Figures just released by the Statistics and Census Service in Macau show that Mainland China is still supplying the majority of tourists visiting the Special Administrative Region. 55.1% come from the mainland with another 31.2% from Hong Kong. Added to this is 6.7% of Taiwanese, making a total of 93% of the 14,150,000 people who have visited so far this year as being of Chinese origin.

Macau itself has a population of a little over half a million and in 2005 it received a record 18.71 million tourists. The first eight months of this year have already seen a 14.8% rise in figures over the same period last year. Analysts are predicting that by the end of 2006 visitor numbers will have risen to over 21 million.

Earlier this month Wynn Macau opened its doors as the first resort casino in central Macau. Last May Steve Wynn commented that the second phase of the development of Wynn Macau would be delayed until the end of 2007, to allow time to gain experience in the gaming market there and fine-tune design. The Cotai Strip, an area of reclaimed land, has larger casino projects with more facilities under construction and hopes to become the Asian Las Vegas.

Macau is trying to change its hard gambling image to that of a resort destination with ample facilities to attract a wide spectrum of visitors. Conventions, exhibitions and family entertainment are being added to the provision of gambling. However, with the majority of business so far still coming from Chinese day-trippers, a successful outcome is not a certainty but seemingly well worth the risk for Wynn and other international gaming operators. (E-09.21.06)

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