Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong said yesterday that more than 98,000 visitors arrived in Macau on Saturday, which is the highest number of visitors in a single day so far this year, which Lei said he believed was due to the government’s effort in tourism publicity and promotion measures in the past three years beginning to pay off.

Lei made the remarks during a Q&A plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle yesterday, adding that the number of visitors to Macau has now recovered to 58 percent of the pre-pandemic level in 2019, with Hong Kong visitors recovering quite well, and most visitors being quite young, i.e., aged between 18 and 35.

Lei said that the unemployment rate for local residents in the first quarter of this year was estimated to have dropped to 3.9 percent, and the underemployment rate to 2.7 percent.

Lei recalled that the “most difficult time” for local employment was June to August last year, with the unemployment rate for local residents reaching 5.5 percent and the underemployment rate standing at 16.5 percent.

When directly-elected lawmaker-cum-unionist Ella Lei Cheng I expressed concern about the employment of the elderly and disabled in Macau, Lei said the majority of middle-aged and elderly jobseekers registered with the Labour Affairs Office (DSAL) are looking for physically demanding jobs, especially in the construction industry, while some are looking for jobs in the gaming industry, where few additional human resources are required right now.

Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) senior official Choi Sio Un said that until October last year, 15 elderly people aged 60 or above were employed in the two social enterprise projects funded by IAS, and even during the pandemic, the proportion of elderly staff employed by social enterprises reached over 60 percent. Choi said he believed that with the resumption of social activities after the pandemic, the operation of social enterprises will gradually return to a satisfactory level.