Macau Airport passengers increase 3 per cent to 430,000

The number of passengers using Macau International Airport (MIA) grew 3 per cent year-on-year in January surpassing 430,000 travellers, the Airport announced on Friday.
‘Passenger traffic continued to grow in January, Southeast Asia routes recorded the most significant growth, presenting 23 per cent increase and occupying 44 per cent of overall market share, showing gradually the success of developing international routes of MIA’, it was explained.
The growth was mainly attributable to the new Southeast Asian routes, which have counterbalanced the downtrend of gross gaming revenue.
‘With the growth slowdown in the Macau gaming industry, the passenger traffic of MIA still maintains an upward trend so far, with the attraction of the Macau tourism market, as well as the recent joined Southeast Asian routes continuing to bring support to the entire market’, MIA said.
Despite the upward trend, however, the mainland China and Taiwan markets recorded a decline that the company defined as ‘slight’, without revealing a specific number.
‘It is believed that the drop is mainly due to the affect of relevant policies of Mainland China, as well as the Lunar New Year being in January last year; passenger traffic is expected to reach its peak in February’, MIA revealed.
The upward trend of passenger volume was also followed by aircraft movements, which increased 6 per cent year-on-year in January, involving over 4,700 aircraft.
J.S.F.