Macau to reach pre-pandemic visitor levels with 39M arrivals in 2025
Summary
Macau is forecast to record about 39 million visitor arrivals by the end of 2025, effectively returning to its 2019 peak, according to Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO). The city logged 36.5 million visits from January to November 2025 and expects international visitors to recover to roughly 80% of pre-pandemic levels. Authorities plan to boost outreach via new tourism and trade representative offices in Southeast and Northeast Asia, closer collaboration with the Greater Bay Area and mainland cities, and by leveraging China’s transit visa exemption to create multi-destination routes. Service quality and integrated offerings — combining tourism with culture, major sporting events and entertainment — remain priorities, alongside strengthened traditional and digital marketing.
Key Points
- MGTO projects approximately 39 million visitor arrivals for Macau in 2025, matching the 2019 peak of 39.4 million.
- Macau recorded 36.5 million visitors between January and November 2025.
- International visitor numbers are expected to reach around 80% of pre-pandemic levels.
- Plans to open tourism and trade representative offices in Southeast and Northeast Asia to expand international reach.
- China’s transit visa exemption policy opens opportunities for multi-destination itineraries and joint travel packages with mainland cities.
- Macau prioritises service quality; it ranked first in the 2024 China Tourism Academy satisfaction survey for Chinese outbound tourists.
- Authorities aim to integrate tourism with culture, major sporting events and entertainment to create new growth areas and richer visitor experiences.
- Marketing efforts will be strengthened across traditional and digital channels to attract a broader base of international visitors.
Context and relevance
This recovery is significant for Macau’s economy, where tourism and gaming are closely linked to visitor flows. Returning to pre-pandemic arrival volumes signals stronger regional travel demand and suggests pent-up international travel is being reclaimed, particularly through policy shifts like China’s transit visa exemption and Greater Bay Area cooperation. For operators, investors and regional tourism planners, the rebound affects revenues, capacity planning, event scheduling and marketing strategies.
Why should I read this?
Quick take: Macau’s bounce-back matters if you work in travel, hospitality, gaming or regional planning — it changes demand forecasts, marketing bets and event calendars. Read it because it shows the drivers (visa policy, Greater Bay Area links, new rep offices) behind the numbers, not just the headline figure.