IVS numbers, HK visitors may spike
When the final tabulations are in, the number of Mainland Chinese who visited Macau during the seven-day Chinese New Year is likely to be about the same as those who visited in 2015, according to a report in the Macau Business Daily.
Andy Wu Keng Kuong, president of the Macau Travel Industry Council, said he expects a drop in the number of package tours from the mainland. “We estimate that the total visitor number for this Chinese New Year will remain at the same level as last year, or register only a slight increase at most,” he said. “However, those travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme may increase. In addition, visitors from Hong Kong, which accounts for some 20 per cent of our total tourist number, will jump.”
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, said about 1 million tourists would visit the territory during the annual holiday celebration, down from 1.09 million in 2015.
Chan Chi Kit, president of the Macau Hoteliers & Innkeepers Association, said occupancy for three-star to five-star hotels in the city had almost reached 100 percent at the height of the Lunar New Year. Most of the hotels lowered their rates by 10 percent to 15 percent for the holiday, “given higher supply for this year,” he said, an apparent reference to several new resorts that have opened on the Cotai Strip.
“This year’s hotel rates are not as aggressive as the past few years.” he said. “For example, some of the five-star hotel room rates reached nearly MOP 6,000 (US$750) and MOP7,000 per night during some popular days in previous CNYs. However, this situation is not apparent this year.”
According to the Macau Daily Times, Paulo Martins Chan, the new head of the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau said the 20-month recession in Macau should wane this year.
“According to the predictions of economists and some investment banks, we are cautiously optimistic,” he said. “Also in January, there was slight growth when compared to December 2015 and, since we are in the month of Chinese New Year, we believe that the revenues will grow. The most difficult phase has already passed.”
