Macau’s number of visitor arrivals in the first four days of the 8-day National Day/Mid-Autumn Festival holiday fell by 87.4 percent year-on-year to 77,092, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) announced yesterday.
Mainlanders accounted for 94.3 percent of all visitor arrivals on October 1-4. The number of mainland visitors declined by 86.2 percent to 72,684.
Customarily, the National Day Golden Week runs from October 1 (National Day) until October 7.
However, as the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival also fell on October 1 this year, mainlanders are enjoying an 8-day public holiday this year.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign nationals without the right of abode here are barred from entering Macau. Compatriots from the mainland have been allowed back into Macau since September 23, but only on condition that they have tested negative for the novel coronavirus. Macau has special border entry rules for Taiwan and Hong Kong compatriots.
Government officials said last week they expected only a gradual increase in visitor arrivals over the Golden Week holiday compared to previous months.
Macau’s tourism and gaming businesses have been hard hit by the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
