The new Law on the Operation of Hotel Establishments is to be introduced on 1 January 2022. To elaborate the key points of the new law and to help the tourism trade become familiar with it, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has held four online introduction seminars in October.
MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said the Office hoped to maintain close collaboration with hotel industry operators and the tourism-related trade. In a video message to the audience, she said all parties would extend warm hospitality to visitors under the framework of the Law on the Operation of Hotel Establishments, and provide excellent-quality tourism services for patrons of hotels and related establishments, as part of the vigorous endeavours to raise Macao’s profile as a safe, quality and charming destination.
As well as clarifying the scope of the law’s application and duties of all concerned, the law optimises licensing procedures by creating a one-stop, streamlined process that includes the granting of permissions for temporary operation.
In addition, hotel establishments will no longer include categories of guest houses and tourism complexes. Instead, there will be a new category of economical accommodation establishments, which comes with simpler requirements. Economical accommodation establishments may be equipped with shared rooms and allowed to offer bed rentals. These new measures will support development of more diverse lodgings for travellers.
In terms of catering establishments, restaurants, bars and nightclubs will no longer be divided into different classes, but instead two new categories will be available: “simple catering establishments” and “catering stalls at food courts”.
The Law on the Operation of Hotel Establishments prohibits minors under the age of 18 from entering bars and nightclubs. In terms of public emergencies, the new Law also stipulates that establishments must provide pertinent information to support implementation of civil protection acts, among other new requirements, referred to by the Civil Protection Law.
More than 100 industry delegates signed up to participate in the online seminars. The participants raised questions about the new regulations stipulated in the law and gained a deeper understanding of its contents. Parts of the online introduction seminar may be viewed online at Macao Tourism Industry Net.
MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes delivers a video recorded message 
MGTO held four online introduction seminars regarding the Law on the Operation of Hotel Establishments