Visitation would likely increase if transport to and from Macau was cheaper, according to a survey conducted by brokerage Sanford C. Bernstein.
The proprietary survey of nearly 1,900 customers and those planning to visit found that time and money were becoming increasingly important drivers for Macau visitation given the ongoing transition from VIP to mass market.
“Future planned stay length is increasing,” explained Bernstein analysts Vitaly Umansky, Zhen Gong and Yang Xie of the survey’s findings.
“The reason for visiting Macau along with another destination largely had to do with convenience of travel (time and money). The time and money element is important as it highlights the need for better transport connectivity to Macau – by making travel less expensive and/or less time consuming, visitation may increase.
“Visitors in our survey came to Macau nearly two times on average – repeat visitation remains an important driver.”
The survey also found that the majority of visitors planning to return to Macau would spend either the same or more on gaming during their repeat visit, however non-gaming was becoming increasingly important.
“Most visitors view gaming as an extension of the holiday experience, but not necessarily the only reason for visiting Macau,” it said. “Shopping and dining are important aspects, with time spent on both surpassing hours spent gaming. Visitors plan to spend a larger amount on subsequent trips.”
