Youth Committee of Macau Chamber of Commerce
Chinese Young Entrepreneurs Association of Macau
oil prices and the controversy arrival of international tourists increased rapidly.
over traffic rights. In 2008 the allowed the company to main- “If we want to lure them ated from university,
price of oil slumped amid a glo- tain a balance between income to Macau, we certainly should I
n the mid 1990s, when she
gradu
Macau’s aviation industry
bal financial crisis which is still and expenses in the second year provide convenient and efficient was in its infancy. But with
shaking the economic founda- of operation. Up to today they transport in order to bring them a desire to experience new
tions. have invested HK$700 million in. To expect that Japanese air- things, Lok Chi Wai decided
It would be no exaggeration and own two aircraft each of lines might open up flights to to join Air Macau and hasn’t
to say that Viva Macau has been which has a daily average usage Macau is just wishful thinking. looked back.
besieged by both internal and of 13 hours. Only Macau’s own airlines will Now, as Deputy General
external difficulties. “Given enough routes, the take the initiatives to expand Manager of the airline, she
But at least the people at the daily average usage could be 18 market and customer sources. revels in the fact that while
top of the company have retained hours,” Ho said. “When we open up an over- life in Macau can be relaxing,
a sense of humour. However, due to the restric- seas market, our promotional quiet and sometimes narrow,
As Ho King Lun Viva tions of the air traffic rights activities in that destination will working for an airline allows
Macau Airline’s executive di- concession the airline is unable also help to promote Macau her to broaden her horizons
rector jokes: “At the end of this to open up new routes, and as a tourism. Japanese airlines want by meeting different people
year, I could have become out of result it is ultra-cautious about Macau people to travel to Japan. and travelling to different
a job with every one else!!” buying or leasing new aircraft. But Macau has a small popula- countries.
Of course, his comment is “The reason why the other tion, after all. Therefore, as a Prior to the opening of
in jest and with the level of eco- two planned airlines failed to local carrier, we think from the gaming concession, there
nomic turbulence Viva Macau materialise was mainly because Macau’s standpoint, and we will were few foreign profession-
has had to fly through since its of private concerns about the take initiative to open up these als in Macau. Seldom would
inception, you need to have a concession. Once a new route potential routes,’’ says Ho. you come across an interna-
strong sense of humour. is successfully established, the tional company with expatri-
concession holder may very New order ate staff. Since Ms Lok likes
Flock to Macau
likely take it back to operate it broadening her vision and
by itself. This makes the invest-
Ordinary Macau people do
knowing different cultures,
When Macau’s casino mo-
ment very risky,” said Ho.
not feel the same connection to
the airline position was per-
nopoly was ended in 2004, Ho,
He also pointed out that
the air concession as they do
haps “the most ideal job in
who at the was time working
overseas tourists mostly plan
with concessions which touch
Macau”, she says.
for Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific
their itinerary based on the avail-
their every-day lives, like tel-
Airways - predicted that more
ability of direct flights.
ecommunications, electricity,
Concession
and more international investors
If coming to Macau means
water and TV relay. An open
in name only
and tourists would flock to the
an extra hour transfering at
and booming air industry might
Hong Kong, they will probably
bring the air concession closer
The biggest bone of con-
city, greatly increasing the need
choose to fly directly to other
to people’s every-day lives in
tention in the aviation indus-
for air transport.
cities. Therefore opening up air
terms of the development of the
try is Air Macau’s exclusive
Since Macau had no long
routes to target cities is an urgent
economy and the direct benefits
concession to operate air
haul flight routes, it was neces-
priority for Macau.
to people that it brings, says
services from Macau but Ms
sary to form an airline to operate
Ho.
Lok believes its importance
primarily long haul routes. He
Post-crisis
“We can only hope that the
can be overblown.
envisaged another two carriers,
SAR government will consider,
“From the first day I
each with its own route policy. If
Ho says that when this fi- without delay, how to break the
joined Air Macau up to now,
they could take shape, through
nancial crisis passes, Macau traffic rights concession,’’ he
my personal belief and mis-
mutual coordination, they might
will need to be very pro-active adds.
sion has remained unchanged,
enable Macau’s aviation industry
in seeking out new tourist routes Ho remains optimistic
that is, the hope to open and
to build an international network
and providing more convenient about the problem being solved:
operate more air routes from
consisting of long, mid and short
transport facilities. “Before when the economy was
Macau airport in order to pro-
distance air routes.
It is clear that low cost carri- generally good, each company
vide convenience for citizens
After long-stalled endeav-
ers have injected a new dynamic would care solely about its own
to travel abroad and for tourist
ours, Viva Macau finally ac-
in the aviation industry, result- business. Now, as we face a de-
to come here,” she says.
quired the sub-concession for
ing in a clear rise in the number cline in tourist numbers and the
“All of us (local airlines)
several routes and launched its
of tourists from South east Asia continued emphasis on diversifi-
have the same objective, that
maiden flight at the end of 2006.
who are coming to Macau. But cation from the central govern-
is, to promote routes from/to
However, the other two planned
these companies are not local ment, local airlines are under
Macau. But each company has
companies were aborted. Viva
and focus on their country of more pressure and responsibility
its own position and we should
Macau was left to open up new
registration. They will not see to work harder for economic de-
try our best to serve it. ”
routes by itself, including Syd-
creating an integrated and boom- velopment.
What if, as some peo-
ney, the Maldives, Vietnam, Ja-
ing Macau tourist infrastructure “Be it between companies
ple suggest, the government
karta and Tokyo.
as a priority. or between enterprises and gov-
moved to revoke Air Macau’s
Ho gives the example of ernment, cooperation should be
concession rights?
Oil prices
Japanese tourists. Ever since the fostered, so as to create a win-
“First of all the so-called
launch of flights to Tokyo and win situation for the Macau avi-
traffic rights concession
Despite the rising price of
Osaka by two local carriers, the ation industry and for the whole
doesn’t exist any longer in
fuel in 2007, the ever increasing
number of Japanese tourists has economy,’’ Ho says.
Macau,’’ she says without hes-
february 2009
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