In July 2024, Macau’s tourism sector experienced notable changes in visitor arrivals, reflecting a complex recovery trajectory.
Visitor Arrivals Overview
Macau recorded 3,021,189 visitor arrivals in July 2024, marking a significant year-on-year increase of 9.5% and a substantial month-on-month rise of 18.4%. Despite these gains, the figures represent a recovery to 85.6% of the levels observed in July 2019. This indicates that while there is positive momentum, the tourism sector is still working to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Regional Breakdown of Visitor Arrivals
Mainland China continues to be the dominant source of visitors for Macau. In July 2024, arrivals from Mainland China totaled 2,183,397, reflecting a robust year-on-year increase of 14.3%. This number represents a recovery to 85.0% of the arrivals seen in July 2019, showing strong demand from this key market.
Hong Kong saw a decline in visitor numbers, with 589,026 arrivals in July, down 10.9% compared to the previous year. However, this figure still represents 92.8% of the levels recorded in July 2019, indicating a partial recovery despite recent decreases.
Taiwan experienced substantial growth, with 75,783 arrivals—up 29.5% from the previous year. This growth brings Taiwanese arrivals to 78.4% of the July 2019 levels, highlighting a significant resurgence from this market.
International Visitor Arrivals
International arrivals totaled 172,983 in July 2024, up 33.3% year-on-year and recovering to 75.5% of the levels seen in July 2019. Among international visitors, the Philippines emerged as the leading source, contributing 42,963 arrivals and marking a year-on-year increase of 38.2%. South Korea also showed strong performance, with 32,825 arrivals and a substantial year-on-year growth of 66.3%.
Length of Stay
The length of stay for visitors reveals a mixed trend. The number of same-day visitors increased to 1,596,662, which is a 20.2% rise year-on-year. In contrast, the number of overnight visitors fell slightly by 0.5% to 1,424,527. The average length of stay decreased marginally to 1.2 days, a reduction of 0.1 days compared to the previous year.
Year-to-Date Statistics
For the first seven months of 2024, Macau saw a total of 19,741,172 visitor arrivals, which is a substantial increase of 37.0% year-on-year. This figure represents 82.9% of the arrivals recorded during the same period in 2019. International arrivals for this period reached 1,341,605, recovering to 68.1% of 2019 levels.
The July 2024 visitor arrival statistics for Macau highlight both progress and ongoing challenges in the tourism sector. While there is notable growth in arrivals from Mainland China and international markets, some areas, particularly Hong Kong, still face hurdles. Overall, the tourism industry is on a recovery path, though it has not yet fully returned to pre-pandemic levels. Understanding these trends is crucial for stakeholders aiming to navigate and capitalize on the evolving landscape of Macau’s tourism sector.