Macau visitors decline for the first time post-COVID reopening
Macau marked a first yearly drop in visitor arrivals since the COVID-19 reopening in January 2023. According to the Statistics and Census Service, February registered about 3.15 million, which marked a drop of 4.4 percent compared to the same period last year.
One of the primary reasons for this decline is the unusually high baseline set in February 2024. During that period, Macau benefited from an extended eight-day Chinese New Year holiday, which saw an influx of travelers, particularly from mainland China.
In comparison, February 2025 witnessed a significant drop with Macau registering 1.31 million visitor arrivals between 28 January and 4 February. This marked a drop of 3.5 per cent from 2024’s Chinese New Year holiday period, averaging nearly 164,000 visitors per day. Concerns were raised after Macau’s visitor arrivals witnessed a significant drop during the Chinese New Year holiday, falling short of even Macao Government Tourism Office’s (MGTO) forecast.
One of the key reasons for the drop in Macau’s visitor numbers was the influence of neighbouring regions, particularly Hong Kong. Andy Wu, president of the Macau Tourism Industry Association, suggested that large-scale celebrations in cities like Hong Kong may have diverted some potential travelers away from Macau, leading to an initial drop in the number of visitors, followed by a slight rebound as the holiday progressed.
Tourists from mainland China drop
Mainland China has always been the largest source of visitors for Macau, accounting for over 70 percent of its tourism market. However, the number of visitors from mainland China fell by 6.4 percent in February this year, reaching 2.29 million. The numbers find that visitors using the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) decreased by 11.1 percent to 1.33 million. The new visa policies in China were mainly attributable for this drop, with travelers being subject to restrictions such as the “one trip per week measure” and the “multiple-entry measure.”
Another reason for the drop was reduced visitor arrivals from Pearl River Delta cities within the Greater Bay Area. In February, visitors from this region dropped by 3.2 percent, totaling 1.12 million. Hong Kong, another major source of visitors, also experienced a 4.7 percent drop.
On the other hand, international visitors increased by 17.9 percent year-on-year, with a notable surge from Southeast Asia. Indonesia marked a 19.6 percent rise, Malaysia 18.1 percent, Thailand 25.5 percent, and Singapore 25.2 percent. Visitors from the Philippines decreased by 2.5 percent to 38,847 in February 2025. Despite the February drop, in the first two months of 2025, Macau recorded a total of 6.79 million visitor arrivals, representing a 10.4 percent year-on-year increase.
