Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Attracts High Quality Visitors to Macao, CSG Research Finds

• CSG Research found that visitors
  arriving in Macao via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), which
  has been open since October 2018, spend over a third more than visitors
  arriving through sea ports.
• Due to the convenience brought
  by the new mega-bridge, 78% of these visitors would now plan repeat visits
  to Macao. These visitors also intend to stay longer in the future.

HONG
KONG, �CHINA
- Media
OutReach - May 22^nd,
2019 - The Hong
Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) is a 55-kilometre bridge-tunnel system which
has brought Macao closer to Hong Kong than ever and enhanced connectivity in
the Greater Bay Area. The mega-bridge, which has been opened since October 2018,
is the world’s longest sea crossing. The bridge, according to a recent study by
CSG Research, attracts high-spending visitors to Macao. On average these
visitors spend 32% more in comparison with visitors arriving through sea ports (i.e.
Macao and Taipa Ferry Terminals). Shopping is the highest spend sector (+117%),
followed by entertainment (+40%).

Due
to the easier access brought by the bridge, 78% of visitors arriving via the HZMB
would revisit Macao. CSG Research advises the local tourism industry to utilize
these insights to forge even better relationships with these valuable guests. Due to CSG’s extensive research of travel
behavior in visitors arriving via the HZMB, hotels & resorts can now tailor
their marketing efforts towards these high-yield visitors.

How Do They Spend?

During the research period, visitors who travelled to Macao via
the HZMB have spent 4,280 Macao Pataca (MOP) per head on average, 32% (MOP
1,038) more than those who arrived through sea ports. In addition, visitors who
arrived in Macao via the HZMB spent more than double (117%) on shopping, as
well as 40% more on entertainment than those who travelled to Macao through sea
ports. (Figure 1)

According to the data from Statistics and Census Services, Macao
SAR (DSEC), the total number of people who entered the HZMB daily stands at
15,836, bringing the total number of visitors to 1.46 million in the first
quarter, which was 14.1% among all Macao visitors (10.35 million). Those
high-spending visitors who travel to Macao via the HZMB could potentially
generate MOP 16.4 million in additional revenue. 

HZMB Encourages
Revisits

The study also found that 78% of visitors who
travelled via the bridge expressed their intention to visit Macao more frequently
while only 32% who travel through sea ports would like to revisit Macao. Moreover,
while 37% of visitors who travelled via HZMB stated that they would stay longer
in Macao, only 17% of those who entered Macao through sea ports stated the same
intention. Visitors who would revisit Macao and who would stay longer on their
trip provide a huge potential for an increased revenue for local tourism,
especially for hotels, food and beverage, shopping and entertainment industries
(Figure 4 & 5).

Enhanced Customer Satisfaction

The
study also researched visitors and their satisfaction with the following 8 resorts
in Macao:

• Venetian;
• Galaxy;
• Parisian;
• Sands Cotai Central;
• Wynn Palace;
• City of Dreams;
• Studio City; and
• MGM Cotai.

The
study found a strong, positive relationship between customer satisfaction and
(1) Concierge Services, (2) Variety of Casual Dining and (3) Exciting
Entertainment Options.

Local
tourism could utilize these study results to increase visitor engagement and
loyalty by tailoring their offerings to the findings. 

HZMB Attracts Larger Groups

Visitors
who entered Macao via HZMB also traveled in larger groups, the study reveals.
An average group size of 2.6 persons was recorded, much larger than the 2.2 persons
per group of those arriving through sea ports. Furthermore, 38% of visitors who
travelled via the bridge entered Macao in groups of 3 persons or more, compared
with only 24% of those who travelled through sea ports (Figure 3).

Opportunities for Macao Tourism

Derek Yu,
Research Director of CSG, commented, “The HZMB is yet to function to its full
capacity, as it is presently limited to licensed vehicles only. But official data has already shown that visitors’ numbers surged
with 21% yearly in the first quarter of 2019. From our study, it is
estimated that the potential contribution of the bridge to the Macao economy is MOP 16.4 million per day. Therefore, it is meaningful
to study travel behavior of visitors arriving via the bridge and continuously monitor
the impact of the HZMB on Macao. The increasing importance for these high value
visitors to shop and enjoy entertainment provides opportunities for Macao to establish
itself as a destination which offers the best entertainment and world class
shopping.”

Derek
summarizes the benefits of the HZMB to Macao as follows:

1.      
Enhanced
connectivity among cities in the Greater Bay Area. Visitors have a higher
intention to revisit Macao because of the convenience of the bridge.

2.      
The
bridge draws high-value visitors to Macao who are travelling in larger groups
with more diversified profiles and different travel purposes.

This is a significant
opportunity for local tourism to tailor their marketing communication and
strengthen their retail and entertainment offerings to these high-value
visitors.

About the Survey

The
survey was initiated by CSG. The research study aimed at studying Macao
visitors’ travel behaviors and their views to eight integrated resorts in
Macao.

Data was collected from
24 January to 3 February 2019 at the departure gates of Macao, including Macao
Ferry Terminal, Taipa Ferry Terminal, Border Gate and HZMB. Target respondents
were tourists who had just finished their trips and were about to leave Macao.
The sample size was 604, 402 of them were from Mainland China, 150 of them were
from Hong Kong and 52 of them were from other countries. The full report is
available upon request via email: derek.yu@csg-worldwide.com.

About CSG

CSG
is one of the leading marketing research firms established in Hong Kong in 1982
offering comprehensive research services to clients in diverse industries. CSG is
a marketing research pioneer in Greater China. The company has further expanded
from providing regional to global marketing research services through its
connection with the Win/Gallup International Network. CSG offers a full range
of research methodologies and solutions, including innovative tools like facial
coding and eye tracking. In 2013, CSG became a member of the INTAGE Group,
which is the leading market research organization in Japan. For more
information, please visit https://www.csg-worldwide.com/.