Macau expects up to 175,000 daily visitors for Lunar New Year
Macau’s tourism authority expects peak daily visitor arrivals of up to 175,000 during the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, according to remarks attributed to the director of the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
The expected arrival range, reported as between 158,000 and 175,000 visitors per day at peak, comes ahead of a nine-day Lunar New Year public holiday period, running from 15 February to 23 February. The extended holiday window is the longest Lunar New Year break on record for Macau and coincides with a traditionally high season for inbound travel from mainland China and neighbouring regions.
Lunar New Year holiday
The Lunar New Year holidays in Macau are regulated by Decree-Law No. 60/2000. The nine-day holiday season gives a longer period to travel compared to normal holidays, allowing visitors to arrive over a series of days instead of focusing their peak period of arrival on a shorter holiday season.
Lunar New Year is historically one of Macau’s busiest tourism periods, driven by leisure travel, family visits and festive events. The holiday typically sees increased cross-border movement through land checkpoints, ferry terminals and the Macau International Airport, placing additional operational demands on transport, hospitality and public services.
Festive programming
To coincide with the holiday period, MGTO has confirmed a series of Chinese New Year drone and fireworks displays as part of its official Lunar New Year programme.
According to MGTO event listings published on government portals, three 15-minute drone and fireworks shows will take place near Macau Tower. The displays are scheduled for 19 February, 23 February, and 3 March, aligning with key dates in the Lunar New Year and Lantern Festival calendar.
The displays will feature 3,888 drones, combined with fireworks, music and laser effects, forming one of the centrepieces of the city’s Lunar New Year celebrations. The events are designed to draw visitors to public viewing areas and form part of a broader programme that includes markets, cultural performances and roadshows across multiple districts.
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Role of gaming concessionaires
Macau’s six gaming concessionaires are participating financially in the city’s Lunar New Year celebrations through contributions to major public events.
According to some media outlets, concessionaires committed a combined MOP 18 million ($2.24 million) toward three large-scale Lunar New Year events, including the Parade for Celebration of Chinese New Year, related festive activities and the fireworks displays. The contribution represents 51.7 percent of a total budget of MOP 34.8 million ($4.33 million) for the events.
Such contributions reflect the long-established practice of concessionaire involvement in city-wide tourism and cultural initiatives, particularly during peak holiday periods. Since the introduction of Macau’s re-tendered gaming concessions, operators have been expected to support non-gaming tourism development through cultural, entertainment and community-focused projects.
Tourism positioning
The Lunar New Year celebrations are an integral element of the annual tourism calendar in Macau. Large-scale public events are utilised to spread the flow of visitors across different districts and extend the duration of activities into the evenings.
The 2026 Lunar New Year schedule integrates an extended public holiday with a comprehensive programme of events, setting the stage for a continued flow of visitors into the city over several days instead of a single day.
The expectations of MGTO regarding daily visitor arrivals during the holiday period reflect the magnitude of travel expected during one of the most important tourism periods for the city.
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