Visitor arrivals up 4.2 percent in March

Saturday 23rd of April 2016

Visitor arrivals in Macau increased 4.2 percent year on year in March, according to the latest data from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).

Visitor numbers reached 2.4 million in March, with overnight visitors rising 14.1 percent year-on-year to 1.2 million, whilst same-day visitors dropped 3.9 percent to 1.2 million, said the bureau.

Average length of stay also increased for the month, to 1.2 days.

Mainland Chinese visitors was up 1.8 percent year on year to 1,483,813 in March, however, those travelling on under the Individual Visit Scheme was down by 6.1 percent.

For the first quarter of 2016, visitor arrivals were up marginally by 0.6 percent year on year to 7.4 million, overnight visitors rose 9 percent, while same-day visitors numbers dropped 5.8 percent year on year.

Visitors from Mainland China decreased 1.7 percent to 4.9 million.

In a note from Morgan Stanley on Monday, March visitor data suggests that spending per capita

deteriorated in March as mass revenue per Chinese visitor fell 10 percent year on year.

In January, Macau Government Tourist Office director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes at an annual press conference said the government intends to attract around 30 million visitors to Macau this year, and persuade more to stay overnight.

Macau visitor numbers rose during Chinese New Year, but saw a decline in visitors in February.

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