On 15th November, Chief Executive of the Macao SAR Government, Ho Iat Seng, delivered the Policy Address for the Fiscal Year 2023. Under the theme of “Making Progress Jointly, While Ensuring Stability”, he put forward seven policy priorities for the next fiscal year, with the boost of the tourism industry at the forefront of the efforts to revitalise and diversify the economy.
Overall, in the coming year, the Macao SAR Government will focus on boosting the economy, fostering economic diversification, relieving livelihood hardships, preventing and controlling COVID-19, and promoting steady overall development of Macao.
For the diversification development of the economy, the government will adopt a “1+4”, whereby it will enhance Macao’s function as a world centre of tourism and leisure for integrated tourism and leisure, while facilitating the development of four nascent industries: big health industry; modern financial services; high technology; and conferences and exhibitions, commerce and trade, and culture and sports.
Revitalising the tourism and leisure industry is a top priority
In the coming year, Macao’s government has pledged to expedite the city’s economic recovery and revitalisation while implementing the nation’s preferential measures to quickly revive the integrated tourism and leisure industry. As mentioned in the policy address, a steady recovery of the tourism industry - in the short to medium term - is the foundation for Macao’s overall economic recovery. While preventing and controlling the pandemic, Macao’s government is also effectively implementing policies and measures to welcome the resumption of the smart-travel permit and tour groups from the Mainland. These measures are designed to gradually restore the vitality of the city’s tourism industry and the economy as a whole.
The government will strengthen and optimise its promotion of Macao as a safe and quality destination, as well as deepen the promotion format to increase traffic through the use of digital tools while also attracting visitors physically through offline activities. In addition, big data technologies are to be used to create new complex community tourism products so that the tourism market is expanded both at home and abroad.
Large-scale tourism roadshows will be conducted in key Mainland cities and an array of discount tourism products will be launched following the pandemic provided the pandemic is under control, to help the industry expand its tourism resources. At the same time, the government will further expand “tourism+”, promoting the cross-integration of tourism and gastronomy, big health, science and technology, events and more. It will also promote the development of its “Educational Student Tours”.
Promoting the development of Macao’s community tourism economy
Next year, the Macao SAR Government will continue to implement a series of measures to promote the development of the city’s community tourism economy, as was outlined in the policy address. This will include supporting the organisation of a range of tourism activities in different Macao communities through a special subsidy programme and through the good use of corporate resources. Meanwhile, an array of discount overnight tourism offers on e-commerce platforms and via online travel agencies (OTAs) will be launched to attract tourists to visit Macao and extend their stay in the city so they can further explore its communities.
Precision marketing for target customer groups will be carried out in coordination with the industry, while tourism enterprises and institutions in Macao will be encouraged to participate in large-scale promotional activities that are held outside the city. The businesses and organisations will also be encouraged to jointly launch a range of tourism products and to jointly expand their customer sources.
Deepening the cross integration of “tourism+”
The policy address outlined that before, during and after any business tourism event that’s held in the city, more leisure and tourism experience activities will be added so that business tourists are encouraged to extend the length of their stay. It is hoped that this will deepen the implementation of the “Macao MICE Environment Experience Tour” programme, which promotes the city as a quality destination for MICE events. Plus, the government will assist Macao’s convention and exhibition industry in organising influential business tourism exhibitions in the city so as to strengthen communications with international convention and exhibition organisers.
Macao will continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other Creative Cities, both online and offline. It will also build on the city’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. The government supports and encourages Macao’s tourism industry to introduce international gastronomy list award ceremonies to Macao and conduct themed and large-scale gastronomy promotional activities.
The industry is encouraged to use Macao’s resources alongside those from the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin to help develop products related to healthcare, traditional Chinese medicine diet treatment, vaccinations and health tourism. The government will evaluate the ability of online and offline travel agencies to launch packages or customised products related to good health. It has pledged to jointly publicise the packages via tourism promotional activities and alongside hotel accommodation discounts.
The Macao government will also carry out a consultation on the development of Macao’s educational student tours market study, it was outlined at the policy address. This study is designed to encourage the tourism industry to combine local resources and provide corresponding products for students and their families to participate in “Educational Student Tours” in Macao.
For details of the “Policy Address for the Fiscal Year 2023”, please refer to www.policyaddress.gov.mo.
The Tourism Development Committee (CDT from its Portuguese acronym) convened the second Plenary Meeting of 2022 - which was presided over by the Secretary for Economy and Finance and Committee Chairperson, Lei Wai Nong - on 8th November. During the meeting, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) presented an overview of the tourism situation in the city. It also unveiled its work plan for 2023 and listened to the CDT members’ opinions on Macao’s tourism development and economic recovery.
