Macau's baccarat and poker tables were teeming once again as millions of Chinese tourists marked 'Golden Week' in October. Photo: Peter PARKS / AFPMacau's baccarat and poker tables were teeming once again as millions of Chinese tourists marked"Golden Week" in October, with post-pandemic travel surging despite the country's economic slowdown.
"I would say Macau is back," said bartender Aubrhey, 32, who works at a five-star hotel in the former Portuguese colony.Golden Week for him has been a heady mix of 10-hour shifts and good money, a seasonal bonanza for Macau's hospitality industry.Much of the cash is left on the casino floor, as Macau's gaming industry increasingly relies on mass-market players after Beijing drove away high rollers with a years-long regulatory crackdown.
Visitor arrivals this year were"slightly ahead of expectations" as the holiday neared its end Friday, tracking at around 84 percent of 2019 levels, Kim told AFP.Last year, Macau saw just 25,000 daily visitors during Golden Week, with the government following Beijing's zero-Covid strategy.