Macao Visitor Profile Survey (VPS)
The VPS is a year-round survey that studies the the trip characteristics, purpose of visit, source of gaining travel information, travel arrangement and activity, spending behaviour, length of stay, source market, etc. of the visitors.
objectives of the VPS
To provide tourism policy and decision makers, planners and members of the tourism and hospitality industry with up-to-date, regular and insightful information regarding the profile of visitors to Macao and how they evolve over time.
To supplement general visitor (tourism) data currently provided by the Macao Census and Statistics Department (DSEC), MGTO and the Immigration Service by:
a. Providing greater detail and analysis of behavioral and psychological variables.
b. Providing cross tabulated data analysis and presentation of practical use to managers and decision makers in both government and private organizations.
To provide a source of reference and information archive over time of the short- and long-term changes to the mix of visitors to Macao.
To provide reference data to help evaluate the impact and effectiveness of destination management and marketing efforts.
Methodology
The VPS seeks information from visitors primarily on (1) their purpose and reasons for visiting Macao, (2) their trip and travel characteristics, (3) travel and transportation arrangements, (4) accommodation arrangements, (5) major information source, (6) spending behavior, (7) gaming behavior, and (8) evaluation of their overall travel experience. Data are collected at each quarter of the year beginning from the third quarter of 2009. Starting in 2018, approximately 500 interviews are conducted per quarter targeted for visitors who completed at least half of their visit at the time of interview. Interview locations included major sites and ports including the Border Gate, Hong Kong Macao Ferry Terminal, Taipa Ferry Terminal, Airport, and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Border, the Ruins of St. Paul’s, Rua do Cunha at Taipa, Senado Square, Cotai Strip.
Outline of the report
I. Trip Characteristics
For 2021, as the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic continues, visitors from Mainland China became the main source (over 99%), majority of visitors remained for small travel group of 2 (42.6%) and did not visit Macao for previous year (36.1%). 83.7% of respondents came for leisure and vacation. Around 59% of respondents stayed overnight.
Length of stay increased to above 2 days and average immediate group size decreased to below 3 people under the new normal in general. The increase in length of stay could be due to travel restrictions (not as easy to travel as before), so visitors are trying to maximise the trip time. The decrease in average immediate group size could be due to personal strategy for anti-COVID-19 reasons, visitors tend to travel with their close family and friends only.
II. Trip Planning
Under the new normal with travel restrictions, visitors become long-term planners, they tend to plan about their trip 15 to 30 days in advance. There are some very good reasons to embrace it.
According to The Lonely Planet, the benefits of planning a trip a (very) long way in advance are:
Planning ahead can help to save money
Take the time to craft the perfect itinerary
Book popular things to do
Get to know the destination before you arrive
Achieve packing perfection
Enjoy the anticipation
You are scrolling the app store wondering, what is the best trip planner app? There are hundreds of apps out there — how do you choose? The struggle is real. The truth is, many of them will be more useless than helpful. Below are the app that our respondents like:
Top 3 apps that most often used in trip planning are:
Wechat
Xiaohongshu
Dianping
Under the new normal, Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity Railway and self-driving own vehicles were the two major transportation used in arriving Macao.
III. Attractions & Activities
In 2021, we started a new question to collect top attractions / activities that tourist visited / planned to undertake.
Top 5 Visitor Activities are:
Macao Eiffel Tower at the Parisian Macao Observation Deck*
Gondola Ride at the Venetian*
Macao Tower Observation Deck
teamLab Super Nature Macao*
Museums
Top Museums are:
Macao Museum
Taipa Houses
Mandarin Houses
Lou Kau Mansion
Marintime Museum
Top 5 Visitor Attractions (by district):
St. Paul’s District (Ruins of St. Paul, Macao Museum, Mount Fortress, Travessa da Paixao, Natcha Temple, etc.)
The Historical Centre (Senado Square, ‘Leal Senado’ Building, San Mo Lo, Rua do Campo, Rua da Felicidade, Holy House of Mercy, S. Domingos municipal market, Lou Kau Mansion, etc.)
Cotai Strip*
Old Taipa Village (Taipa Houses, Rua do Cunha, Our Lady of Carmel Church, Pak Tai Temple)*
St. Augustine and Nam Van District (New Yaohan, Dom Pedro V Theatre, St. Augustine’s Square, Anim’Arte NAM VAN, Sir Robert Ho Tung Library)
*Cotai is a smaller but beautiful tourist destination that definitely worth a visit. 3 out of 5 activities and 2 out of 5 attractions that respondents like are located in Cotai Strip.
IV. Demographics
Demographics of survey respondents for data collected in 2009-2021 are reported in Table 1 below.
The Macao Visitor Profile Survey (VPS)
Research team: Leonardo (Don) A.N. Dioko, Phd., Patrick Lo, Wendy Tang, Virginia Hong and Janice Leong
The VPS is a year-round survey that studies the the trip characteristics, purpose of visit, source of gaining travel information, travel arrangement and activity, spending behaviour, length of stay, source market, etc. of the visitors. Results of the VPS are published annually.