News

Source: ©The Moodie Report

By Martin Moodie - 26.03.2008



MACAU. The Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is seeking to drive a +15% increase in Japanese visitors this year, according to Travel Journal International (TJI) Online*.



The MGTO plans to strengthen its ties with Japanese travel agencies to create more ‘mono-destination’ products for Macau. Many tours still combine Macau visits with overnight stays in neighbouring Hong Kong.



While traffic from Japan to Macau has been growing rapidly, thanks to the development of mega resorts and casinos and the popularity of Macau’s World Heritage site, MGTO said it wants to attract more middle-aged, elderly and female travellers.



DFS Galleria Macau, opening soon, will benefit from both Japanese and Mainland Chinese traffic

It will drive that ambition by developing promotions with Japanese travel agencies under an integrated strategy that will help lead to 350,000 Japanese visitors in 2008, up +15% from 2007, TJI said.



The record high of Japanese visitors to the former Portuguese colony is 516,002, set in 1996 (a year prior to the return of the colony to Chinese rule).



A number of travel retailers have set up ambitious operations in Macau, including King Power Group (Hong Kong), Nuance-Watson Hong Kong and Duty Free Americas. Additionally, the new110,000sq ft DFS Galleria Macau will open mid-year, at The Shoppes at Four Seasons, adjacent to the Four Seasons Hotel Macao on The Cotai Strip.



*Editor’s note: The Moodie Report works closely with TJI Online, the pre-eminent provider of information on the Japanese travel industry. Week in, week out, it provides timely and sharp analysis of the all-important Japanese travel market – international and domestic. To subscribe go to http://tji/tjinet.co.jp. It comes with our highest recommendation.



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