The Macau government recently confirmed that it has agreed to limit the number of visitors to mainland China who can enter the country. The limit has been set at 21 million people a year and will be reviewed again next year.
Macau attracts many tourists from mainland China every day, most of whom visit to play in Macau casinos. The government is also considering encouraging international tourism and attracting more tourists to Macau. One of the reasons for these new regulations is to protect Macau citizens and ensure that their lifestyles continue to develop without decline.
In a statement, Minister of Social and Cultural Affairs Alexis Tamchon Wong said, “According to a study by IFT [Tourism Research Institute], Macau has the capacity to receive 89,000 to 92,000 visitors a day. However, there were 147,000 visitors a day during the Chinese New Year. This number far exceeds the capacity of the city, according to IFT studies, and if this trend continues, the quality of life of residents will be affected.”
Macau has also imposed a smoking ban on all casinos to curb smoking in public places and tighten safety regulations. The government is also responsible for transforming Macau’s image as the world’s largest gambling center into a place to promote education, tourism, and innovation. The government plans to build nurseries, hospitals, and nursing homes to raise living standards in Macau.
The decline of the Macau casino industry over the past 12 months has left many casino workers unemployed. The Macau government is considering investments to retrain these former casino workers, and plans to help them find new jobs and start new lives.
As Macau restricts mainland Chinese entry into Macau, neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea will benefit from the influx of Chinese tourists who will visit much more frequently to play casinos. These countries have gambling laws that are not as strict as Macau and actively promote customized casino tourism products aimed at VIP gamblers in mainland China.