Macau’s government shut down a total of 85 illegal accommodation units in the first six months of this year. This was the result of 119 joint operations conducted by authorities.
According to a local media outlet, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) inspected 244 units suspected of providing illegal accommodations and sealed off 85 of them. Legal actions have been initiated against the offenders.
MGTO received 276 complaints related to illegal accommodation and unlicensed tour guides during this period. In response, MGTO, in collaboration with other government departments, carried out 912 inspections, including 793 inspections at border checkpoints and tourist attractions.
MGTO recorded statements from 10 individuals suspected of being unlicensed tour guides and reported these cases to the mainland’s tourism authorities.
The city’s Legislative Assembly passed a government-initiated amendment bill in December last year to ban the illegal provision of accommodation. This law requires visitors staying in Macau for up to 90 days to stay in a hotel rather than in a residential unit, aiming to combat and curb the illegal provision of accommodation in residential units.
The law also makes it an offense for owners or tenants to rent out residential units to visitors for less than 90 days. However, short-term visitors are allowed to stay in residential units if they have a familial relationship with the accommodation provider or are in Macau for work, study, academic events, or religious, charitable, sporting, or cultural activities.
Macau boasts 143 hotels with 47,000 guest rooms available as of May. The average occupancy rate of guest rooms remains above 80 percent this year, with five-star hotels in high demand.
