February 2015
MGTO adds new ‘Step Out, Experience Macau’s Communities’ Walking Tour Routes
This month, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is announcing four new walking routes to complement the existing network of the ‘Step Out, Experience Macau’s Communities’ programme. MGTO launched the first four of its walking tour routes in September 2013 as a refreshing and interesting way of diverting visitors to...
Public Tender for Tourism Master Plan
As part of its ongoing initiative to build the territory into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has launched an international public tender, inviting duly qualified respondents to submit proposals for the ‘Macau Tourism Industry Development Master Plan Service Provision’...
Promotional Seminar for Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme
The Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme (QTSAS) will be further promoted on 2nd February, when Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and deputy director Cheng Wai Tong introduce the application method of the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme...
14 hotels apply for Macau Green Hotel Award 2014
A total of 14 hotels applied for the Macau Green Hotel Award 2014, of which four were new applications by 2-star hotels and 2-star guesthouses; nine hotels hoping to strive for a higher level of participation and awards re-applied; another one, although unsuccessful last year, continued to participate in the fight for an environmental protection award...
More than 1,100 retail outlets listed as Certified Shops
The Macau Consumer Council has recognized 1,100 shops in its Certified Shops 2015 programme, awarding prizes to 14 retail outlets rated Grade A, including seven gold jewellery retail businesses; the remainder comprise mobile phone retail operations, a foreign currency exchange shop, and pharmacy businesses...
Lunar New Year of the Ram Activities
Macau celebrates the Chinese New Year with great gusto. The territory is one of the best places to witness the spontaneous joyousness of this festival each year. One of the must-experience attractions is the long parade that many people love to bring their families to enjoy...
Calling Across the Centuries
MGM MACAU is currently co-hosting the ‘Red Sandalwood Art Exhibition of Old Beijing City Gates’ with the China Red Sandalwood Museum, in addition to the ‘One Hundred Photographers Focus on Macao Exhibition’ with China Daily and Fu Wah International Group. The popular event, open to the public for free...
MGTO Outline 2015 Tourism Strategy
Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) held its annual press conference last month to deliver a retrospective summary of last year’s tourism developments followed by Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes’ presentation of MGTO’s objectives and strategies for 2015. She revealed that last year's visitor arrivals topped 31.5 million in Macau and increased by...
Smoking Ban Extended from 1st January, 2015
A smoking ban came into force in nightclubs and indoor public establishments on 1st January, 2015.
Beginning this year, smoking is banned in all bars, dancehalls, saunas and massage parlours, in line with the New Regime on Tobacco Prevention and...
A-Ma and Na Cha added to National Heritage List
The Cultural Affairs Bureau announced in December that the city’s customs and beliefs about popular local divinities A-Ma (also known as Matsu) and Na Cha (Nezha) had recently been added to the National Intangible Heritage List.
With A-Ma and Na Cha there are now a total of...
MGTO Welcomes New Indian Representative
Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has appointed a new representative office to promote the city in India. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes signed a contract with Arzan Khambatta, the newly appointed General Manager of MGTO’s representative office in India , in January...
Macau as a World Centre for Tourism and Leisure a Step Closer
The Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government will spare no effort in striving to find new sources for tourists, whilst stabilising the volume of international visitors - which posted record growth in 2014 - and encouraging them to stay longer, Chief Executive Mr. Chui Sai On said recently...
Studio City Signs Up Hollywood ‘A’-List Stars
With no large-scale resort projects completed in the last three years, the market has been consumed by the news that new venues will be operational from this year. First out of the traps will be Melco Crown Entertainment’s Studio City, which is preparing an advertising blitz.
Melco Crown will release a short film starring Hollywood megastars Leonardo DiCaprio...
Macau Hotels Rank Third Most Expensive in World
Despite providing some of the world’s cheapest 5-star hotels, Macau ranked third most expensive overall in 2014, according to German travel website GoEuro. Local hospitality industry representatives say that is because supply cannot meet demand, but more hotels are on the horizon...
Rules Tightened for In-transit Mainland Visitors
Chinese passport holders are now required to show their flight ticket with booked seat at the Zhuhai checkpoints in order to pass into Macau, in addition to producing the relevant visa for their declared destination country.
The new regulation, effective December 2014...
‘Free Exercise’ Yachting Plans Gathering Momentum
According to the Marine and Water Bureau, the government plans to provide 50 provisional berths for yacht berthing at the Shizimen Waterway near Coloane Pier in support of the individual visit scheme for yachts plying between Guangdong and Macau...
5.5 million Passengers Used Macau International Airport Last Year
Passenger traffic at Macau International Airport developed rapidly throughout 2014, with single-day aircraft movements and passenger traffic both recording stable growth. MIA accommodated over 5,480,000 passengers and 53,000 aircraft movements in 2014, posting increases of 9 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively...
Macau Pass Increases Convenience for Visitors
Macau Pass held a press conference to launch several innovative services in December. It introduced a co-branded transport card in partnership with Alipay, whereby mainland Chinese tourists can purchase the card via Alipay mobile application on their phones before entering Macau and pick the card...
Major Macau Players Mull Projects for Hengqin
MGM has joined major local players SJM and Galaxy Entertainment Group to announce development plans on Macau’s neighbouring Hengqin Island.
The Chief Executive Officer of MGM China, Grant Bowie, has announced that the gaming operator is to invest in a non-gaming project in Hengqin...
Macau Design Centre Up and Running
Macau Design Centre (MDC) - the first integrated services platform to promote the development of the Macau design industry - is located in the northern district of the Macau Peninsula near several tourist attractions, including Mong Ha Hill Fort, Lin Fong Temple, Tung Si Tong Cuide Qi Memorial Building...
