Macau plans to welcome back tour groups from mainland China as soon as November, giving a boost to its tourism-dependent economy, which has been hammered by a slump in visitors since the outbreak of the pandemic.
The first groups will be from Shanghai and four Chinese provinces including Guangdong, the Macau government said at a press conference Saturday, after receiving the go-ahead from the Chinese authorities. But the city will tighten travel restrictions again if Covid outbreaks resurface, it said.
The once bustling gambling hub has taken a heavy blow from China’s Covid-zero policy. Gaming revenue fell by about half in August from a year earlier as fewer Chinese travelers were able to enter the former Portuguese colony. The Macau government aims to double the number of daily visitors to 40,000.
The plunge in tourism hit other businesses in the city, such as suppliers of slot machines, baccarat table systems and other casino equipment. They moved out to more welcoming markets such as Singapore and the Philippines.
Nearby Hong Kong announced on Friday an end to its mandatory hotel quarantine, in an effort to lure back visitors and revive its battered economy.