Macau Projects Record Visitor Arrivals for Chinese New Year

Macau is poised to experience a significant influx of tourists during the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations, with predictions indicating that the city could welcome more than 1.4 million visitors. This optimistic outlook was articulated by Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, the director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), during a speech to local media on a Tuesday event.

These festivities, an important period for tourism in the region, coincide with a nine-day public holiday on the Chinese mainland, Macau's primary market for incoming tourists. This extended holiday runs from Sunday, February 15, to Monday, February 23, as decreed by China’s State Council.

Impressive Growth Forecasts

The anticipated increase in visitor numbers, if met, would reflect a growth of approximately 6.9 percent compared to the 1.31 million visitors that Macau hosted in the 2025 holiday period, which featured an eight-day break from January 28 to February 4. In her statement, Ms. Senna Fernandes expressed confidence in this surge, predicting an average daily arrival rate of between 158,000 to 175,000 tourists during the festivities. This potential visitor increase is an encouraging sign for Macau's tourism sector, heralding a busy and prosperous holiday season.

Long-term Tourism Goals

Looking beyond the holiday season, Ms. Senna Fernandes shared an ambitious goal for Macau's tourism throughout 2026, forecasting a total of 41 million visitor arrivals throughout the year. This projection represents a 2.3 percent increase over the previous year's count of 40.07 million visitors.

A cornerstone of Macau's strategy going forward is the emphasis on promoting the city in international markets, a plan that includes targeting the Middle East. By expanding their promotional efforts, Macau aims to diversify and enhance its global tourism appeal, ensuring continued growth and resilience in a competitive travel industry.

Source: 1.4mln-plus visitor arrivals likely in Macau for 9-day Chinese New Year break: tourism boss, GGRAsia, February 3, 2026.