Macau has welcomed more than 20 million visitors so far in 2026, reaching the milestone 18 days earlier than last year and putting the world’s largest gambling hub on track for another strong year of tourism growth.
Data released by Macau’s Public Security Police Force showed the city surpassed the 20 million mark by June 20, after recording an average of 116,000 visitor arrivals per day this year, up 10.2% from the same period in 2025.
Macau set an all-time record of 40.06 million visitor arrivals in 2025.
Visitors from mainland China accounted for the largest share of arrivals this year at 14.6 million, followed by 3.46 million from Hong Kong and 541,000 from Taiwan. The city also welcomed 1.26 million international visitors, including 270,000 from South Korea and 260,000 from the Philippines.
The highest daily visitor count this year reached 248,000 on May 2 during China’s Labour Day holiday period.
Authorities expect visitor arrivals to grow by 5% to 8% in 2026 and are targeting 3 million international visitors for the full year.
Macau has sought to broaden its appeal beyond its traditional customer base through promotional campaigns and incentives aimed at overseas travelers, including free transport connections from Hong Kong International Airport.
The surge in arrivals has been supported by strong demand from mainland China and Hong Kong, alongside improved cross-border transport links, major events and seasonal promotions.
However, higher visitor numbers have not necessarily translated into proportional gains in gaming revenue, as a growing share of visitors are “day-trippers” or non-casino tourists.
Financial research firm CreditSights said in a recent note that spending per capita fell 5% year-on-year to MOP$5,781 ($716) in April, even as visitor arrivals rose 11.3% to 3.44 million during the month.
The figures suggested a larger proportion of non-gaming visitors and lower-spending customers within Macau’s tourism mix.
Macau’s economy is forecast to grow 3% in 2026, according to the International Monetary Fund, with tourism expected to remain a key driver of economic activity.