Category Archives: Macau

The 13 Hotel, an ultra-luxury establishment in Macau, has reopened its doors after years of dormancy and financial struggles. Despite its parent company being declared bankrupt and a failed auction attempt earlier this year, the hotel is now operating on a limited basis. According to TDM Radio Macau, the hotel still holds a valid operating license until December 31st, with a renewal expected between October and the end of the year.

The Macau Government Tourism Office (DST) has confirmed that the hotels reopening coincides with ongoing renovation works. The 13 Hotel, located at the end of the Cotai Strip, was initially envisioned by extravagant Hong Kong businessman Stephen Hung. The hotel struggled to attract clientele despite its grand aspirations, partly due to its inability to secure a partnership with one of Macaus six gaming operators for a satellite casino, according to Asia Gaming Brief.

In previous filings with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, it was revealed that the hotels operator had been in discussions with Melco, an international gaming operator led by Lawrence Ho, about operating a casino. However, during the initial stages of the collapse of The 13s parent company, Melcos executive denied any involvement in helping the hotel establish a casino.

Challenges and Strategic Changes

The property, which underwent several name and management changesfrom Paul Y. Engineering to Louis XIII and later South Shore Holdingshas faced challenges, particularly with its location. As industry expert Ben Lee pointed out, the hotels distinctive yet questionable aesthetic failed to keep up with contemporary trends. The design, while it may have been appropriate at a certain point in time when they finally did get it built, was out of touch, Lee noted.

The 13 Hotel, recognizable by its cherry-red exterior and large faux diamond at the top, was meant to attract ultra-rich clients. Guests were shuttled in via a fleet of 30 custom-made Rolls-Royce Phantoms, which cost about $20 million. However, most of these luxury cars have since been auctioned off. The hotel also failed to target the ultra-rich segment accurately and could not offer a casino due to Chinas anti-corruption measures and Macaus table cap policies.

Current Status and Future Prospects

With 199 rooms, The 13 initially hoped for up to 66 gaming tables. Despite its financial woes, real estate group Jones Lang La Salle put the property up for auction at a starting price of HK$2.4 billion, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Now, the hotel is reopening with limited services while undergoing extensive renovations. The property is reportedly fully booked until late September, with bookings currently only accepted via phone or walk-in, as online bookings are unavailable.

Three restaurants are currently operational at the hotel, though parking and chauffeur services are unavailable. The propertys long-term prospects remain uncertain as it navigates financial recovery and renovation efforts. It remains to be seen how management will proceed and what the future holds for this once high-profile project.

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The 13 Hotel in Macau Reopens with Limited Services Amid Renovations - World Casino Directory

Good Morning. Few things were the same after the pandemic, particularly for the Macau market, which suffered the brunt of lockdowns and border restrictions. A new study examines how much the behavior of mainland Chinese punters playing in Macau changed and what new trends are emerging across the land-based and online space. Meanwhile, PAGCOR is seeing continued momentum from its gaming sector, propping up government revenues as the regulator remits its dues to the Treasury.

While the pandemic had a massive impact on the access of mainland Chinese gamblers to Macaus casinos, a recent study has revealed that the impact continues well beyond the end of lockdowns and border measures. The research found that many punters switched online, despite both China and Macau not allowing online gambling. It further examines changes in the demographics, education level, social standing and frequency of gambling by punters during and post-pandemic.

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Chinese punters' gambling behavior in Macau changed due to the pandemic - Asia Gaming Brief

Provisional tourism data shows that Macau welcomed 1.1 million international visitors in the first six months of the year, according to Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Deputy Director Ricky Hoi.

Speaking with TDMs Ou Mun Tin Toi on Friday, Hoi said the data suggests Macau will exceed 2 million foreign visitors in 2024 well ahead of the 1.4 million who visited last year although still lagging the more than 3 million who arrived in 2019.

Nevertheless, he noted that the MGTO is currently working to expand its international visitor sources, including by way of a partnership that sees cruise ships docking in Hong Kong organize one-day visits to Macau for up to 500 passengers.

The MGTO will also present a large-scale tourism promotion ppan for Macau during the second half of the year, Hoi added.

Macau has in recent months organized a series of roadshows in international destinations including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan.

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MGTO: More than 1 million international tourists visited Macau in first six months of 2024 - Inside Asian Gaming

Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) deputy director Cheng Wai Tong reported that, as of Wednesday July 10th, the average daily visitor count for the month of July stands at approximately 87,000, aligning with the offices expectations.

According to a local media outlet, Cheng expressed optimism about the tourism sectors performance during the summer holiday period.

In addition to the strong visitor numbers, the hotel occupancy rate from January to June this year was around 88 percent. Cheng believes that this rate will exceed 90 percent during the peak summer season, reflecting robust demand.

Cheng also noted that there have been no reports from the industry about staffing shortages. He expressed confidence that the tourism sector has adequately prepared for the busy season, ensuring sufficient personnel to accommodate the influx of visitors.

According to previous projections, Macau is expected to receive 33 million visitors this year and from January to May Macau already received over 14 million visitors.

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Macaus July daily visitors averaging 87K, meeting expectations: MGTO - Asia Gaming Brief

Citigroup expects July GGR to reach MOP19bn (US$2.35bn).

