MACAO - Macao's tourism market posted a strong performance during the nine-day Spring Festival holiday on the mainland, data showed Tuesday.

According to the Public Security Police Force of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government, the city recorded some 5.967 million passenger trips through its border checkpoints from Feb 15 to 23, averaging 663,000 trips per day, up 7.9 percent year-on-year.

Inbound visitor arrivals totaled some 1.554 million, or 172,000 per day on average, the security department noted. On Feb 19, the third day of the Chinese New Year, single-day inbound arrivals exceeded 227,000, setting a record high.

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Meanwhile, Macao International Airport also recorded growth during the holiday period. From Feb 14 to 23, the airport handled 267,235 passengers and 1,943 flight movements, up 11 percent and 9 percent respectively compared with the same festive period in 2025, the airport said.

Major attractions were crowded throughout the holiday. At the Ruins of St Paul's, narrow lanes were packed with visitors. A nearby biscuit shop manager, Chan, said staff worked overtime during the holiday to boost revenue. "There were already many people waiting outside when we opened at 8:30 am," she said.

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Li Xi, executive associate dean of the Faculty of International Tourism and Management, City University of Macau, noted that the SAR government has taken steps to encourage visitors to explore different neighborhoods rather than focusing only on major landmarks, while enhancing nighttime events and festive decorations to help extend their stays and boost spending in catering and retail.