MGTO Targets European Travelers for 2026 with New Campaigns and Partnerships

Published on December 4, 2025

The Macau Government Tourism Office intends to greatly enhance promotional work in the European market next year. In an effort to diversify the tourism structure in the region, it intends to take part in trade fairs, introduce new products, and develop close ties with the main travel entities. This aims to make Macau an appealing destination to European travelers, particularly after the city’s designation as the “APAVT Preferred International Destination” for 2026. This recognition was made during the 50th APAVT National Congress, held in Macau, which underlined the city’s growing appeal in the European market.

Macau’s Stronger Collaboration with APAVT to Enhance European Visibility

Director of MGTO, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, shared that the organization plans to collaborate more closely with APAVT next year to increase Macau’s visibility among European travel professionals. The tourism office intends to showcase the city’s unique offerings to a wider European audience, which could help attract more visitors from the region.

In particular, MGTO will participate in two major tourism exhibitions in Europe in 2026, aiming to increase engagement with key stakeholders in the European travel industry. The tourism office is also in active discussions with one of Portugal’s largest travel agencies to explore potential partnerships. These collaborations will focus on creating innovative travel products that cater to European tourists’ preferences and interests, ultimately enhancing Macau’s appeal in the European market.

Expanding Online Training for Travel Agents

In line with its increased outreach efforts, MGTO will expand its online training programs for travel agents. The new modules, available in both English and Spanish, are designed to help travel professionals better understand Macau’s tourism attractions and what makes the city a unique travel destination. These courses will provide European agents with the tools they need to sell Macau as an appealing destination to their clients.

The training programs, which have already been available in Portuguese since 2024, have proven to be an effective way to educate travel agents about Macau’s offerings. By broadening the scope of these educational initiatives, MGTO aims to enhance European travel agents’ knowledge and enthusiasm for promoting Macau as a vacation destination.

Slow Recovery of International Arrivals

Despite the ongoing efforts to boost international tourism, the recovery in international arrivals to Macau has been slower than expected. According to the latest figures, Macau welcomed a total of 33.14 million visitors in the first ten months of 2025, a 14.1% increase compared to the previous year. While this surge in visitor numbers is encouraging, international tourists only accounted for 6.5% of the total arrivals, which equals about 2.15 million people.

European visitation, in particular, remains relatively low. Only 185,997 European tourists visited Macau during the same period, making up a mere 0.56% of total visitors. Portuguese visitors specifically numbered just 10,337 during this period. Although these numbers reflect a modest rebound, the region’s potential for growth in Macau’s tourism sector is clear, and MGTO is focused on building stronger connections with European markets to increase these figures in 2026.

European Market Recovery and MGTO’s Focus on Growth

While European visitation is still recovering, it has regained more than 80% of pre-pandemic levels as of October 2025, a positive sign for future growth. MGTO is hoping that its upcoming promotional campaigns and partnerships will push European arrivals further, boosting the tourism sector significantly. In addition to Europe, momentum is stronger in Southeast Asia, where arrivals from countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines have already exceeded pre-pandemic volumes.

Visitors from Northeast Asia are also returning to Macau, with South Korea showing particularly strong growth, reaching over 60% of pre-2019 levels. MGTO is making strides to ensure that tourism from these regions continues to thrive, but it is also focusing on increasing European and Portuguese-speaking visitors as part of its strategy to diversify Macau’s tourism market.

A Broader Global Strategy for 2026

In its 2026 Policy Address, the government of Macau outlined a more extensive international strategy, targeting not only European markets but also Northeast and Southeast Asia, as well as Portuguese-speaking countries. The strategy includes expanding outreach to the Muslim travel market, which has shown growing interest in Macau’s cultural heritage and attractions.

To support these efforts, MGTO will open two new overseas offices in 2026, one in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and another in either Japan or South Korea. These new offices will strengthen Macau’s presence in key markets and allow for more direct engagement with local stakeholders. By opening additional international offices, MGTO hopes to foster deeper relationships with travelers and tourism professionals from a broader range of countries.

MGTO’s Ambitious Plans for European Market Growth

MGTO’s plan for 2026 reflects its commitment to diversifying and strengthening Macau’s tourism industry, including in the European market. It is with the introduction of new tourism products, strategic partnerships, and targeted promotional efforts that Macau will become more visible in Europe. These efforts are forecasted to bear positive fruit in the context of the continuously recovering European market, hence boosting international visitors and reinforcing Macau’s competitive position among the top destinations in the world.

As part of this broad approach, the expansion of online training programs provided by MGTO and the opening of new offices overseas will also help Macau remain competitive in the global tourism arena. Through innovative partnership initiatives and international engagement, MGTO is optimistic that 2026 will see substantial development in Macau’s tourism sector.