Visa International has launched a program across Asia Pacific to promote international tourism in Macau.

The campaign, entitled "Experience Macau with Visa", is created to complement the Macau Government Tourist Office's tourism focus on dining, excitement, and luxury.

The campaign, which will run until September 30, 2007, aims to attract visitors to Macau from mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan with a range of special discounts and privileges, instant-win prizes and free gifts when they spend or make cash withdrawals on their Visa cards in Macau. More than 30 of Macau's most prominent merchants are participating in the program.

In 2006, a new record of close to 22 million visitors came to Macau, an increase of 17% compared with 2005. This trend continued with arrivals exceeding 6,300,000 in the first three months of this year, registering a 21% growth compared to the same period last year. Visitors from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, the three largest source markets of Macau, increased by 20%, 22% and 1.48% respectively.

As at December 31, 2006, Visa cardholders from Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, South Korea and the United States were the biggest Visa spenders in Macau, together accounting for 88% of total Visa spend by overseas cardholders. The spend amount by Visa cardholders from Japan and South Korea grew 27% and 53%, respectively. Overseas  cardholders withdrew US$47 million from ATMs and over-the-counter, up 22% from a year earlier.