Macau’s Growing Tourism Scene

Macau earned an international reputation for its gaming industry, which brought in more than $44 billion in 2014. That’s an impressive number that far outstrips the earnings in Las Vegas; it’s due in large part to the fact gambling is illegal in mainland China but allowed in Macau, a Special Administrative Region of the country. Chinese tourists — many of them incredibly wealthy — pour into the region to spend money in casinos.

But the gambling scene may have peaked. Macau’s casinos have become “a nexus of money-laundering, triad operations and an outlet for corrupt Chinese officials to spend the proceeds of their crimes,” and it’s something the Chinese government is cracking down on, reports The Guardian. Macau’s gambling revenue plummeted, and the rapid growth of its Vegas-like Strip may have peaked.

But that hasn’t stopped the flow of tourists to Macau. Some 31.5 million people visited the territory last year, a 7.5 percent increase over 2013. Many arrive from the mainland and nearby Hong Kong, accessible for a day or weekend via high-speed ferry.

For its part, Macau seems to recognize its golden age of gambling may have ended, and it will need to attract tourists for other reasons. New shows, high-end restaurants, scores of luxury shopping opportunities and a focus on historical preservation are all attractions the city will be hanging its hat on in the years to come.