Macao (Macau SAR) – October 11, 2017 (travelindex.com) – More Mainland residents opted for travel during the 1st October Golden Week this year, with both the National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival falling on this eight-day holiday (1st – 8th October). Attributed to this factor, total visitor arrivals to Macao registered an increase in comparison with the corresponding period of last year. Macao welcomed a total of 920,631 visitors during the eight-day 1st October Golden Week. Total visitor arrivals from 1st to 7th October registered a year-on-year rise of 11.6%.
According to the preliminary statistical figures (non-resident employees and students have been excluded from visitor arrivals) provided by the Public Security Police Force, Macao welcomed a total of 920,631 visitors during the eight-day 1st October Golden Week. In comparison with the corresponding seven-day period of last year, total visitor arrivals from 1st to 7th October this year reached 844,522 and marked a year-on-year increase of 11.6%, while visitor arrivals from Mainland China surged by 9.6%.
Greater China market
Macao welcomed a total of 696,636 visitors from the Mainland throughout the eight-day 1st October Golden Week, which constitutes 75.7% of total visitor arrivals to Macao. In the first seven days of the period, visitor arrivals from the Mainland hit 647,352, an increase of 9.6%, whereas visitor arrivals from Taiwan and Hong Kong surged by 20.1% and 6.4% respectively.
Hotel occupancy and room rate
Up to date, the room supply by local hotels and guest houses has reached a total of 37,678 rooms. According to figures provided by travel industry operators, local hotel establishments, especially 3-Star to 5-Star hotels, registered relatively satisfactory occupancy rates during the Golden Week. The average occupancy rate of 3-Star to 5-Star hotels was 95.9%, up 3.1 percentage points. On the other hand, the average occupancy rate of 2-Star hotels was 76.3%, down 1.9 percentage points, whereas the average occupancy rate of guest houses slightly went down by 1 percentage point to 74%.
The average room rate of hotel establishments (hotels and guest houses) in Macao was about 1,829.8 patacas during the Golden Week, a year-on-year increase of 7.0%. The average room rates of 5-Star and 4-Star hotels were around 2,120.3 patacas and 1,395.6 patacas respectively, up 4.3% and 13.1% respectively. The average room rates of 3-Star and 2-Star hotels were around 1,375.1 patacas and 1,129.1 patacas respectively, an increase of 12.6% and 50.9%. The average room rate of local guest houses was around 730.0 patacas, up 18.6%.
Before and during the past Golden Week, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) actively prepared for the arrival of the peak period by carrying out an array of tasks including operation of tourism notification system, reminders to industry operators and visitors via letter and mobile text message respectively, interdepartmental sharing of information, thorough inspections, food guide publication, provision of enquiry service at designated locations, support to local associations for organizing holiday and weekend activities, etc. With the above measures, MGTO strived to cater for the needs of residents and visitors as well as to optimize the tourism environment and service quality in Macao.
Besides the effective operation of the Tourism Notification System in tandem with the Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province during the National Day Golden Week, MGTO also coordinated with related departments and tourism reception units amidst its dedication to the work of welcoming visitors. In addition, MGTO regularly releases different categories of room rates declared by various local hotel establishments on its website for public awareness. Via WeChat, the Office advised visitors to make room reservation and prepare itineraries in advance of their trips to Macao. Via mobile text message, MGTO also advised visitors to visit major local attractions during off-peak hours, in order to divert the flow of visitors and minimize their impact on traffic conditions and neighborhoods near popular tourist sites, thus keeping the positive destination image of Macao. From 30th September to 8th October, staff members were arranged at ten tourist locations to provide visitors with tourism information and guidance while assisting in crowd management.
During the Golden Week, MGTO delegated inspectors to patrol various ports of entries and tourist spots in more scrupulous manner, with a total of 94 inspections conducted. The Office also carried out seven concerted actions with police authorities, inspected 56 premises and sealed four premises allegedly operated as illegal accommodation.
