That’s less than half of 2019’s figure, showing international tourists are returning at a far slower pace than those from Greater China.
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes
The so-called Tourism Sources Expansion Package will see perks handed out in a bid to lure travellers from new markets.
That’s the ambitious new target authorities are aiming for. It’s about double the number that arrived in the first 10 months of this year.
The prestigious event brings key industry players together to hash out the future of tourism in the region and gives Macao an opportunity to showcase its own offerings.
Visitors from Macao’s near neighbour have almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, says Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes.
Macao’s tourism authorities want more foreigners to visit Macao to reduce the city’s reliance on gamblers from mainland China.
The head of the Macao Government Tourism Office concedes that ‘we are learning as we go’ but is confident that Muslim markets can be developed.
Average daily visitor arrivals should bounce back with the Mid-Autumn and National Day celebrations, officials say.
The number is less than 60 percent of the total number of visitors recorded during the first half of 2019, before the pandemic hit.
