The Spring Festival Golden Week is about to unfold between 31 January and 6 February 2022. Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has been carrying out a variety of preparations to welcome visitors and publicize information about pandemic prevention via various channels to ensure safe and quality travel. The Office will hold Chinese New Year festivities in strict compliance with the guidelines on pandemic prevention.
Promote pandemic prevention info in line with the latest guidelines
MGTO leverages different channels to inform visitors comprehensively about pandemic prevention, including posting pandemic prevention guidelines on its website, displaying pandemic prevention info at MGTO’s Tourist Information counters at various ports of entry, while calling for compliance with pandemic prevention measures on its official accounts on WeChat and Weibo. The Office also reminds travel industry operators to carry out pandemic preventive measures in accordance with related advices and guidelines issued by Health Bureau against COVID-19. Hotels and tourism businesses also continue to help spread messages about pandemic prevention among visitors.
In accord with Health Bureau’s requirement of venue code posting, MGTO has informed the licensed establishments concerned under its supervision and assisted with issuance of venue codes for them. The establishments, including hotel establishments, restaurants, simple catering establishments, bars, nightclubs, saunas and massage parlours, health clubs and karaoke lounges, are required to post venue codes and actively remind individuals upon admission to scan the venue codes through their mobile app of Macao Health Code for itinerary record. Venue codes are also posted at MGTO’s venues for public reception including the Macao Grand Prix Museum and Ritz Building.
Rigorous patrols
During the Spring Festival Golden Week, the Office will conduct patrols at various tourist spots, ports of entry and districts, besides overseeing measures taken by hotels and other licensed establishments under MGTO’s supervision against the pandemic, with MGTO inspectors standing by round-the-clock. Tourist Information counters tend to visitors’ enquiries, whereas MGTO's Tourism Hotline (853) 2833 3000 maintains its 24-hour operator service.
For the public’s information, MGTO’s online platform Macao Tourism Data plus (http://dataplus.macaotourism.gov.mo) will post provisional visitor arrival figures of every previous day between 1 – 7 February during the Golden Week.
Wonderful festivities in celebration of Chinese New Year
To enrich the festive experience of residents and visitors, MGTO will roll out a series of activities during Chinese New Year. With rigorous adherence to pandemic prevention measures, the Chinese New Year Celebration activities” will be rolled out on the 1st Day (1 February) and 2nd Day (2 February) of Lunar New Year. The God of Fortune, the three Gods of Happiness, Prosperity and Longevity, the Chinese Zodiac Mascot of the Tiger, Entourage Boy and Girl, Macao Tourism Mascot “MAK MAK”, as well as the dragon and lion dance teams will convey festive wishes to residents and visitors around the city. The 2022 Parade for Celebration of the Year of the Tiger will be staged on the 3rd day (3 February) and 12th day (12 February) of Lunar New Year. The floats of the Parade will be on display at the seafront next to Macao Science Center and Tap Seac Square for free enjoyment of spectators. Please visit MGTO’s website (https://www.macaotourism.gov.mo/en/) for the complete program of Chinese New Year festivities.
Stationed guiding service for community tourism
Subsidized by the specialized subsidy program for “Development of community tourism and economy” launched by MGTO in 2022, two of the activities will be held from 1 – 7 February, namely the “Splendid Island - Community Tourism guided tour” at the Taipa Houses and the Village of Ká Hó, and the “Discovering Macao - Community Tourism guided tour” at Rua dos Ervanários and St. Augustine’s Square. Visitors and residents will be provided with free guiding service at 11:30, 15:00 and 16:30 daily during the aforementioned period.
Ongoing marketing endeavors to attract visitors
MGTO rides on online and offline platforms to roll out destination marketing and promote festivities for Chinese New Year. The promotional endeavors include creating posts on relevant social media platforms, inviting travel influencers to promote and conduct live streams on their own channels, placing advertisements on TV channels, among others. With the third phase kicked off recently, the fun hashtag challenge for video posting on the social networks of Douyin and Xiaohongshu attracts visitors to Macao for Chinese New Year vacations, to boost community tourism and spending.