Secretary Lei Wai Nong said that the resumption of electronic issuance of travel permits and group travel to Macao from four Mainland provinces and one municipality (Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian and Shanghai) is one of the Central Government’s major supportive measures for Macao’s economic recovery (Please refer here for the details), expressing hope that the travel trade could capitalise on the opportunities expected ahead to offer high quality services and attract more visitors to the city.
Mapping out next year’s major work directions
To encourage tourists from the Mainland to visit Macao and take progressive steps to promote Macao as a quality destination to overseas markets, MGTO’s major work directions for 2023 include:
1. Attracting visitors to stay longer in Macao through a variety of initiatives
2. Tapping into overseas markets in accord with loosening of border measures
3. Pushing forward with the city’s concerted development of “tourism +”
4. Invigorating Macao’s community economy
5. Participating in the development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin
CDT members at the meeting raised a number of issues, voiced some opinions and made several suggestions. Their comments related to the following topics: supportive measures for the travel trade, the restoration of group travel from other provinces and municipalities, optimisation of cross-border outbound transportation, shopping tourism, “tourism + health and wellness” and “tourism + gastronomy”, among others.
Under the theme of “Dazzling Winter”, the Light up Macao 2022 extravaganza will brighten up the city between 9th December 2022 and 1st January 2023. The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is behind the citywide annual festive illumination event that is this year run in partnership with Macao’s six integrated resorts for the first time. Expect a series of dazzling light installations, interactive games, projection mapping shows and light decorations in eight districts across the city, providing a rich night lighting experience for residents and visitors, which should also boost Macao’s tourism economy in the process.
Light up Macao 2022 is launched this month
Macao’s public and private sectors work together to create light projects
Through the cross-integration of “tourism +” and combining public art and innovative technology, the event dazzles in 28 locations across the city. The eight districts that are being lit up are Northern District, Central District, Praia do Manduco District, Nam Van District, Zona Nova de Aterros do Porto Exterior (NAPE), Taipa, Cotai District and Coloane. An array of activities are taking place under these themes: “Immersion．Metaverse”, “World Heritage．Aesthetics”, “Instant Travel．Nature”, “Virtual & Reality．Quantum”, “Mystery．Fiesta”, “Romance．Winter” and “Leisure．Space”. The six integrated resorts in Macao are setting up dazzling light installations on their premises and there are light shows being projected on to the facades of their buildings.
Four 3D projection mapping shows are also being presented as part of Light Up Macao 2022, including “Tale of Interurban” by the Livelihood Affairs Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin at Largo dos Bombeiros in Taipa. Teams from the UNESCO Creative City of Design, Shanghai, and Portugal will present the “Frozen Bloom” and “The Starting Point of Integration” mapping shows at Macao Science Center and the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier in Coloane respectively. Another video mapping show is “Creative City and Charming Town”, and will be presented by a Macao team, which was the winning creator of the best local work selected through the call for public submissions of 3D mapping entries launched earlier by MGTO.
Combine culture and creativity with online games promotion
The public are encouraged to visit the Light up Macao 2022 official website (lum.macaotourism.gov.mo) to learn more about the program schedule. In addition, the public is also invited to play two online games that are being launched just for Light up Macao 2022. Individuals can go to the event website or visit the information stations at the event venue to participate in or learn more about the first game. Another game is available via the link on MGTO’s WeChat ID. During the event, residents and visitors can also shop at the Anim’Arte NAM VAN lakeside leisure hub for a range of local cultural and creative products including those with a Macao Tourism Mascot MAK MAK theme.
Light up Macao 2022 is co-organised by the Municipal Affairs Bureau, the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the Sports Bureau, the Marine and Water Bureau, the Livelihood Affairs Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and Macao Science Center. The event’s partners include all six of Macao’s integrated resorts: Melco Resorts & Entertainment, MGM, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Wynn, SJM Resorts, S.A. and Sands China Limited.
A range of pandemic prevention measures are adopted throughout Light up Macao 2022, as well as crowd management measures. Spectators are required to present a valid green Macao Health Code, scan the venue code, undergo temperature checks and maintain social distances in addition to wearing masks whenever they are at one of the event sites. For more information, please visit the Light up Macao 2022 website or follow MGTO on WeChat (MGTOweixin).
