Data released by the China Tourism Academy (CTA) shows that the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has become the most popular destination among Chinese mainland tourists in the first half of 2023.

According to the Big Data Report on Outbound Tourism in the First Half of 2023 published by the CTA, over 50 percent of 40.37 million outbound trips made by Chinese mainland tourists were to Macao between January and June.

As convenient policies for Chinese mainland tourists to Hong Kong and Macao were resumed in the first half of 2023, including group travel visas, the Macao SAR government has grasped the opportunities to promote tourism resources and distinctive tourism projects. It also cooperate with airlines, e-commerce platforms and online travel agencies to provide more preferential prices at scenic spots, hotels and air tickets to attract tourists.

Andy Wu Keng Kuong, chairman of the Travel Industry Council of Macao, said the SAR's tourism recovered well in the first half of 2023.

He noted that the city has received about 90,000 tourists a day on average, especially in July and August.

"We are confident that the sum of tourists visiting Macao can reach 24 to 25 million this year, or 70,000 tourists a day on average, which will resume to about 70 percent of pre-pandemic level,” he said.