Macao welcomes Mainland visitors as anti-epidemic measures eased

As the pandemic situation in Macao moves towards stability, in parallel with the latest loosening of control and prevention measures implemented at the ports of entry between Zhuhai and Macao, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has enhanced efforts to promote the city as a safe and quality destination.

Those efforts include leveraging social media such as WeChat, Weibo, Xiaohongshu and Douyin, and the endeavours of Macao’s key opinion leaders (KOLs) on their platforms, to boost the city’s profile among Mainland residents and welcome visitors to the city. 

Following the ease of the pandemic control and prevention measures at the ports of entry between Zhuhai and Macao from 12:00 noon on 19 October, visitor numbers to Macao immediately saw a rebound, with daily arrivals progressively trending up, reaching 30,512 on 29 October, the highest daily tally since late September when the city entered the state of immediate prevention and tightened its measures against COVID-19. During this period, the average daily volume of visitor arrivals stood at about 1,000.

MGTO has released a short video at its official social media accounts. The video also includes the current situation for border crossings and the latest travel-related information.

The Office has released a series of short videos called “Fall in Love with Macao 100 ways” that features entertainment and travel tips, including dining and leisure experiences, in a bid to attract younger, affluent visitors to explore the glamour of Macao.

Venues reopen, local tours return

MGTO has moved to cautiously reopen some of the venues it operates and supervises. From 20 October, the Macao Grand Prix Museum, and the Ritz Building, including the Tourist Information counter, reopened to the public.

In compliance with the pandemic prevention guidelines, the daily volume of visitors welcomed by the Macao Grand Prix Museum is set at 1,100 people per day. The free, guided service and applications for group visits at the museum have also resumed.

The Macao SAR Government Cultural Affairs Bureau reopened its cultural facilities, including museums, to the public from 21 October. Crowd-control measures will be implemented at all venues, with visitor capacity limited to 50% of the pre-pandemic levels. A number of cultural activities, including concerts and performances, also restarted late in October.

The Macao SAR Government Municipal Affairs Bureau has also started a phased reopening of the facilities under its management from 19 October, including the “Taipa Flea Market” and the “Gathering at Dusk in Senado Square”.

“Stay, Dine and See Macao” local tour itineraries, which had been suspended on 25 September, resumed on 23 October. The programme will also weave community tourism activities into the itineraries for residents to relish the unique dynamic and charm of different communities, and to boost spending in these communities.

The “Stay, Dine and See Macao” programme will run until the end of 2021, and individuals can sign up for the local tours via travel agencies or the special information counters at six local hotels and integrated resorts.

Prevention efforts

The Macao SAR Government announced the termination of the state of immediate prevention from 12 p.m. on 15 October. The alert level was introduced on 25 September, after the confirmation of new COVID-19 cases in late September.

With Executive Order No. 154/2021, restrictions on other facilities – including venues under the supervision of MGTO – were also eased. Venues including cinemas, theatres, indoor amusement parks, game centres, cybercafes, billiard rooms, bowling centres, saunas, massage parlours, beauty salons, gyms, health clubs, karaoke lounges, bars, nightclubs, discotheques, dance parlours, and cabaret venues were allowed to resume operations from 19 October. These types of venue had been shut since 6 October, following six COVID-19 infections, linked to imported cases, in Macao recorded from 4 to 9 October.