The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is accepting applications for the three 2023 Specific Financial Support Programmes in the city until 21st December. Non-profit associations need to apply for funding for activities or projects under the “Community Economic Tourism Development”, “Food and Culture Promotion” and “Maritime Tourism” programmes by 5:45pm on 21st December. Any interested party must apply via the Macao One Account.
The committee of the Tourism Fund will carefully evaluate and analyse all the applications and select the merit ones to subsidy (Please refer here for details). The result of the evaluation is expected to be announced in March 2023. Approved activities or projects much be conducted between 1st April and 31st December 2023.
The 2022 Global Partner Summit, organised by travel service provider Trip.com, was held in Macao for the second year in a row between 2nd and 4th December. Under the theme of “Journey into the Future Together”, the summit focused on the recovery of overseas tourism markets in the wake of COVID-19 and it seeked to join forces with partners of all types and backgrounds to help the global tourism industry to evolve.
The 2022 Global Partner Summit consisted of a main forum, sub-forums, a roundtable forum and an awards ceremony. The sub-forums included business travel, accommodation, air ticket and marketing sessions. Over a thousand visitors descended on to the summit. In addition to the Trip.com team, there were also media representatives and tourism experts at the event. Plus, there were groups of representatives from international hotel groups, international airline groups, overseas tourism bureaus and an array of tourism organisations at the event.
The Trip. com Group Global Partner Summit Gala Dinner & Award Ceremony was held on the evening of 2nd December. The gala event was part of the summit. Macao was given an award during the ceremony as the “Global Strategic Partner Destination of the Year”.
The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), as a special support unit, arranged professional familiarisation visit for the summit participants to promote Macao’s diversified “tourism +” charm. MGTO hopes that the summit may contribute to attract more enterprises to host large-scale conferences and exhibitions in the city so that business tourists with high spending power are encouraged to visit Macao.
A new gastronomic event called the “Crunch and Munch Fair in Macao - Fiesta for Five” will be held at the Cotai Strip Park between 16th and 26th December. It will celebrate the city’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and its rich gastronomic culture while also showcasing the other four Chinese UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy: Shunde, Yangzhou, Huai’an and Chengdu. The event will shine a spotlight on the gastronomic scene in each of the cities and will also combine tourism, culture and creativity, MICE, the performing arts, film and TV to create a uniquely creative festival of food.
During the event, acclaimed chefs from the five UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy will conduct culinary demonstrations. The local chefs are all from the six integrated resorts in Macao. The event aims to give play to Macao’s role as an exchange platform, foster inheritance and innovation among different Creative Cities of Gastronomy which join hands to carry forward the Chinese gastronomic culture.
The “Crunch and Munch Fair in Macao - Fiesta for Five” itself is co-organised by the Industry and Commerce Association of Macau ZAPE, the Macao Government Tourism Office and the city’s six integrated resorts. It will feature more than 100 food stalls, as well as an array of cooking demonstrations, tourism promotional activities, live music performances, interactive stage games and art shows.
Co-hosted by Sands China and Trip.com Group - and supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) - the Trip.com Group Gourmet 2022 Global Restaurant Awards Ceremony and the First Metaverse Gourmet Event was held at The Londoner Macao integrated resort last month. The event took place in a virtual metaverse venue inside the resort which used digital technology to create a virtual conference experience.
Kicked off online by MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Sands China Limited Chief Operating Officer Grant Chum and Trip.com Group Chief Executive Officer Jane Sun, the announcement of the awards at the metaverse venue was witnessed by global food merchants, industry leaders and Trip.com users.
The Trip.com Group Gourmet 2022 Global Restaurant Awards covers 66 cities in China - including the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao - and honours a total of 7,026 restaurants in five categories: Black Diamond, Diamond, Platinum, Gold Medal and Silver Medal. Black Diamond, Diamond and Platinum award winners were presented with their prizes at the event.
A total of 195 restaurants in Macao received one of the five award categories, with 23 restaurants in the city scooping a Platinum, Diamond or Black Diamond prize. Of those, only Jade Dragon at the City of Dreams integrated resort received the Black Diamond award.
Six restaurants in Macao won Diamond awards: Robuchon au Dôme, La Chine, Zi Yat Heen, Wing Lei Palace, Alain Ducasse at Morpheus and The Huaiyang Garden. The 16 restaurants that received Platinum awards were The Eight, Mizumi, Hip Seng Seafood Hotpot Restaurant (Kee Kwan, Macao), The Kitchen, Wing Lei, Golden Flower, Imperial Court (MGM Macau), The Manor, SW Steakhouse, Sichuan Moon, Yi, Pearl Dragon (Macao), Lai Heen, 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA, Vista 38 and Jiang Nan by Jereme Leung. In addition, 70 Macao restaurants won Gold Medals and 102 restaurants won Silver Medals. Please click on this link for the full list (in Chinese).
