Lawrence Ho, the Chairman and CEO of Melco Resorts & Entertainment, says it would be beneficial to the long-term development of the gaming industry if authorities proceed with a plan to allow multiple trips between Hengqin and Macau.
Current rules only allow for a single trip by mainland visitors to Macau on a visa, however as reported by IAG the Macau SAR Government has announced plans to implement multiple trips between Hengqin and the Macau control point. The Economic Development Bureau of Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin also said in April that it was designing a plan for multiple-journey tours between Hengqin and Macau.
In an interview with local media after attending an event this week, Ho said that opening up the multiple-entry visa scheme would be helpful to Macau’s development.
“The only problem in Macau now is whether there are enough hotel rooms, and at the moment 90% of the hotel rooms are often full,” he explained.
“The number of hotel rooms in Macau is only one-third of the number in Las Vegas. Hotel rooms in Hengqin are also cheaper than those in Macau, so if [mainland travelers] can make multiple round trips to Macau through Hengqin, it will be better for the development of Macau and Hengqin in the long run.”
Asked if he was concerned multiple entries could impact hotel occupancy rates in Macau, Ho said the two locations can complement one another.
“Many of the hotels in Macau are five-star hotels, while Hengqin has more three-star or four-star hotels,” he said.
The “multiple-entry permit” policy was also mentioned during Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng’s Question and Answer session before the Legislative Assembly last week, where he suggested the scheme was mainly for mainland tour groups, with a detailed document due soon.
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