Macau hits 88% hotel occupancy in April 2025, Asian tourism surges
Macau’s hospitality and gaming sectors continued to show signs of recovery in April 2025, with higher hotel occupancy rates, a steady influx of visitors, and resilient gaming revenues despite regional uncertainties and seasonal slowdowns.
The average hotel occupancy rate in April was 87.8 percent, according to . This resulted in a rise of 4.7 percent when compared to the same month in 2024. With an occupancy rate of 90.9 percent, five-star hotels were the most popular, followed by four-star and three-star hotels, which had rates of 82.4 and 84.4 percent, respectively.
The figures from the Macau Hotel Association released earlier this week painted an even more optimistic picture, with an overall occupancy rate of 92.6 percent across major hotel categories.
By the end of April 2025, Macau had 147 licensed hotel establishments, four more than a year earlier. Interestingly, the total number of guest rooms decreased by 4.3 per cent year-over-year to 45,000, indicating a shift in hotel inventory or a change in renovation cycles. Despite this, the average guest stayed 1.6 nights – the same as last year – suggesting stable travel patterns.
Thailand and India leading the way
The rise in occupancy was driven mainly by increased visitor numbers. Macau welcomed around 1.2 million overnight guests in April, up 3.4 percent from the previous year. Visitors from mainland China made up the bulk of arrivals, totalling 861,000 – a rise of 4.5 percent. International travellers, though smaller in number, grew by 12.3 percent to 106,000.
Several Asian markets showed notable growth. Visitors from India and Thailand surged by 64.4 percent and 28.4 percent, respectively. South Korean and Japanese arrivals also increased, while Malaysia and Indonesia recorded slight declines.
The rebound in tourism was mirrored in Macau’s core gaming industry. Gross gaming revenue (GGR) in April rose to MOP 18.86 billion (€2.18 billion), a 1.7 percent year-on-year increase. Although down 4.1 percent from March, analysts described the performance as intense given seasonal softness and ongoing regional uncertainties.
Brokerage firm JP Morgan estimated a daily gross gaming revenue (GGR) of MOP 629 million (€72.8 million) in April, suggesting solid performance across mass-market gaming. Analysts noted that the mass gaming segment is now operating at more than 110 percent of pre-pandemic levels, while VIP play remains at around 20 percent of former volumes.
Eyes on May’s performance
Looking ahead, sights are now on numbers for May. Though the analysts predict Macau’s GGR for May will decline slightly on a yearly basis, but will grow by about 5.2 percent month-on-month, signalling continued momentum across both tourism and gaming sectors.
