Visitor numbers to Macau fell 19 percent in August from a year earlier but rose sharply from July when the region experienced its worst outbreak of Covid-19 since the pandemic began, it was announced today.
The area received about 331,400 visitors in August “due to the easing of restrictive measures at the Zhuhai-Macau border crossings in early August,” compared with fewer than 9,800 in July, according to the Department of Statistics and Census (DSEC).
During the outbreak, which began June 18, tourists coming to Macau were required to undergo mandatory quarantine upon returning to mainland China, a measure lifted on Aug. 3.
The average length of stay for tourists was 5.4 days, up 1.5 days from last year, “as some tourists extended their departure from Macau until August due to the effects of the pandemic so far,” the DSEC said in a statement.
Most visitors (more than 290,000) came from mainland China.
Unlike those entering through the mainland China border, those entering from abroad or Hong Kong must continue to observe a seven-day quarantine in a hotel, followed by three days of “medical self-testing” that can be done at home.
Since Sept. 1, Macau has allowed entry for citizens, including tourists, from 41 countries, including Brazil, the United States, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.
In April this year, the territory lifted border restrictions on university students and foreign teachers, such as Portuguese teachers.
On Sept. 12, Macau Forum Deputy Secretary General Paulo Espírito Santo expressed regret that Lusophone African citizens were excluded from the list of countries whose nationals are allowed to enter the territory.
Macau experienced its worst outbreak of Covid-19 since the pandemic began in June and July, with six deaths and more than 1,800 people infected during that period.
The territory tightened control measures, affecting the local economy, which relies heavily on tourism from mainland China and the gambling industry.
In the first eight months of the year, 3.8 million visitors came to Macau, 25.8 percent fewer than in the same period in 2021 and 86 percent fewer than in 2019, before the pandemic began.