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Wynna Wong

Hotels in Macau enjoyed an occupancy rate of more than 90 per cent over the weekend as a double dose of popular events – the NBA China Games and three nights of concerts – gave the tourism industry a big boost, according to industry experts.
“The NBA played two games to near-full venues of audiences,” Andy Wu Keng-kuong, chairman of the Travel Industry Council of Macau, told the Post on Monday, a day after the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns played their second and final game on Sunday evening.
He said that many tourists had come from both the mainland and abroad specifically for the event.
“I believe the average hotel occupancy rate was quite good. Preliminary estimates actually exceeded 90 per cent because besides the NBA, we also had the concerts.”
Wu was referring to Hong Kong-born rapper and singer Jackson Wang Ka-yee’s three nights of sold-out concerts at the Galaxy Arena from Friday to Sunday, which attracted close to 35,000 fans.

Wu said the spending power of NBA participants tended to be higher than that of most typical concertgoers, with tickets mostly in the range of several thousand Hong Kong dollars and peaking at HK$24,888 (US$3,200) for the most expensive VVIP floor passes.
“Besides the official NBA games, organisers also held many surrounding activities and sold a lot of merchandise,” he said. “We could see the guests’ desire to purchase was very strong and the overall consumption was relatively high.”
He also acknowledged the value of same-day visitors who came for peripheral activities such as the NBA House, an immersive exhibition for fans to take photos, shop and play games.
Among the visitors on Saturday were Lincoln Fok, his wife and their daughter.
“We came over to Macau to check out the peripheral events and to see some family, but didn’t buy tickets to see the matches this time,” Fok told the Post, adding he might commit to buying tickets to watch the games in the future if a team he followed were in town.
“My favourite team is probably the [Los Angeles] Lakers, with LeBron James being my favourite player,” he said.
It was announced in December that the league had signed a five-year deal with Sands China, with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns kicking things off with two games on Friday and Sunday, while the Post exclusively reported the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets would be up next in 12 months’ time.

Angelina Wu Wai-fong, president of the Macau Tourist Guide Association, said the event was successful in attracting diverse, high-value tourists and noted it had brought an increase in visitors from Southeast Asia and even as far as South America securing hotel bookings.
“Our goal in recent years has been to attract more international visitors, especially premium tourists with spending power, with events outside of gambling,” she explained, adding the city was pursuing a “tourism-plus” strategy aimed at diversifying its economy.
“We hope for Macau to be diversified; we don’t want people to always say ‘I came to Macau, but I don’t know what to do outside of betting’. We need to tell everyone that Macau has many things worth coming for and we have the ability to host all these events.”
Moving forward, Wu revealed a strategic focus on cultivating Latin-language markets in South America and Europe by leveraging Macau’s historical connection as a former Portuguese territory.


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NBA China games

Tourism boost for Macau as NBA China Games, concerts help hotels hit 90% occupancy rates

A giant inflatable basketball promoting the NBA China Games pre-season match between the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns at the Venetian arena in Macau on Sunday. Photo: Karma Lo

Fans browse NBA China Games 2025 merchandise at The Venetian in Macau. Photo: Karma Lo

Lincoln Fok, his wife and their daughter were among the visitors to Macau. Photo: Wynna Wong

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Phoenix Suns’ Khaman Maluach (left) jostling with Brooklyn Nets’ Nic Claxton under the net in their match at the The Venetian Arena, Macau. Photo: Karma Lo

Both teams will have only one pre-season game left after their trip to the Far East. Photo: Karma Lo

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Hong Kong equestrian Jacqueline Lai at Tuen Mun Public Riding School. Photo: Jonathan Wong

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Sport

Basketball

Many tourists had come from both the mainland and abroad specifically for the events, while same-day visitors also came for peripheral activities


Many tourists had come from both the mainland and abroad specifically for the events, while same-day visitors also came for peripheral activities.


Macau

Tourism

Travel Industry Council

Tourism boost for Macau as NBA China Games, concerts help hotels hit 90% occupancy rates

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Many tourists had come from both the mainland and abroad specifically for the events, while same-day visitors also came for peripheral activities

Many tourists had come from both the mainland and abroad specifically for the events, while same-day visitors also came for peripheral activities