The Gourmet Global Restaurant Awards was launched in 2016 to provide Chinese travellers with easy-to-access food and restaurant recommendations. Trip.com Gourmet itself is a dining hub hosted on China’s leading one-stop travel service platform. Watch the video of this year’s awards ceremony.
With the resumption of smart-travel permit and the expect gradual return of group tours for Mainland Chinese visitors to travel to Macao, Air Macau has stepped up its operations for the winter and spring seasons. The company has announced it plans to schedule more flights between Macao and 17 cities in Mainland China: namely Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Changzhou, Nantong, Qingdao, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Yiwu, Tianjin, Taiyuan, Chongqing, Xiamen, Nanning and Zhengzhou.
A total of 5,723 flights are expected to take to the air, representing an increase of 41% year-on-year. Of these, the company expects to make 2,938 flights to the key markets of Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chengdu. That represents a flight increase 45% year-on-year to those three cities alone.
Air Macau actively supports the online and offline promotion activities by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), including the Macao Week roadshows, the “Experience Macao, Unlimited” programme and a number of major events. As part of the joint promotional efforts, Air Macau offers various “Ticket+” promotional offers such as “buy one, get one free” and “buy ticket, get free admission”.
The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) organised a virtual tourism tour and media briefing of Macao in Hong Kong on 3rd November. The event aimed to promote Macao as a safe and quality tourism destination to representatives of Hong Kong travel-related media and Internet celebrities, and introduce the latest development of Macao tourism and the array of activities of “Experience Macao, Unlimited” campaign in November and December, including the 69th Macau Grand Prix and the Light Up Macao 2022. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes also attended the event online and interacted with the participants.
Through interactive live streaming, the event explored Macao’s scenic spots, including Macao Grand Prix Museum, St. Lazarus Parish and Taipa Houses, which is one of the top eight sites of Macao, as well as its surrounding historic buildings. The event also allowed the participants to experience the “Arraial na Taipa” AR Interactive Experience.
The 69th Macau Grand Prix lit up the city streets between 17th and 20th November. Coordinator of the Macau Grand Prix Organising Committee and President of the Sports Bureau, Pun Weng Kun told media following the four-day event, that more than 76,000 spectators had caught the thrilling racing action, surpassing the results of the past two editions.
A total of seven races were held with some of the most celebrated European racers on the circuit today jetting over to Macao to compete. Among them was Finnish rider Erno Kostamo, who claimed victory in the 54th edition of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix. In doing so, he became the first non-British winner of the race since 1997. Other European stars to take pole position during the Grand Prix included Maro Engel from Germany, who became a three-time Galaxy Entertainment Macau GT Cup winner. Engel previously won the prestigious cup in 2014 and 2015.
It wasn’t all about the Europeans in the Grand Prix, though. China’s Jason Zhang Zhi Qiang was victorious in the MGM Macau Touring Car Cup - China Touring Car Championship. The two-time Macau Guia Race winner finished first for the third time in the city. Macao also had a reason to celebrate when hometown hero Andy Chang Wing Chung triumphed in the final Sands China Formula 4 Macau Grand Prix race. Another Macao racer Filipe de Souza became a champion at the Wynn Macau Guia Race - TCR Asia Challenge. In addition, China’s Liang Jia Tong won the Melco Greater Bay GT Cup at the Grand Prix. To complete all seven races, the winner of the SJM Macau Roadsport Challenge was Chan Chi Ha.
Following the Grand Prix, Pun Weng Kun said he was pleased that the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix had returned this year after last running in 2019 - and that it had attracted many European “racing masters” to compete. He added that the Grand Prix can assist different business sectors to accelerate the economic recovery in Macao. He also believed the 70th Macau Grand Prix will be even better than this one. It will take place in November next year.
In response to a question at a Legislative Assembly meeting on 23rd November, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said that MGTO had funded a series of community activities during the Macau Grand Prix, including concerts, cultural performances and film screenings, which had attracted a total of 46,000 visitors. She also mentioned that MGTO will continue to strengthen the “tourism + sports” effect in the city and encourage the industry to organise more feasible international sports events or activities in Macao in the future. To review the details on this year’s event, please visit the official website of the Macau Grand Prix (www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo) and its Facebook page, WeChat account and Weibo. Or download the related mobile applications.