MACAU - The decrease in international tourists and mainland groups, due to social unrest in Hong Kong, will prevent Macau from hitting its predicted 40 million arrivals record for 2019.
The territory also faces a less buoyant 2020.
Macau’s busy first 10 months of 2019 saw a 15.3% year-on-year increase in tourism arrivals to 33.4 million, but authorities are not expecting the growth to endure to year-end, or into 2020.
According to Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, while the territory was expecting to break the 40 million visitor barrier in 2019, this is no longer the case, although numbers are expected to surpass those for 2018.
So far, 2019’s positive figures are thanks to the 28% increase in day visitors to 17.66 million, and authorities suggest that this reflects the popularity of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, which celebrated its first anniversary in October of this year.
Overnight visitors increased 3.9% to 15.74 million.
“I believe that in November we will see, for the first time, a decrease in visitor arrivals. I also believe that we all witnessed a decrease in visitors of the Macau Grand Prix last month,” said Senna Fernandes.
While Christmas may bring a flurry of visitors to celebrate the festive season, it is the social unrest in Hong Kong that is being blamed for a resulting decrease in international visitors and mainland sourced tour groups.
Taking advantage of the popularity of the mega-bridge, Senna Fernandes is hoping that the Zhuhai government’s plans to develop tourism on its east artificial island will boost tourism arrivals.