The handover anniversary is affecting businesses and hotels, with key parking areas for customers and other access points cordoned off for the duration of Mr Jiang's visit.
A source in the hotel industry said business had already been hit by a block on tour groups from China between last Saturday and today, reducing their business by about 25 per cent.
A spokeswoman for the New World Emperor Hotel said while business had not been unduly affected by the travel embargo, the tight security and many cordoned-off areas were a serious problem for staff. 'Security is much stricter than last year. We offer valet parking for our guests, but staff have serious difficulties finding parking,' she said.
A spokesman for the Sintra Hotel in the centre of Macau said many businesses were complaining about the tight security. 'All the routes to be travelled by the President during his stay have been cordoned off, which is a real inconvenience for our guests,' said the hotel's front office manager, Angelo de Assis.
The general view was that the stringent security measures were something of an overkill, with many failing to see what all the fuss was about.
'Last year at the handover, security wasn't this tight,' said Pauline Pereira, 25, who works in the tourism and hospitality industry. 'It's fine to have an annual anniversary celebration, but it should involve the public more and not be geared just for the officials.'
