“People arriving from Macau to Beijing will be put under closed-loop management. They will undergo nucleic acid tests in line with the requirements relevant to centralised medical observation, and health monitoring,” reported the authorities. The quarantine measures will be adjusted according to the situation in Macau, reported GGRAsia.
The pandemic situation in Macau worsened in late September, with new cases being detected in the city. The number of infections grew, and the nearby city of Zhuhai implemented a 14-day quarantine for all arrivals from Macau. On 6 October, Macau also tightened regulations on outbound travel.
The new outbreak unfortunately dampened the expectations for the Golden Week holiday. For the entirety of the festive period, Macau saw only 8,159 visitors. It’s a 94% decline from 156,000 arrivals in 2020; the figures slipped by 99% compared to pre-pandemic numbers in 2019 when the city saw 980,000 visitors for Golden Week. 7,393 of the arrivals were from China.
Visitor numbers also saw a sharp decline as the week progressed, with 1,749 on 1 October and only 418 on 7 October.
In the midst of new cases, Macau is still trying to rework its gaming law, which could include a reduced number of licences given to casinos. A law firm MdME Lawyers suggested that the industry might benefit from a designated government representative to each concessionaire, who would supervise the concessionaires’ compliance with its obligations and protect the public interest.
