The Macau Government Tourist Office continues to focus on fostering the development of tourism diversity and enhance the economic effects of tourism on the society and economy as a whole as Macau’s tourism industry grows in leaps and bounds.

In the first half of 2008, over 1.5 million travelers from overseas have visited Macau, a 46.5 % jump over the same period in 2007. This does not include the 8.8 million mainland residents who visited in the same period, according to the Macau Government Tourist Office, which continues to focus on fostering the development of tourism diversity and enhance the economic effects of tourism on the society and economy as a whole as Macau’s tourism industry grows in leaps and bounds.

At a press conference entitled “Macau Tourism Industry - Diversified Development & New Challenges”, deputy director of the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes introduced the latest development of Macau’s tourism sector to Mainland and overseas journalists at a press conference in Beijing, together with the director of the Government Information Bureau, Mr. Victor Chan Chi Ping.

Ms. Fernandes said of the more than 1.5 million international visitors, arrivals from East and Southeast Asian countries surged most notably, with growth that ranged from 29% to 82%. The figures showed the increasing diversification of Macau’s tourism market, she said.

On exploring tourist markets, she said the government would continue to break ground in reinforcing the present major visitors base – the Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, China – while reaching out to develop international markets.

In the first half of this year, the total number of tourist arrivals amounted to 14,925,604, a growth of 18.1% over the same period last year. Visitors from the Mainland were central to Macau’s tourism industry and totaled 8,776,232, making up 58% of the total tourist arrivals in this period.

The purchasing power of Mainland visitors was also the highest among all visitors, with a per capita spending of 3,461 patacas - almost double that of other visitors. The number of Mainland tourists who visited Macau under the Facilitated Individual Travel (FIT) scheme totaled 3,736,726, which accounted for 42.6% of total Mainland visitors.

Despite the Mainland authorities having started to adjust the FIT scheme last May, the most up-to-date figures showed no signs of decline in the number of Mainland visitors. It is believed that these adjustments provided an opportunity for Macau to refine its strategies in developing a healthier and more rational tourism industry, Ms. Fernandessaid.

Macau is famous for the blend of Portuguese and Chinese cultures and its gambling industry, which includes Casino Lisboa, Macau, Sands Macau, The Venetian Macao, and Wynn Macau.

For more information, visit www.macautourism.gov.mo.