In February, Macau Welcomed a Record 1.6 Million Visitors, Marking the Highest Attendance Since the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Recently, Macau experienced its busiest month since the onset of the pandemic back in early 2020.
According to statistics provided recently by the local government's Statistics and Census Bureau, over 1.59 million visitors made their way to this popular destination. This is a 14% increase from the previous month when nearly 1.4 million people visited the casino hub.
Making a comparison to the prior year, February 2023 was an impressive 143% more active than February 2022, when approximately 655,500 people ventured to the Chinese Special Administrative Region (SAR).
The reason behind this surge in activity can be attributed to the ending of China President Xi Jinping's strict "zero-COVID" policy in late November last year. With this policy now discontinued, life in China has started returning to normal.
The termination of the "zero-COVID" policy allowed Chinese individuals more freedom to travel within the country and between its two SARs.
Notably, tour groups from the mainland resumed in early February following a pause of over three years. Additionally, China's Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), which allows simplified travel documentation, was reinstated. Electronic visas were also withheld since early 2020.
A Significant Recovery
Macau's casinos are now experiencing a rebound in demand as a result of the pandemic-induced lull. The six casino operators generated $1.43 billion in January and $1.28 billion in February - both months registered exceeded analysts' forecasts.
Although provinces and municipalities can determine their pandemic protocols independently after Xi stated that the national government would no longer intervene, Macau does not seem to be considering any changes. With all of China's borders open as well as to foreigners, its gaming industry is optimistic about continuing its growth spurt.
The heightened significance of the number of visitors is a crucial factor influencing the overall well-being of Macau's gaming sector. Before the pandemic, the junket industry played a key role, as VIP tour groups dominated Macau's high-roller rooms. Casinos would share a portion of their gaming profits with these tour facilitators who brought the VIPs to Macau.
Now, Macau's gaming industry is predominantly focused on catering to the general public. As a result, visitor numbers are even more critical now.
Keeping the Momentum
The casino floors in Macau were busier than they have been in years during the last month - the 1.59 million people who crossed the border gates in February 2023 marked the highest monthly count since January 2020.
However, there's still a long way to go for Macau to reclaim its pre-pandemic visitor numbers. In February 2019, the SAR saw more than 3.5 million visitors.
Macau officials predict visitor arrivals will continue to grow in the coming month. Members from the Macau Government Tourism Office affirmed that they anticipate around 60,000 daily visitors in March 2023, indicating a rough estimate of approximately 1.86 million guests for the entire month.
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