Secretary for Economy and Finance Anton Tai Kin Ip said yesterday that with visitors’ consumption patterns shifting from shopping-orientated to experience-orientated, local businesses should adjust their business operations with the aim of better adapting to the new market realities and achieving sustainable development.
Tai made the remarks when addressing a conference with senior representatives from the city’s various business sectors. The conference was hosted by the Macau Chamber of Commerce (ACM), colloquially known in Cantonese as Chung Chung, at its headquarters in Zape.
Tai underlined that under the Central People’s Government’s strong leadership and with the joint efforts of the MSAR government and various sectors of civil society, Macau’s economic foundation was consolidated while the momentum of its economic development continued to strengthen last year. The policy secretary noted that Macau recorded 40.069 million visitor arrivals in 2025, the highest annual number on record, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.7 percent, while its gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.7 percent in real terms to 418.04 billion patacas. The local government earned 42.92 billion patacas in 2025 from investing its financial reserves, representing an annual return of 6.9 percent, the highest return rate on record, he said.
Local residents’ unemployment rate stood at 2.5 percent in 2025, remaining at a relatively low level, Tai said, pointing out that Macau’s inflation rate stood at 0.33 percent last year, indicating stability in the price levels.
Macau’s general unemployment rate comprises local residents and non-resident workers (NRWs).
The Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) is scheduled to announce today the official data on Macau’s average unemployment rate for the whole of 2025.
Tai also underlined that since the beginning of this year, Macau’s economy has maintained its positive development trend. As of Saturday last week, Tai said, Macau recorded 10.117 million visitor arrivals so far this year, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.8 percent, while the number of foreign visitor arrivals rose by 11.3 percent year-on-year to 668,000 during the period.
However, Tai said, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century at an accelerated pace, with frequent geopolitical conflicts adversely affecting the stability of the global supply chain and the global economic recovery lacking momentum. As a highly open and externally orientated micro-economy, he said, Macau cannot remain immune to these influences.
Tai acknowledged that over recent years, visitors’ per-capita spending has been dropping, with their consumption patterns shifting from shopping-orientated to experience-orientated. The new phenomenon, he said, has placed greater requirements on local businesses, where only by identifying changes, adapting to the changes and seeking alternatives can they better align themselves with the new market realities and achieve sustainable development, he stressed.
Tai vows stronger support for local businesses’ transformation & upgrading
Tai pledged that the local government will roll out various aspects of campaigns and measures to help local businesses engage in business transformation.
Tai said that with the aim of further boosting spending in the community, the government will continue to strengthen its cooperation with business associations in various neighbourhoods, with the objective of organising its respective annual festive events in stronger conjunction with activities and events held in various communities across the city.
Tai also underlined that the government is extensively gathering opinions from various segments of civil society concerning its ongoing study on the feasibility of rolling out fresh measures to stimulate consumption and support the community economy.
Moreover, Tai said, the government will continue with its various programmes supporting local businesses’ digital transformation, as well as its various schemes supporting time-honoured local old shops in engaging in innovation in their business operations.
Tai underlined that the local government will continue to improve the city’s business environment, adding that the government is studying the feasibility of launching measures aiming to encourage businesses in Zape and the Inner Harbour district to engage in business transformation and upgrading, as well as measures aiming to attract new businesses to the areas.
In addition, Tai pledged that the local government will fully leverage the role of its Employment Promotion Coordination Working Group to dynamically assess the supply and demand of human resources across various sectors in the city, so as to provide employment referral of local residents for companies currently hiring non-resident workers (NRWs).
The working group set up last year aims to promote local residents’ employment.
Secretary for Economy and Finance Anton Tai Kin Ip addresses yesterday’s conference with senior business representatives at the Macau Chamber of Commerce (ACM) headquarters in Zape. – Photo courtesy of TDM
Senior representatives from the city’s various business sectors attend yesterday’s conference at the Macau Chamber of Commerce (ACM) headquarters. – Photo: Tony Wong
