Macau’s international tourist arrivals have doubled from the first quarter of the year to between 3,000 and 5,000 daily, while overall daily visitor arrivals reached 60,000, according to the director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
Macau recorded a surge in overseas visitors since the gradual resumption of international flights to/from the city. Macau authorities have also pushed tourism campaigns in its source markets.
During a press conference for the Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (MITE), the MGTO director, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, expressed her high expectations for the city’s tourism revival.
“With the travel restrictions lifted, Macau once again welcomes travelers from worldwide in 2023. Themed as MITE connects the World, the Expo ushers in a brand new chapter. We welcome members of the travel trade from near and far to Macau for regional and international tourism cooperation, diversifying visitor markets and rebuilding momentum for tourism development,” she said in a speech.
Meanwhile, the president of the Macau Travel Agency Association, Alex Lao Nga Wong, noted that it is difficult to return to the golden age of tourism by going on the traditional “superficial tour”. He says he believes that it will be necessary to push innovative development of tourism by taking advantage of the cultural elements.
The 11th Macau International Travel (Industry) Expo will take place at the Cotai Expo, in Venetian Macau, from 30 June – 2 July. The event will be the first international travel expo in Macau since the authorities lifted COVID-related restrictions.
The exhibition floor covers about 23,000 square meters and accommodates about 870 booths this year. Gathering members of the trade from different destinations in Macau, the Expo once again features the online “Cloud” series including “Cloud Invitation”, “Cloud B2B”, “Cloud Live Broadcast” and “Cloud Contract Signing”, to widen the channels for business networking and sales and facilitate new partnerships through online and offline exchange. To date, 489 exhibitors and about 500 buyers have registered for participation.
According to the MGTO, the budget for this edition is MOP31.8 million (nearly $4 million), up 23 percent from last year. Macau’s six gaming operators are all event sponsors, injecting about MOP18 million ($2.23 million).
