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A notable dip in arrivals from Hong Kong has pulled overall guest numbers slightly lower, even as other markets continue to grow.
Tourism remains stable, but Hong Kong traffic weakens
Fresh data paints a mixed picture for Macau’s hospitality sector in the first half of the year.
According to the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), 7.2 million guests stayed in hotel establishments across Macau between January and June, a 1% decrease compared to the same period last year. The main drag came from Hong Kong, with guest numbers falling 8.5% to 879,000; similar softening effects were highlighted in Macau’s May Day Surge, which underscored how holiday-period dips from Hong Kong visitors impact overall flows.
Mainland China continues to lead guest volumes
Despite some headwinds, Macau’s core tourism engine remains steady.
Visitors from mainland China rose 0.8% to 5.35 million in H1 2025, reinforcing China’s position as Macau’s tourism backbone, a dependency explored in recent analysis such as Analysts Warn Macau’s Casino Revenue Goal May Fall Short.
The market continues to account for the bulk of hotel demand and remains critical to occupancy and revenue across all property tiers.
International markets add momentum
Several overseas markets have begun to rebound, supporting broader growth.
International visitor numbers climbed 8.6% to 589,000 in H1; broader holiday-driven momentum in overseas markets, including South Korea and Japan, is echoed in China’s Travel Sector Defies Economic Concerns, a pattern tying Macau’s appeal to international holiday travel trends. Growth was driven by strong arrivals from South Korea (169,000, +13.3%), Japan (48,000, +16.1%), Malaysia (44,000, +7.3%), and India (41,000, +5.2%). The return of these source markets adds further diversification to Macau’s guest mix.
Hotel occupancy strengthens across categories
The city’s hotel inventory was used more efficiently despite flat volume overall.
The average occupancy rate for guest rooms rose 5.1 percentage points to 89.1% in H1. Five-star hotels led with 92.5% occupancy, up 6.6 points, while four-star properties reached 83.1%, and three-star hotels climbed to 85.4%. Occupancy growth was recorded across all categories.
Room supply adjusts alongside property growth
The number of hotels increased, but total room availability edged lower.
As of June, 147 hotel establishments were open to the public, four more than in H1 2024. However, the total number of available rooms dropped by 3.8% to 45,000, suggesting shifts in operational capacity or refurbishment cycles. The average length of stay held steady at 1.7 nights.
June performance offers a short-term lift
The most recent month showed signs of recovery in guest volume.
June hotel guests rose 4.7% year-on-year to 1.2 million, with occupancy averaging 88.4%, an improvement of 5.6 points. The average stay was 1.6 nights, a slight dip compared to the broader H1 trend.
Group travel sees international gains, local slowdown
While overall tour group numbers declined, international packages posted growth.
In the first six months of the year, 963,000 inbound package tour visitors were recorded, a 2.3% decline from H1 2024. The decrease was driven by a 6% drop in mainland Chinese tour groups, which still represented 813,000 visitors. In contrast, international package tours grew 12.2% to 117,000, led by South Korea with 51,000 visitors, up 19.7%.
Individual travel rise dents June group tour arrivals
Group visitor numbers for June dropped sharply amid policy shifts and travel preferences.
Macau welcomed 99,000 package tour visitors in June, down 27.5% year-on-year. Much of the drop was linked to fewer organised groups from Guangdong Province, with more travellers entering under the Individual Visit Scheme. International group visitors, however, rose 8.6% to 18,000.
Source: Asia Gaming Brief
