Macau’s Public Security Police Force has reported 217,951 visitor arrivals during the first two days of the nine-day Chinese New Year Golden Week that began on 15 February. Border crossings on Sunday alone totalled 637,450 movements, underlining the enclave’s rebound as a leisure and meetings destination for mainland residents.
Inbound traffic dipped on New Year’s Eve, reflecting the tradition of family gatherings, but officials expect flows to rise again from 18 February as holidaymakers pivot from hometown reunions to gaming tables and retail outlets. Last year, Golden Week produced a record MOP 18.6 billion (US $2.3 billion) in gross gaming revenue; analysts say this year’s volumes could eclipse that figure if daily arrivals stay above 100,000.
If you need help securing the right travel documents before making the hop, VisaHQ’s China desk can streamline Macau visa applications, clarify permit categories, and arrange fast courier pickup of passports—saving valuable holiday time. Full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/china/
![Macau Tallies 217,951 Visitors in First 48 Hours of Lunar New Year Golden Week]()
For mobility planners, the surge signals possible congestion at the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge and the Cotai Frontier Post. Corporate travellers heading to conferences at Cotai resorts should buffer schedules and pre-book hotel transfer permits. HR teams relocating staff into Macau during the period are advised to file employment-blue-card paperwork after 24 February, when immigration queues normalise.
The figures also offer a barometer of China’s broader outbound appetite: Macau often absorbs close to half of mainlanders’ short-haul trips during peak holidays. A sustained uptick will support arguments for further easing of mainland exit-permit quotas and potential expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme to additional mainland cities in the second half of 2026.
Local authorities say crowd-management measures—including staggered ferry timetables and temporary e-channel lanes for frequent visitors—are in place, but warn travellers to monitor real-time checkpoint apps to avoid peak crush periods.
Inbound traffic dipped on New Year’s Eve, reflecting the tradition of family gatherings, but officials expect flows to rise again from 18 February as holidaymakers pivot from hometown reunions to gaming tables and retail outlets. Last year, Golden Week produced a record MOP 18.6 billion (US $2.3 billion) in gross gaming revenue; analysts say this year’s volumes could eclipse that figure if daily arrivals stay above 100,000.
If you need help securing the right travel documents before making the hop, VisaHQ’s China desk can streamline Macau visa applications, clarify permit categories, and arrange fast courier pickup of passports—saving valuable holiday time. Full details are available at https://www.visahq.com/china/
For mobility planners, the surge signals possible congestion at the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge and the Cotai Frontier Post. Corporate travellers heading to conferences at Cotai resorts should buffer schedules and pre-book hotel transfer permits. HR teams relocating staff into Macau during the period are advised to file employment-blue-card paperwork after 24 February, when immigration queues normalise.
The figures also offer a barometer of China’s broader outbound appetite: Macau often absorbs close to half of mainlanders’ short-haul trips during peak holidays. A sustained uptick will support arguments for further easing of mainland exit-permit quotas and potential expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme to additional mainland cities in the second half of 2026.
Local authorities say crowd-management measures—including staggered ferry timetables and temporary e-channel lanes for frequent visitors—are in place, but warn travellers to monitor real-time checkpoint apps to avoid peak crush periods.
