase in average daily visitor arrivals to 120,000 during the holiday period, with an overarching goal of achieving 33 million arrivals for the entire year.

“This year, the MGTO will concentrate on overseas markets, organizing roadshows in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Malaysia in the first half of the year. We also plan to participate in travel shows in Europe,” she explained.

To boost international and Taiwanese tourism, the MGTO launched a free ticket offer for the new direct bus service from Hong Kong International Airport to Macau on January 1. This initiative aims to encourage tourists visiting Hong Kong to extend their trips to Macau.

“Hong Kong’s visitor arrivals returned to pre-pandemic levels last year, and now the government aims to attract more international visitors to Macau,” stated Senna Fernandes. She emphasized her desire to see the number of international visitors to Macau, excluding those from the mainland, Hong Kong, or Taiwan, return to pre-pandemic levels, reaching 3 million tourists.

“The achievement of this target will depend on various factors, including the resumption of flights in the aviation industry and the manpower situation,” added the MGTO boss on Thursday.

Edited by: @MaiaDigital www.zonadeazar.com