Macau logs record 1.5 million visitor arrivals in July

Macau logs record 1.5 million visitor arrivals in July :: PONTO FINAL :: Portal do Di�rio de Macau - MACAO DAILY NEWS: "Macau, which has just 451,000 residents, logged a record 1.52 million visitor arrivals last month, an increase of 45.6 per cent on the same month last year, the Macau Statistics and Census Bureau said on Friday. According to the official figures, Macau recorded a daily average of 49,160 visitor arrivals last month, corresponding to nearly 11 per cent of its resident population. In the first seven months, Macau recorded 9.25 million visitor arrivals, a 51.4 per cent growth on the same period last year. A total of 57.5 per cent of all arrivals were mainland Chinese, 30.9 per cent were Hong Kong residents, and 7.3 per cent were Taiwanese. Some 49.7 per cent of all visitor arrivals in the first seven months were members of tour groups. Macau tourism representatives have attributed the strong increase in visitor arrivals to Beijing's relaxation of individual travel permits for mainland citizens and the liberalisation of Macau's gaming industry. Macau now has 14 casinos that are operated by three rival companies, veteran Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho Hung-sun's Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM), Las Vegas gaming magnate Sheldon Adelson's The Venetian, and Hong Kong property tycoon Lui Chee-woo's Galaxy Casino & Resort Company. SJM, which currently runs 12 casinos, says it plans to open 'several more' casinos in Macau over the next few years. Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts has said it plans to open its first casino-resort in Macau by the end of 2006. MGM from Las Vegas, which is understood to be finalising a casino sub-concession agreement with SJM, also reportedly plans to open its first casino in Macau late in 2006. Tourism and gaming businesses are Macau's chief economic activity."