Security authorities boost border crossing capacity and crowd control at tourist sites

To support the development of Macao’s tourism industry, the security authorities continue to enhance the border crossing capacity and crowd control at popular tourist attractions, while ensuring residents' transportation and travel routes are unaffected. In recent years, the Public Security Police, the Public Security Forces Affairs Bureau and the Macao Customs Service have introduced a variety of measures for convenient border crossing, and established close contact and cooperation with mainland China's immigration department, to provide efficient border crossing services. To date, 244 immigration counters and 251 e-Channel kiosks have been established at Macao border crossings. Together with the extension of border crossing opening hours, these have greatly enhanced Macao's border crossing capacity. From January to August this year, an average of 430,000 travellers were served at the border crossings each day, with the highest single-day record of 540,000 departures and arrivals. The situation indicated that relevant departments effectively handled the flows of travellers, and the peak flow of border crossings is still well below the overall capacity for receiving travellers. As more optimisation measures and facilities are introduced, Macao’s border crossing capacity will be further strengthened. Regarding order control at tourist attractions, the Unitary Police Service, the Public Security Police and Fire Service have implemented crowd management measures on four occasions around the Ruins of St Paul’s and Almeida Ribeiro Avenue since last year, achieving effective results. Following each occasion when crowd control measures were implemented, a review was conducted with all government departments concerned, aiming to optimise solutions, and jointly implement improvements to ensure that smooth crowd movements can be sustained without significant changes to the district. After the crowd control measures were implemented, numbers of border-crossing travellers continued to increase, and exceeded 500,000 per day several times. However, the situation did not trigger the implementation of crowd control measures, indicating that the management solutions have successfully enhanced the district’s tourism carrying capacity. Even so, all departments have contingency plans should crowd control prove necessary. In addition, from early this year, the Public Security Police deploys tourist policemen at 10 popular tourist spots – such as the Largo do Senado, the Ruins of St Paul’s and the A-Ma Temple, to prevent and combat crimes, handle requests for help, and appraise crowd movements to enable prompt interventions if required. The overall aim is to enhance crowd management and control of public order in tourist areas. To ensure convenient travelling and transport for local residents and tourists, the Public Security Police closely monitors traffic conditions every day, aiming to maintain smooth traffic flows. At areas neighbouring tourist spots, traffic police and tourist police cooperate to establish an early warning mechanism regarding traffic in tourist areas. This helps the authorities to intervene before traffic problems occur. When necessary, the Public Security Police also cooperate with the Government Tourist Office and the Transport Bureau to provide information about traffic conditions at tourist spots or diversions, enabling drivers and travellers to take alternative routes. These measures are implemented to avoid over crowding at tourist areas and ensure local residents’ daily travel is not affected by the numbers and movements of tourists. At present, the security authorities can effectively handle the border crossing services, traffic management and public order control. With the ability to maintain a high standard of public order, optimise police deployment and flexibly allocate resources, the authorities will strive to serve and host more visitors, and uphold Macao’s image as a liveable and tourist-friendly leisure city.