Macau tourism attracts Muslim visitors

Macau, where Eastern tradition meets Western glamor amid casinos, culinary delights, and cultural vibrancy, is writing a fascinating comeback story. Preliminary data shows 33 million tourist arrivals between January and October 2025, a significant 14.1% year-on-year increase, reflecting a 99.3% recovery over the same period in 2019.

Overall, 2.15 million international visitors entered Macau, an increase of 13.6%, while hotels maintained strong occupancy rates, averaging around 89.3% through September – up nearly 3.9 percentage points from last year. The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is accelerating innovative policies, and SAR’s 2025 policy address sets a course to expand its key tourism strengths, combining leisure experiences with broader cooperation and international growth.

Flashing key visitor statistics

Honestly, the figures speak for themselves: Macau tourism is growing strongly. While Mainland China is a major source of tourists, the expansion of international markets underscores MGTO’s efforts to broaden its appeal. This growth did not happen by accident –This stems from focused promotional activities in the Greater Bay Area, promoting integrated travel plans in Hong Kong and other nearby destinations.

Likewise, the booming hotel sector underlines this recovery, as high occupancy offers significant spending on accommodation and a variety of local experiences. As mentioned in Chief Executive Ho Ayat Seng’s 2025 policy address, the development of a “vibrant tourism and leisure industry” is of paramount importance, especially the development of “Tourism+” schemes to include dining, conferences, large-scale events and sports. Global promotional initiatives are designed to position Macau as more of a gaming hub. They aim to show it as a diverse destination for international travelers.

A record-breaking golden week

As an example of Macau’s appeal, the National Day Golden Week is spectacular. Between October 1 and 8, about 143,000 people arrived each day, leading to an impressive 191,000 arrivals on October 4 – the highest daily number during the holiday period. In the eight days, about 1.14 million visits were made, an increase of about 1.9% compared to the seven days of 2024, with mainland visitors accounting for about 82.4% of the entries.

This festive atmosphere, complete with fireworks, food and exciting activities, has cemented Macau’s reputation as a top holiday destination. Strong mainland ties, combined with the marketing of the Bay Area, contributed to a successful weekend for Macau tourism, capping a strong year.

From internet fame to international recognition

In the digital age, Macau tourism has focused on being an online attraction. MGTO manages an extensive social media presence, reaching more than 10 million followers, particularly attracting young travelers through effective campaigns and spectacles such as “Star Macau”. These digital tactics have boosted Macau’s appeal among young people, making the city a popular topic of conversation on social media platforms.

The strategy has also led to recognition through awards. Macau was ranked highly in the “2024 Top 10 Destinations to Satisfy Chinese Tourists” and also won the “Most Popular International Destination” and “Best Government Tourism Organization Booth” at the 2025 Malaysia International Travel Expo (MATTA Mail). It also scored strongly in the “Muslim Women-Friendly Destination” category and ranked overall in the “Global Muslim Tourism Index,” acknowledging its halal-friendly reforms that welcome travelers from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The awards reflect Macau’s evolution from a gaming focus to a broader cultural appeal.

“Tourism +”: the recipe for rich trips

A key part of Macau’s strategy is “Tourism+”, which focuses on enriching the experience of every visitor. Culinary excellence is on display at the 2025 Macau International City Gastronomy Carnival, which will bring together 35 creative UNESCO cities for a unique culinary experience. In addition, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) are on the rise, highlighted by the recent 13th Macau International Tourism (Industry) Exhibition, which saw an increase in the number of participants. Mega events keep things lively, attracting huge crowds for all kinds of festivals, think light shows and live bands. Sports are also a big attraction, especially the national games and the Macau Grand Prix, mixing excitement with tourism. The combination isn’t just good for hotels; These visits take longer, cost more, and leave a lasting impression.

A guiding light in the area

By the end of 2025, Macau looks to be a really strong year, expected to attract around 38-39 million visitors. The plan includes bringing in tourists from all over, strengthening ties with mainland visitors. And creatively expanding is what Macau tourism offers. Of course, there are issues like competition from other places and economic changes, but with careful management, Macau is doing more than just recovery. It is redefining itself as one of the best places to visit in Asia. This means that there are more reasons than ever for tourists to take the opportunity to travel to Macau.