Rat pack storms Macau

Macau kicked started the Year of the Rat with anything but a timid squeak, as more than two million tourists arrived over the period of February 7 to 13. Crowds and noises filled the resorts, casinos and various heritage landmarks, ushering in another year of promised prosperity as Macau continues to develop under the gaze of the world.

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The Venetian Macao has clearly taken its place among the city’s sightseeing landmarks, welcoming its 10 millionth visitor on the sixth day of the New Year celebration. This was just 169 days since its grand opening last August.

The Venetian isn’t alone in the popularity stakes, however. Thanks to its “animated and exciting atmosphere”, the Grand Lisboa attracted an estimated number of 600,000 visitors over the week-long Chinese New Year holiday – and it, too, has welcomed 10 million since it opened a year ago.

Across the Avenida da Amizade, an average of 25,000 daily guests to the StarWorld were treated with a million-dollar “Good Fortune” decoration and a host of Hong Kong celebrities.

Spokespersons for both Wynn Macau and MGM Grand Macau declined comment on how many visitors they had received over the holiday period, saying this was a measurement that they either did not consider worth comparison with other resorts or irrelevant for their market position and size.

It had been speculated that the bitterly cold weather gripping China might have a big impact on tourist arrivals this year. To a certain extent, the numbers were not as strong as the casinos may have hoped, as many visitors from northern China were unable to make their way to Macau. However, it appears that their relatives in the Pearl River Delta were equally incentivized not to travel north, instead going to Macau to try their luck.

But don’t take our word for it. We went out over the holidays and spoke to visitors from all over China. “It’s very convenient nowadays to come to Macau,” said one visitor from Zhongshan. “Besides casinos, the food and the unique Portuguese heritage have also attracted us to come and visit again and again.”