The Tourism Development Committee (CDT, on its Portuguese acronym) convened the second Plenary Meeting of 2021 at Macao Science Center today (12 November), presided over by Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and Committee Chairperson, Lei Wai Nong. Different CDT members actively raised suggestions on Macao’s latest tourism situation. Next year, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) will strive to push forward tourism recovery and development by working on four major areas as follows: expand the spectrum of visitor source, foster community tourism and economy, deepen “tourism +” integration and regional cooperation. 

Secretary Lei Wai Nong indicated that the earlier pandemic situation has taken a toll upon the tourism industry and economy in Macao. With prudent and optimal use of financial resources as the foremost consideration, the SAR Government has launched eight COVID-19 relief measures for small- and medium-sized enterprises to deliver precise and immediate support for the society, with the aim to fuel the continuous momentum of local businesses, safeguard local employment and maintain social stability. 

He added that with the launch of the Master Plan of the Development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, the SAR Government will dedicate unreserved efforts to embrace the new horizon of possibilities for integrated development unveiled by the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, to steer forward cooperation between Hengqin and Macao in related industries. He hopes that industry operators can actively align with the work direction of the SAR Government by developing and promoting island tours, wellness tours for Chinese medicine and other distinctive itineraries across Hengqin and Macao, as well as the development of tourism + MICE and sports among other fields, jointly tapping into the unprecedented potential and opportunities for development. 

43% year-on-year surge of visitor arrivals in the first nine months 
Deputy Director of MGTO, Cheng Wai Tong, presented an overview of Macao’s current tourism situation. The figures revealed that in the first nine months of 2021, the numbers of visitor arrivals, overnight guests and hotel overnight guests all climbed up to a relatively large extent. Visitor arrivals totaled 5.756 million, a year-on-year surge of 43.2%, while the average length of visitors’ stay was 1.6 days (year-on-year rise of 0.2 day). The accumulative volume of overnight-stay visitors exceeded 2.904 million, an increase of 61.3%, while the average length of stay of overnight-stay visitors was 3.1 days (year-on-year rise of 0.3 day). There was a total of 5.04 million hotel overnight guests, a remarkable rise of 111.7%, while the average length of stay of hotel overnight guests was 1.8 nights (year-on-year rise of 0.2 night). 

Overall, the average occupancy rates of hotel establishments from January to October ranged between 40% and 60%. 

Visitor arrivals rebound in recent months under stable pandemic situation 
Despite the pandemic situation’s temporary impact upon visitor arrivals since September until early this month, visitor numbers have rebounded within a relatively short time once restriction measures were loosened across the border, followed by the promotional campaign rolled out by MGTO. The figures show an obvious increase in visitor arrivals in recent months compared with the visitor numbers before. Average daily visitor arrivals between 20 October and 10 November reached 25,168, which rose by 20% compared with the average daily volume of visitors in September. 

Precision marketing 
Steady rise in numbers of young Mainland visitors 
Statistical data indicate that the market segment of Mainland visitors aged between 15 and 24 was steadily trending upward in terms of visitations to Macao in the first nine months of 2021. Given the potential of young consumers to travel, MGTO has adopted precision marketing strategies in accord with the social media habits of target visitors to enhance destination promotion towards this market segment in recent years. 

Following the reinstatement of travel permit issuance for Mainland residents to Macao since September 2020, MGTO has unfolded a comprehensive array of online and offline promotions continuously. In addition to organizing a series of Macao Weeks in different Mainland provinces and cities, the Office publicized its promotional activities on various social media online by successively launching a range of special offers including half-price Macao hotel coupons, cash vouchers for visitors as well as buy-one-get-one-free air tickets. Furthermore, MGTO invited Mainland KOLs to experience different activities in Macao and promote the destination on their platforms, to boost Mainland residents’ intention to travel to Macao. 

Riding on the upward trend of visitor arrivals from January to September 2021, MGTO is spotlighting the city’s colorful calendar of mega events and activities in November and December to attract more visitors into town. Poised to dazzle in December, the Macao Light Festival 2021 and the Light up Macao Drone Gala will radiate greater charm in synergy and widen the choice of nighttime leisure entertainment in Macao. MGTO is also joining different local community organizations with the support of different governmental entities as co-organizers to roll out the activity series “Tour Macao FUN Fair” from November until early next year, to draw a higher influx of residents and visitors into local communities for sightseeing and spending to spur community tourism development. 

Brief CDT members on the first review study report for the Master Plan
MGTO also briefed CDT members on the first review study report for the Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan. In the future, the Office will be committed to progressing forward with different “actions in focus” in the following six areas and so forth: tourism products and facilities, quality tourism and collaboration, precision marketing, urban construction, smart technology, as well as regional and international cooperation. 

Four major work goals in 2022: expand visitor source, foster community tourism and economy, deepen “tourism +” integration and regional cooperation 
As MGTO Director Senna Fernandes introduced at the Meeting, MGTO will forge ahead with different tasks next year according to the four major work goals as follows:
1. Expand the spectrum of visitor source to revive the tourism and service industries: promote Macao as a safe and quality destination through different channels and attract visitors by creating more innovative travel experiences to offer; 
2. Stimulate community economy: launch the specialized subsidy programs for “Development of community tourism and economy”, “Gastronomic culture promotion” and “Maritime tourism”; adjust the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme (QTSAS); produce promotional videos highlighting both major travel attractions and cultural elements in Macao; 
3. Deepen cross-sector integration of “tourism +” and foster quality tourism development: deepen integration across fields including “tourism + MICE”, “tourism + sports”, “tourism + e-commerce” and “tourism + culture and creativity”; steer the tourism industry towards advanced quality development; 
4. Deepen regional cooperation: deepen tourism cooperation with Hengqin and across the Greater Bay Area. 

CDT members actively raise many suggestions 
At the Meeting, many CDT members raised their perspectives and suggestions on a range of topics as follows: deepening the concerted development of “tourism+” with the fields of MICE, gastronomy and sports, the development and supporting facilities of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, smart tourism, tourism quality, marketing strategies, preferential measures, spotlighting social media check-in spots, talent training, extending the length of visitors’ stay, issuance of travel permits for Mainland visitors to Macao, as well as the travel market of Hong Kong, among other aspects. 

The meeting attendees include Chief of Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government, Ku Mei Leng, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, MGTO Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong; representatives of the following public entities including Secretariat for Economy and Finance, Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture, Secretary for Security, Secretariat for Transport and Public Works, Macao Government Tourism Office, Macao Customs Service, Macao Institute for Tourism Studies, Cultural Affairs Bureau, Labour Affairs Bureau, Economic and Technological Development Bureau, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Municipal Affairs Bureau, Civil Aviation Authority and Consumer Council, along with representatives of the tourism and other related sectors.