DESTINATION
Festive future
Grand plans to diversify the economy of Macau have
propelled it into a new era as an international events hub By MARTIN DONOVAN
A
NOTHER NEW ERA BECKONS FOR MACAU. But first, challenges wrought by an easing of China’s economic boom, and a mounting supply of hotel
rooms and meeting space, will have to be overcome as the destination lives up to its latest slogan: “a mega events city”. The new approach by officials comes on the back of successful mega-incentives hosted along the Cotai Strip, most notably by Sands China properties such as the Sheraton Grand Macau. To adjust to this new era, the Macau Government Tourism Office has been tasked with overseeing leisure visitors and the incentives market. Meanwhile, as the government diversifies the economy away from a reliance on gaming revenue, the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute has allied with consultancy Gaining Edge
112 BBT September/October 2016
to market Macau as a business events destination internationally. At Imex Frankfurt, one of the world’s largest gatherings of business events, incentive travel and conference organisers held in April, the reaction of delegates showed how strongly the former Portuguese enclave has evolved. Corinne Janssen, director of sales, associations and sales operations and events service at Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel and The St Regis Macao, said: “Anecdotally, when I first started selling Macau back in 2007 to the long-haul markets in North America and Europe, customers generally had very little to no understanding of where Macau even was. “Now, after Imex in Frankfurt, I am happy to say that a great deal has changed. Instead of having to sell the destination, I am now actually being approached by people who want to hold their events in
Macau,” says Janssen. “Macau is definitely on the customers’ radar. Delegates are asking their organisations to hold future events in Macau. That demonstrates just how far we have come.” Officials have also embraced CEPA, an economic partnership that gives Macau businesses – including event and exhibition organisers – more opportunities to target markets in mainland China. There is also Macau’s unique connection between China and the world’s Portuguese-speaking nations, thanks to positive relations with its former colonial administrators. As the bridge linking Hong Kong with Zhuhai and Macau takes shape, officials also want annual festivals such as lunar new year parades, an international firework competition, the Grand Prix and local festivities to become part of Macau’s mega-event framework.
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