Macau launches subsidy scheme to revive tourism economy

MGTO aims to encourage residents to visit local heritage sites and integrated resort landmarks to support the state’s declining tourism industry

A MOP$280 million (US$35 million) subsidy scheme has been launched by the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) to encourage residents to visit local heritage sites and integrated resort landmarks to support the state’s declining tourism industry. 

Deputy director of MGTO Cheng Wai Tong at a press conference on Tuesday said the scheme will run from June to September to stimulate Macau’s tourism which was badly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Cheng Wai Tong said that the scheme will run from June to September to stimulate Macau’s tourism which was badly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Macau’s tourism and gaming industry was hit hard by the global pandemic during the peak of the Lunar year, the state’s busiest season. Macau also saw a 99.7 percent decline in visitors for April this year compared to the same period last year. Labor Day week, which is also one of the state’s busiest season, had only 600 visitors for the first two days compared to last year’s 437,000 arrivals.  

Macau residents will receive MOP$560 (US$70) for two trips from 15 local tour routes, which also includes visits to the six integrated resorts properties.  

The director also said that the IR operators had been very cooperative in supporting the subsidy scheme and that this will also benefit 148 local travel agencies and 750 local tour guides. 

Residents may choose to visit the following sites in the six integrated resort properties; Grand Resort Deck at Galaxy Entertainment Group, The House of Dancing Water, Golden Reel,, $D Batman Dark Flight at Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Spectacle, MGM Theater backstage at MGM China, TeamLab Super Nature, Eiffel Tower-Parisian Macao in Sands China, Grand Lisboa featire rooms, Michelin restaurants at SJM Holdings and Floral Creations, SkyCab, Performance Lake at Wynn Macau.  

Last March, Macau government issued MOP $3,000 worth of e-vouchers for residents to be used from 01 May to 31 July of this year, to assist the state’s economy affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.  

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