Macau scraps plan to charge a tourist tax
Macau has postponed plans to impose a tourist tax due to impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Macau government has acknowledged that a levy on tourists is not the ‘most effective’ measure.
The tax proposal was to help ease congestion in the small former Portuguese colony, and now the focus is on trying to kick start tourism rather than limit it.
The Macao Government Tourism Office wants to avoid ‘any adverse effects upon the tourism industry.’
A MGTO study found that ‘regulating the increase in visitor numbers by levying a tourist tax may not be the most effective measure applicable to Macau.’
The study collated feedback from the public and the travel trade.
"Visitor arrivals have plunged in Macau in recent months, causing various degrees of impact on the tourism-related industries. It has become a priority at this stage for the SAR government to bolster recovery of the trade," the MGTO said.
Macau was badly burnt by the Hong Kong protests last year and the pain has continued throughout 2020 with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Visitor numbers are currently just 90% of normal levels.
Macau has heavy exposure to the mainland China market which made up the bulk of its 39.4 million arrivals last year.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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