The statement also comes after Macau reached the 10 million visitor mark 12 days earlier than it had in 2025, prompting Wu to raise his estimate significantly beyond the 41 million tourists that the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is predicting.
According to official statistics, the first two months of this year alone saw visitor arrivals surpass 7.82 million, yearly growth of 15.1 percent, with overnight visitation increasing by 5 percent yearly, amongst a 22 percent rise in same-day visitation.
Gaming operators, tourism companies and the government are all pushing to increase the average length of stay past the 1.0 day registered in the January-February period, hoping for entertainment – with a particular focus on sports and concerts – to drive longer stays and increased spending.
MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) visitation is also hoped to boost longer tourism stays and diversify source markets. Events such as the International Gastronomy Forum, Macao – which takes place today at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, are aimed at driving the focus away from the gaming floor and to the table.
Despite the positive view from Wu on Macau’s tourism this year, industry experts are predicting that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could have an impact on tourism, particularly that beyond Macau’s primary source market: mainland China.
Numerous countries have already implemented fuel surcharges or fuel saving measures, boosting airfares and increasing travel costs and tourism industry costs across the board. Given the uncertainty surrounding the timeline of the conflict, even as fuel prices continue to rise, the ripple effect on Macau’s tourism expectations could be significant.
Dingnews.com 25/03/2026