The 37,442 tally recorded on Saturday signaled the highest daily visitor volume since the June 18 pandemic outbreak.

In the second day of the National Day Golden Week there was a decrease to 28,235 tourist arrivals.

The Deputy Director of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Cheng Wai Tong said on Thursday they expected the average daily number of visitor arrivals during the National Day Golden Week to be between 20,000 and 25,000.

So far, in the first two days the daily average stands at about 32,800. Macau on Saturday marked the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with a series of events while being geared up for tourists from the mainland during the week-long National Day holiday.

The SAR government hosted a flag-raising ceremony and a reception attended by senior officials, legislators and representatives from different walks of life to mark the National Day, which falls on October 1.

Ho Iat Seng, Chief Executive of the Macau SAR, said at the reception that the motherland provides solid support for stability and harmony in Macao, vowing to unswervingly implement the principles of “one country, two systems” and “patriots administering Macau.” Against the backdrop of complex changes and the COVID-19 pandemic, Ho stressed the importance of making efforts to continue speeding up Macau’s economic recovery and pushing for appropriate economic diversification while working to control the epidemic.

To attract tourists from the mainland during the holiday, Macau has rolled out several promotional events, including a fireworks show on Saturday evening, new interactive devices at the Macau Grand Prix Museum, and community tours. The Macau Government Tourism Office has been promoting the city as a safe tourist destination on social media in the mainland. It has also worked with businesses to offer discounts for hotels and air tickets.

On Friday, the day before the holiday started, Macau recorded a total of 30,815 visitor arrivals, a new high in recent days, according to the office.