Macau records 1.14M visitor arrivals during SAR anniversary and Christmas holiday
Summary
Macau saw strong holiday travel between 20–28 December 2025, recording about 1.14 million inbound visitor arrivals during the combined Macau SAR Establishment Day and Christmas period, according to the Public Security Police. Total cross-border movements for the nine-day period reached 6.25 million, with outbound movements just over 1.13 million.
The busiest checkpoints were Border Gate (more than 482,000 inbound arrivals), the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge (HZMB) port (over 261,000), and the Hengqin Macau port area (around 166,000). The airport handled nearly 79,000 inbound passengers; ferry terminals and smaller ports made up the remainder.
Tourism recovery continues: cumulative arrivals for the year reached 39.41 million by 27 December, surpassing Macau’s 2019 full‑year total of roughly 39.4 million. Mainland China remained the largest source market (72.4%), followed by Hong Kong (18.3%), Taiwan (2.5%) and other regions (6.8%). Authorities expect numbers to rise towards New Year’s Eve and have increased police deployments to manage border flows and public events.
Key Points
- Inbound arrivals during 20–28 December: ~1.14 million.
- Total cross‑border movements in the nine‑day holiday: 6.25 million.
- Busiest checkpoints — Border Gate (~482,000 arrivals), HZMB (~261,000), Hengqin (~166,000); airport ~79,000 inbound.
- Year‑to‑date cumulative arrivals reached 39.41 million, eclipsing Macau’s 2019 total — a post‑pandemic milestone.
- Mainland China accounted for 72.4% of arrivals; Hong Kong 18.3%; Taiwan 2.5%; others 6.8%.
- Authorities have stepped up police deployments ahead of New Year’s Eve to ensure orderly crossings and event safety.
Context and Relevance
This surge confirms Macau’s tourism rebound is more than seasonal — it’s returning to, and now exceeding, pre‑pandemic visitation levels. For stakeholders in gaming, hospitality, transport and cross‑border services, the figures signal stronger demand, higher footfall for casinos and venues, and potential operational pressure on border infrastructure and public safety services during major holiday peaks.
Why should I read this?
Quick and useful — if you care about Macau’s tourism or gaming market, these numbers say the recovery is real and accelerating. We’ve pulled out the essentials so you don’t have to wade through the full report: key totals, busiest entry points, market mix and what officials are doing about crowd control before New Year’s Eve.