MACAU: Hundreds of mainland Chinese visitors descended on Macau’s world’s biggest gambling hub for the Labour Day holiday, packing tightly into its narrow cobblestone streets and placing bets in its glitzy casinos, Reuters said.
The surge in visitors comes after China and its particular Macau administrative region lifted strict covid restrictions in January, allowing Chinese visitors to stream into Macau for the first time in over three years.
More than 100,000 visitors arrived in the ex-Portuguese city each Saturday and Sunday, China local media reported, citing government statistics, up from 60,000 the day recorded in the last days.
On the pastel-coloured streets surrounding the famous and historical sites of Senado Square and the Ruins of St Paul’s, thousands of visitors thronged cheek by jowl to snap pictures and try Macanese delicacies, including egg tarts and dried meat.
Macau is a famous destination for travellers within Asia from 17 April to 7 May, according to travel information firm ForwardKeys, with bookings up 11 per cent from the pre-pandemic level in 2019 versus the 32 per cent fall in nearby Hong Kong.
Coco Li, a woman from Hubei province visiting with her husband, said they chose to come to Macau because travel rules had been relaxed.
Coco said she planned to buy cosmetics, handbags and clothes and “definitely go to a casino and gamble for fun, as we need to control ourselves.”
LABOUR SHORTAGE
Macau’s government promoted its cultural heritage, entertainment and food to mainland visitors over the past year. Officials are keen to diversify Macau, which depends on the casinos for more than 80 per cent of its government revenues and has imposed new regulations on its six casino operators.
The visitors rush as the densely populated territory grapples with an acute labour shortage. Industry analysts said hotel occupancy is expected to reach around 90 per cent, with some booked for the holiday period.
Galaxy Entertainment Group said its Raffles hotel would open in the second half of 2023, delaying the earlier programme to open in the first half. The company said, “We have been actively working with the Macau government on our labour requirements,” and “Our existing resorts are effectively staffed for the upcoming May holiday.”
Sands China said staff constraints had impacted the several available rooms in the first quarter, but the condition had improved somewhat in March. It said, “The company expects to improve further during the recent quarter, so the current outlook is optimistic,” some travellers have been struggling to find accommodation. Outside Sands’ Venetian resort, the crowds shocked a man surnamed Wang from Shanxi province who travelled to Macau regularly before the pandemic.
He said, “I could not even book a room, so I’ve to wait and see if the casino can give me the room as a gift,”
