Macau concessionaire Sands China has launched a three-day event called “The Macao Showcase” at sister property Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
Running until Friday, The Macao Showcase aims to promote Macau as a premier tourism and MICE destination with sales and trade partners, regional and international media and Singapore residents all invited to take part.
Sands China said The Macao Showcase is the first major event it has organized in an overseas market post-pandemic and reflects the company’s commitment to support the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) in attracting more overseas travellers and diversifying visitor source markets. The event is also geared toward tourism and economic revival and promoting the “tourism + MICE” cross-sector integration, it said.
A delegation of around 200 people from local Macau SMEs, associations and media have accompanied Sands China to Singapore to promote the city.
Wednesday’s opening ceremony was attended by Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Vincent U, President of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute; Juliana Kua, Assistant Chief Executive of the International Group of the Singapore Tourism Board; Dr Wilfred Wong, President of Sands China; Grant Chum, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Sands China; Chui Yuk Lum, President of the Industrial Association of Macau; Tina Ho, Vice President of the Macao Chamber of Commerce; Paul Town, Chief Operating Officer of Marina Bay Sands; Jocelyn Wong, Chair of the Macau Hotel Association; Fong Son Kin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Industrial Association of Macau; Andy Wu, Chairman of the Travel Industry Council of Macau; and Paul Wong, President of the Macau Leisure Tourism Service Innovation Association.
Inside Asian Gaming was also in attendance at the opening ceremony, with the event held in Hall B of Sands Expo.
“Sands China is very excited to be in Singapore at our sister property Marina Bay Sands to give visitors a taste of Macau with The Macao Showcase,” Dr Wong said. “We hope this event, the first of many, helps increase Macau’s profile as an international leisure and MICE destination, thereby attracting more international visitors and extending their length of stay – in support of the Macau government’s policies and efforts to diversify visitor source markets, fuel tourism and spur economic revitalization.
“We are especially pleased to use this opportunity to highlight some of Macau’s local SMEs, helping them reach a global audience. Our thanks go to the Macao SAR government, Marina Bay Sands and all stakeholders for their steadfast support of our initiatives and the promotion of Macao as a world-class tourist destination.”
MGTO Director Senna Fernandes added, “Previously the [Macau] government was taking the lead in promoting Macau with the IR operators following but this is an example of the other way around, which we are supportive of.”
Among the features of The Macao Showcase are “A Taste of Macao” featuring an array of popular street foods surrounded by design motifs highlighting popular tourist destinations such as the Ruins of St Paul’s and Travessa da Paixao. There is also a speakeasy modelled after The St. Regis Bar at The Londoner Macao offering cocktails made with handcrafted gin from Macau’s own Owl Man Distillery, and a lively bazaar featuring Made-in-Macau wellness products such as kombucha, skincare and healing gemstones, among other attractions.
Thursday will see a MICE & Luxury Forum kick off with a strong line-up of international thought leaders and MICE specialists discussing a wide range of key industry topics across five themed sessions. The forum will be live-streamed to The Londoner Macao’s Smart Stage, a hybrid MICE broadcast space, with Macau college students and MICE association members invited to participate and connect internationally.
The Macao Showcase is planned to become an annual event, Sands China said.
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