Macau recorded 32,181,272 visitor arrivals during the first nine months of 2026, representing an 8.5% increase from the same period last year.
Casino gross gaming revenue also remained above 2025 levels on a cumulative basis, though growth was considerably slower. GGR reached MOP187.12 billion, or around $23.19 billion, from January through September, an increase of 3.2% year-on-year.
September showed the contrast more clearly. Visitor numbers rose 15.9% to 3,216,535, while casino GGR declined 1.2% to MOP18.06 billion, or approximately $2.24 billion.
The September result marked the fourth consecutive month of year-on-year GGR declines and was the lowest monthly gaming revenue total recorded in 2026.
At the same time, the composition of Macau’s tourism traffic continued to shift toward shorter visits. Same-day arrivals grew much faster than overnight stays, contributing a large share of the overall increase.
Same-Day Visitors Account for Much of the Growth
Macau welcomed 1,933,257 same-day visitors in September, up 23.8% from a year earlier.
Overnight arrivals increased at a slower pace, rising 5.7% to 1,283,278.
The pattern was also visible across the first three quarters. Same-day visitors totaled 19,783,856 between January and September, an increase of 14.5% year-on-year, while overnight visitors remained broadly stable at 12,397,416.
The average length of stay for all visitors shortened by 0.1 day to 1.0 day over the nine-month period. Overnight visitors stayed for an average of 2.3 days.
In September alone, visitors stayed an average of 1.1 days, while the overnight average stood at 2.4 days. Both measures were 0.1 day lower than a year earlier.
The shorter-stay trend coincided with softer gaming results. Third-quarter GGR fell 3.8% year-on-year, while mass baccarat revenue declined 7.9%.
The cumulative growth rate for casino revenue also weakened as the year progressed. It stood at 24.0% in January, fell to 6.8% by June and reached 3.2% through the end of September.
Mainland China Remains the Main Tourism Market
Mainland China continued to account for the largest proportion of Macau’s visitors during the first nine months.
Arrivals from the mainland increased 10.7% year-on-year to 23,884,916.
Within that total, 13,153,979 visitors travelled under the Individual Visit Scheme, representing growth of 14.3%.
Taiwan also produced a strong increase. Arrivals reached 882,023, up 21.3% from the same period in 2025.
Hong Kong moved slightly lower, with visitor numbers declining 0.3% to 5,464,916.
Mainland traffic remained strong around the September 25-27 holiday period. Approximately 415,000 mainland visitors arrived during those days, 19.5% more than a year earlier.
The higher visitor volumes during September did not lead to a similar improvement in casino revenue, as gaming income remained below the corresponding 2025 level.
International Arrivals Show Uneven Performance
International tourism increased more slowly than overall arrivals.
As Inside Asian Gaming reports, Macau received 1,949,417 international visitors during the first three quarters, up 3.4% year-on-year.
Thailand recorded one of the strongest growth rates among the markets listed in the data. Arrivals rose 34.8% to 154,885.
India also posted a double-digit increase, reaching 91,857 visitors, up 13.5%.
Long-haul traffic from the United States improved by 6.9% to 120,071 visitors.
Several other markets declined.
Philippine arrivals fell 5.2% to 363,120, although the Philippines remained a larger source market than Thailand in absolute terms.
Indonesia recorded a sharper decline of 16.5%, with arrivals falling to 122,366.
South Korean visitor numbers decreased 2.1% year-on-year to 374,590.
International arrivals totaled 180,821 in September, an increase of 2.6% compared with the same month in 2025.