Macau welcomed 40.06 million visitor arrivals in 2025, setting a new historical record and surpassing pre-pandemic levels, according to preliminary data released on Saturday by the Public Security Police Force.Â
The figure represents a 14.7 percent year-on-year increase compared with 2024 and exceeds the previous all-time high recorded in 2019 by 654,000 visitors, underscoring the city’s continued tourism recovery.
Total inbound and outbound border movements reached 235 million trips during the year, up 9.8 percent year on year, with both indicators marking new records. Authorities said Macau had already surpassed its 2019 visitor total by 11 a.m. on December 27th, before a further surge in arrivals during the final days of the year as tourists visited the city ahead of New Year celebrations.
The 2025 visitor tally also exceeded official expectations, coming in above the 38-39 million arrivals forecast previously issued by the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) for the year.
The latest figures highlight strong momentum in Macau’s tourism sector, driven by sustained demand from regional markets and a high volume of cross-border travel, particularly toward year-end. The data reflect continued normalization of travel flows following the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, with visitor numbers now firmly above pre-COVID benchmarks.
Macau airport passenger volume down 1.6% in 2025
In contrast to the record visitor arrivals via land and sea borders, passenger traffic at Macau International Airport declined in 2025. The airport handled around 7.52 million passengers, representing a 1.6 percent decrease from the previous year, according to the airport operator.
In a statement, Macau International Airport Company said the shortfall was ‘due to the economic context and some factors of uncertainty,’ noting that passenger traffic fell below expectations during the first half of the year and the summer holiday period. The company had earlier warned that geopolitical developments and global economic instability could affect its 2025 performance.
Despite the overall decline, the operator reported several positive trends. Passenger arrivals from overseas rose 7 percent, the number of international routes increased 26 percent, and cargo volume recorded 1.08 percent annual growth. The airport is currently served by 29 airlines operating flights to 47 destinations across Mainland China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea.
To address weaker passenger numbers, the company said it worked with industry stakeholders to attract new airlines, contributing to a recovery in the fourth quarter. New routes were launched or resumed to destinations including Jinan, Cebu, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City and Vladivostok, with discussions ongoing over potential cooperation with Middle Eastern carriers.
