Chinese Visa Restrictions Extended

3 October 2008

According to the South China Morning Post, mainland authorities extended visitation policies for residents in Guangdong, where a large portion of Macau’s frequent customers reside.

The paper reports that residents are now limited to one trip every three months to Asia’s Las Vegas.

"People joining Macau tours in September have dropped by nearly half (compared to August)," Zhang Yao, a manager at China Travel Service in Guangzhou, told the newspaper.

The Associated Press has linked the visa restriction to recent losses of United States companies with hotel casinos in Macau, which include MGM Mirage, Wynn Resorts Ltd. and Las Vegas Sands Corporation, on the stock market.