MACAU: Hundreds of thousands of mainland Chinese visitors have descended on the world's biggest gambling hub of Macau for the Labour Day holiday, packing tightly into its narrow cobblestone streets and placing bets in its glitzy casinos.
The surge in visitors comes after China and its special administrative region Macau lifted strict COVID-19 restrictions in January, allowing visitors to stream into Macau for the first time in more than three years.
More than 100,000 visitors arrived in the former Portuguese city each day on Saturday and Sunday, local media reported, citing government statistics, up from 60,000 a day recorded in previous days.
On the pastel coloured streets surrounding the historical sites of Senado Square and the Ruins of St Paul's, hundreds of visitors thronged cheek by jowl to snap photographs and try Macanese delicacies including egg tarts and dried meat.
Macau is the top destination for Chinese travellers within Asia from April 17 to May 7, according to travel data firm ForwardKeys, with bookings up 11% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019 versus a 32% fall in nearby Hong Kong.
Coco Li, a 42-year-old woman from Hubei province who was visiting with her husband, said they chose to come to Macau because travel rules had relaxed.
Li said she was planning to buy cosmetics, handbags and clothes and "definitely go to the casino and gamble for fun, as we still need to control ourselves."
LABOUR SHORTAGE
Macau's government has promoted its cultural heritage, food and entertainment to mainland visitors over the past year.
Authorities are keen to diversify Macau, which depends on casinos for more than 80% of its government revenues and has imposed strict new regulations on its six casino operators.
The rush of visitors comes as the densely populated territory grapples with an acute labour shortage.
Hotel occupancy is expected to reach around 90%, with some fully booked for the holiday period, industry analysts said.
Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd 0027.HK said its Raffles hotel would open in the second half of 2023, a delay from earlier plans to open in the first half.
"We've been actively working with the Macau government on our labour requirements," the company said. "For our existing resorts we're effectively fully staffed for the upcoming May holiday."
Sands China Ltd 1128.HK said staff constraints had impacted the number of available rooms in the first quarter, but the situation had improved somewhat in March.
"The company expects that to improve further during the current quarter, so the current outlook is optimistic," it said.
In the meantime, some travellers have been struggling to find accommodation.
Outside Sands' Venetian resort, a 40-year-old man surnamed Wang from Shanxi province who travelled to Macau frequently before the pandemic, was shocked by the crowds.
"I couldn't even book a room so I just have to wait and see if the casino can give me a room as a gift," he said.
Reuters
Mon May 01 2023
Visitors walk on a street near the ruins of Saint Paul's during Labour Day holiday in Macau, China, April 30, 2023. - REUTERS
Pilihan raya UK: Keir Starmer bakal dilantik sebagai PM hari ini?
Keir Starmer akan menjadi Perdana Menteri UK yang baharu hari ini selepas Raja Charles III secara rasmi menjemput untuk membentuk kerajaan.
PRK Nenggiri: Pemuda UMNO taruh harapan orang muda bertanding
Dr Akmal berkata, orang muda lebih mudah mendekati pengundi dalam menyampaikan maklumat, mempunyai tenaga dan idea untuk bangunkan kawasan.
Biden rancang lebih banyak tidur, tiada lagi acara selepas 8 malam
Presiden Joe Biden beritahu Demokrat beliau perlukan lebih banyak tidur dan rancang untuk tidak hadir mana-mana acara selepas 8 malam.
Pilihan raya UK: Parti Buruh diunjur menang besar
Tinjauan pendapat ketika ini mengunjurkan Parti Buruh meraih 410 kerusi diikuti Konservatif 131, Liberal Demokrat (61) dan Reform UK (13).
PRK Sungai Bakap: Fadhlina tulis warkah, rayu undi calon PH
Orang sebaik dan cerdik seperti Joohari wajar mendapat tempat untuk menjadi pemimpin di Pulau Pinang, kata Fadhlina.
Pas gesa pemantau SPR turunkan papan iklan PH di Sungai Bakap - Tuan Ibrahim
Tuan Ibrahim berkata, papan iklan yang dibentangkan PH didakwa menunjukkan maksud ayat dalam bahasa Cina tidak sama dengan bahasa Melayu.
PM Anwar lawat Rozaid di Hospital Serdang
Anwar mendoakan agar Rozaid diberi kesembuhan sesegera mungkin.
KPM komited teruskan pembinaan SJKT Sungai Bakap
Projek itu dalam proses untuk diangkat semula termasuk mengemas kini kertas-kertas dokumentasi di peringkat Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri.
AUG 2024: Kem olahraga capai sasaran 10 pingat emas
Azeem Fahmi sekali lagi cemerlang mengungguli acara 200 meter dengan catatan masa 21.15 saat.
Melaka tingkatkan penganjuran program advokasi, kurangkan isu sosial pelajar sekolah
Program Advokasi Kanak-Kanak dengan kerjasama JKM Melaka dianjur bagi mendidik ibu bapa dan pelajar tentang isu semasa melibatkan generasi muda.
Agensi Macau selar dakwaan SPRM mengenai Jho Low
Sebuah agensi keselamatan Macau menyelar SPRM yang mendakwa Jho Low ketika ini bersembunyi di rantau itu.
SPRM percaya Jho Low sembunyi di Macau - Laporan
Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) percaya bahawa ahli perniagaan dalam buruan Low Taek Jho atau Jho Low bersembunyi di Macau.
COVID-19: Penularan terbaharu di Macau jejas ekonomi, namun kasino terus dibuka
Saringan ke atas kira-kira 600,000 penduduk Macau dijangka berakhir pada hari Selasa.
COVID-19: Penumpang dari negara berisiko perlu kemuka sijil kesihatan
Penumpang yang gagal mengemukakan dokumen tersebut dilarang menaiki penerbangan ke negara itu.
Thailand tidak wajibkan kuarantin bagi pelawat dari zon wabak COVID-19
Thailand menjelaskan bahawa negara itu tidak mewajibkan kuarantin ke atas pelawat dari empat negara dan dua wilayah yang ditakrifkan sebagai Zon Wabak Penyakit COVID-19.
Taiwan rekod kematian pertama akibat COVID-19
Menteri Kesihatan, Chen Shih-chung memaklumkan mangsa yang merupakan pemandu teksi berusia 61 tahun itu tiada rekod perjalanan ke luar negara baru-baru ini.
Koronavirus: Macau gesa semua kasino ditutup dua minggu
Setakat ini, di Macau, jumlah kes yang disahkan positif ialah 10 kes dan kes kesepuluh tersebut adalah seorang lelaki berumur 57 tahun.
Koronavirus: Hong Kong tutup 10 lintasan sempadan dengan China
Jelas Lam, lintasan utama sempadan di Lo Wu dan Lok Ma Chau serta terminal Feri Hong Kong-Macau akan ditutup menjelang tengah malam Selasa.
Warga Wuhan tiba di Sandakan: Kerajaan belum terima maklumat
Kementerian Kesihatan dan Kesejahteraan Rakyat Sabah belum menerima maklumat kehadiran enam warga Wuhan yang dilaporkan tiba di Sandakan, pada Rabu.
Koronavirus: Angka korban meningkat, 106 disahkan maut di China
Angka kematian di China akibat penularan wabak koronavirus terus meningkat kepada 106 orang dengan pertambahan kes positif dijangkiti virus baharu itu sebanyak 4,428 orang.