More good news has landed in Macau’s lap with Japan increasing the amount of flights that can go to the enclave. Japan is increasing the amount of Air Macau flights that they’ll allow to leave Tokyo Narita airport each week. By next summer, the limit of three per week will be upped to seven before the restrictions are removed completely by the summer season in 2013. The new agreement was signed between the governments of the two countries and it is thanks to expansion works being carried out at Tokyo’s airport.
The move is a significant one as passenger numbers between the two have ballooned over the past few years. If you compare 2007’s figure of 22,000 to the 2010’s 93,000 you can see why the agreement has finally been signed. The move may be a blow to the hopes of Japanese casino developers who had hoped that the government would allow them to start operating at some juncture.
If we were to tell you that something was beating Macau’s casino market, you may ask us to go and see someone for a bit of help. Macau shouldn’t be worried. The enclave’s VIP baccarat revenue rose 50% year-on-year in Q2 2011 to MOP48.54billion (US$6.07bn). That was higher than the city’s casino gross gaming revenue (GGR) that rose by a mere 46% compared with the previous year. According to data from the gaming bureau, this small sector accounted for 74% of all casino GGR in the period mentioned.
Fortunately, it’s like being beaten by your older brother – not ideal but all in the family no less.
