Like its neighbour Hong Kong, Macao too enjoys the position of being a popular tourist spot for Indian travellers. As per a recent study by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), this Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China recorded a 12 per cent rise in Indian tourist arrivals from January to April 2019, as compared to 2018. Around 14 million tourists from across the globe visited Macao in the first four months of 2019.

This year, Macao is celebrating 20 years of the establishment of the Macao SAR, and the region has undertaken several initiatives to further boost its tourism. These include influencer campaigns as well as festive and event promotions such as the ongoing Macao Arts Festival, Macao International Fireworks Display Contest, Macau Food Festival, Macau Grand Prix and Macao Light Festival among others.

Apart from being a gaming hub, a foodie’s paradise and an art enthusiast’s hotspot, Macao has also caught the attention of MICE groups. This is due to the availability of state-of-the-art infrastructure and large room inventory. In order to attract more international travellers and corporates, Macao, in the last few years, has been constantly developing its infrastructure and hospitality market. For instance, in 2018, MGM Cotai, Morpheus Hotel and The 13 opened their doors for guests. In addition to this, Sands China, which is one of the leading hospitality names in the region, also announced the launch of The Londoner Macao project, a British-inspired reinterpretation of the brand’s existing Sands Cotai Central Cotai Strip integrated resort. Grand Lisboa Palace, Palazzo Versace Macau and Karl Lagerfeld Hotel are some other upcoming projects in Macao.

While enhancing infrastructure and hospitality remains crucial for Macao, the SAR is also putting great emphasis on conserving its heritage and culture that is deeply rooted in this former Portuguese colony.

Why Macao for business travel?

Macao is a visa-free destination that makes it convenient for not just leisure travel but also for corporates looking to conduct events, team-building and incentive trips in a unique destination.

Bridging the gap

Owing to the launch of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), Macao now offers better connectivity to other surrounding regions, thereby facilitating the growing tourist inflow.

macaotourism.gov.mo

Nisha Shroff and Sanchita Nambiar