Macau expects 1.1 million tourists during May Day Golden Week

Ieong Un Man, the acting head of the Macao Government Tourism Office’s Public Relations Division, forecast an average of between 210,000 and 220,000 tourists per day—figures she described as “similar to last year”—during the May Day Golden Week, which runs from 1 to 5 May.

“This year, the Labour Day holidays in mainland China last for five days. The MGTO is actively preparing on all fronts to welcome visitors (…) in order to ensure the quality of tourism services,” Ieong stated.

The Public Security Police Force (PSP) estimates that between 3.6 million and 3.7 million people will cross the region’s borders during the holiday period. Activity is expected to peak on 2 May, with up to 850,000 individual border crossings anticipated in a single day.

“The PSP has already drawn up a series of police, traffic, and migration work plans, constantly optimising measures to safeguard public order and the safety of Macau society,” said police spokesperson Lai In Hong.

The influx represents a significant temporary surge for the city; according to the latest government estimates, the total resident population of the Macau Special Administrative Region stands at 686,600 people.

Data remains strong for the year to date. Macau recorded more than 11.2 million visitors between January and March, a 13.7 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2025. This figure represents an all-time record for the territory’s first quarter.

Neighbouring regions are expecting similar surges. The Hong Kong Immigration Department predicted on Monday that approximately six million people are expected to cross its borders during the Golden Week, including 980,000 tourists from mainland China.

Golden Weeks serve as a critical barometer for Chinese economic activity. Beijing continues to promote consumption and services to drive domestic demand, which has yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. During the previous Golden Week—the nine-day Lunar New Year holiday—Macau received nearly 1.6 million visitors.