It is expected that Macau will receive an extra eight million visitors per year when all 10 Cotai resorts are completed in 2017 - providing there are no capping measures.
Based on data from the Statistics and Census Bureau and Deutsche Bank, if arrivals growth remains in line with last year’s 7.5 per cent increase Macau will welcome 39.1 million tourists by 2017, compared to 31.5 million in 2014.
That is 20,000 more tourists per day compared to current levels, the Macau Business Daily reported. If the data is realised, tourist arrivals in 2017 will be four times higher than in 2003 when 11.8 million visited Macau.
However, achieving such growth may be ambitious after the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, said the influx of tourists has affected the quality of life of Macau residents.
Tam has been instructed by Macau’s chief executive to prepare a report on tourism capacity and review the Individual Visa Scheme that has fuelled mainland visits.
