The Association of Macao Tourist Agents said on Wednesday that the first Labor Day holiday after lifting all COVID curbs had exceeded expectations.
Speaking to local media, the vice-president of the association (AMTA), Tang Ka Man, noted that Macau received many one-day trip tour groups from the Guangdong province. At the same time, the number of tour groups visiting Macau and Hong Kong reached 300 daily. The figure shows a multi-fold increase compared to normal days.
Macau starts to receive tour groups from overseas this month, which is expected to further boost Macau’s recovery.
The vice-president of the Macau Hoteliers & Innkeepers Association, Vong Lai Mei, commented that Macau’s hotel occupancy rate reached 2019 levels, with 85 percent of hotel rooms occupied. At the same time, Macau’s hotel average room price increased by up to 3 percent compared to the Labor Day holiday of 2019.
China’s State Council has designated April 29th to May 3rd as the Labor Day holiday period on the mainland. According to statistical data, Macau welcomed about 491,000 tourists during the five-day Labor Day holiday. Macau recorded 133,911 arrivals last Sunday, its highest daily total since early 2020.
Due to the influx, Macau authorities implemented several crowd control measures to ensure a pleasant journey for residents and tourists in downtown areas, such as the Ruins of Saint Paul’s, one of Macau’s primary tourist attractions.
Local media also reported that the accelerated recovery was also seen in maritime traffic. The Marine and Water Bureau revealed that ferry operators increased the daily sailings to/from Hong Kong to 80 this month. The passenger volume reached 60 percent of pre-COVID levels.
Due to construction work on the fourth bridge that will connect Macau and Taipa, the ferry service is suspended from 3AM to 3PM on Thursday (May 4th).
