Macau Hotel Rates Drop Amid Surge in Visitors in May

In May, Macau's five-star hotel sector experienced a slight decrease in average room rates, dropping by 1.2 percent when compared to the previous year. This decline brought the average cost to MOP1,532.8, or approximately US$189.6 per night, marking the eleventh consecutive month of falling rates since July 2024. Interestingly, the decline this time was the slowest rate seen this year. This information comes from the latest survey conducted by the Macau Hotel Association, as reported by the Macao Government Tourism Office. Despite the drop in rates, May saw a significant influx of tourists, which increased by 25.3 percent over the previous year, totaling over 3.37 million visitors.

Increased Visitor Numbers Bolster Hotel Occupancy

The surge in visitor numbers to Macau in May was fueled by a particularly strong turnout during the five-day Labour Day holiday period, recognized by investment analysts as demonstrating robust visitor activity from mainland China. Amid these favorable conditions for tourism, hotel occupancy numbers reflected this positive trend. In May, the overall average room rate across all hotel tiers in the association held steady compared to the prior year, standing at MOP1,371.1. Within the hotel association, which has 47 member hotels, including 26 five-star properties primarily located in casino resorts, the five-star hotels achieved a remarkable 94.0 percent occupancy rate.

This performance represented an increase of 3.3 percentage points compared to the same period last year. Across all categories, including three-star and four-star establishments, the average occupancy rate in May was 93.0 percent, growing by 2.8 percentage points year-on-year.

5-Star Hotels Maintain Dominance in Macau's Market

Throughout the first five months of the year, the average nightly cost at Macau’s five-star accommodations continued to trend downward, showing a 6.4 percent decrease year-on-year, with the average price recorded at MOP1,510.6. These hotels remain a significant part of Macau's hospitality market landscape. As of April, the city boasted 26,000 five-star hotel rooms. This segment constitutes close to 60 percent of the total 43,700 hotel rooms available in Macau.

Unfortunately, the supply of five-star rooms saw a year-on-year reduction of 8.2 percent in April, based on figures from Macau's Statistics and Census Service. Nonetheless, these hotels continue to be vital to Macau’s tourism infrastructure, accommodating the growing number of visitors who are drawn to the city's famed casino resorts and attractions.

Source: Macau's 5-star average room rate at US$190 in May, y-o-y decline slows down: association, GGRAsia, June 24, 2025.

Posted by Wizard
Jun 25 2025