Macau.- Analysts atCitigroup have estimated thatMacaus gross gaming revenue (GGR) for the first 7 days of July wasMOP3.85bn (US$478.8m). The daily run rate was down 12 per cent week-on-week, from MOP628m (US$78.32m) to MOP550m (US$68.51m).

With these figures, analysts expect Macaus July GGR to reach MOP19bn (US$2.35bn) or about 78 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels. Analysts George Choi and Ryan Cheung said business is currently slow but is expected to improve around mid-July. They predicted that quarterly EBITDA will decrease by about 5 per cent quarter-on-quarter to US$1.95bn. The figure would be up about 18 per cent year-on-year.

In June, GGR was MOP17.69bn (US$2.20bn), up 16.4 per cent year-on-year but down12.4 per cent month-on-month. Cumulatively, Macaus GGR for the half of 2024 was MOP113.8bn (US$14.20bn), up 41.9 per cent year-on-year but 23.9 per cent below the same period in 2019.

See also: Macau gaming tax revenue up 67.2% in H1

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Macau GGR reaches US$478.8m in first 7 days of July - Focus Gaming News Asia Pacific

As one of the world's most significant markets, the Chinese aviation industry is home to many different types of airlines, ranging from full-service, hybrid, regional, and low-cost carriers. With such a great variety of airlines in a booming industry, it's even common for flag carriers to become slightly overshadowed and not often talked about.

While the major airlines such as Air China, Cathay Pacific, and China Eastern Airlines - to name a few, are more well-known, smaller flag carriers like Air Macau are not. With nearly three decades worth of history and present happenings, let's dive into this particular air carrier.

Since 1962 and before 1995, no commercial air services connected Macau to the rest of the world. All that existed before Air Macau were private helicopter services for those who could afford, and seaplane services offered by the Macao Air Transport Company - a subsidiary of Cathay Pacific Airways to provide short commutes between Macau and Hong Kong until 1961.

Photo: EQRoy | Shutterstock

With this vacuum available, Air Macau was established on September 13th, 1994, as the flag carrier of Macau that would be responsible for providing affordable commercial flight services to and from other countries within the region. However, flight services only commenced the following year on November 9th, 1995, once Macau International Airport was built and ready for operations.

The airline's first flight was from Macau to Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. This flight was operated with the airline's first aircraft, an Airbus A320 leased from Irish lessor AerCap. Three additional Airbus A321s would eventually join the airline's fleet the same year under the same leasing agreement.

Four years later, in 1999, Air Macau had grown to transport at least 1.1 million passengers annually, with approximately 80% of its passengers originating from Kaoshiung and Taipei. Since then, the airline's route network has graciously expanded to include many destinations in China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and the Philippines.

Then, in 2003, the flag carrier dabbled into the air cargo sector after operating its first freighter service between Taipei and Shenzhen via Macau with an Airbus A300BA-200F leased from TradeWinds. More freighters would soon join the airline's fleet in the next few years until 2012 when Air Macau stuck to serving belly cargo on passenger flights only.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Even without the freighters, the airline managed to transport an average of 15,900 tonnes of cargo and mail annually since 2012, alongside an estimated 2.12 million passengers with an average load factor of about 70%. The fleet of Air Macau has also risen to house 22 aircraft, with the reception of its first Airbus A320neo in April 2019 and the first A321neo in December of the same year.

Concerning ownership, the airline's initial big owners were China National Aviation Holding, with a 51% share, followed by TAP Air Portugal, with a 20% stake. Other initial shareholders included the Sociedade de Turismo e Diverses de Macau with 14%, EVA Air with 5%, the government of Macau with 5%, and remaining Macau investors with another 5%.

But when Air Macau fell into financial trouble in 2006 - due to the failed commencement of its low-cost project, Macau Asia Express, in which approximately $30 million was invested as original funding, the flag carrier required a temporary lifeline. The lifeline came when the government of Macau approved a rescue package of about 507.3 million Macanese Pataca ($62.42 million).

Another lifeline appeared in 2009 when a combined stake of 1.25% was sold to Air China by two companies controlled by the Chief Executive of Macau, Edmund Ho. The following year, in 2010, TAP Air Portugal also sold its share to the Star Alliance member, effectively making Air China the parent company of Air Macau with a 66.9% stake.

With Air Macau recovering financially from that crisis and the pandemic, the flag carrier has been expanding its route network in the past two years, gradually reinstating old routes. Fresh new routes and heightened frequencies are also currently underway as the airline looks to strengthen its presence within the region.

Photo: Jeffry Surianto | Shutterstock

As for future expansions of its fleet, the airline has the determination to improve its service further and better meet the growing demands of passengers and is patiently awaiting the arrival of additional Airbus A320neos and A321neos under a leasing agreement.

Have you flown with Air Macau before? Share your experience with us in the comments below.

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Air Macau: Everything You Need To Know - Simple Flying

MGM will host the Oktoberfest Macau at MGM 2023 from 12 to 23 October, marking the 13th year of the iconic event.

One of the most popular annual events in Macau since its inception, Oktoberfest Macau at MGM 2023 continues to be supported by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Consulate General of Germany in Hong Kong and German Chamber of Commerce in Macau. It will run for 12 consecutive days outdoors.

In a statement, MGM said This year, we have invited the HGL FUN BAND band from Munich, Germany to perform in Macau again to celebrate Oktoberfest where they will sing the classic Oktoberfest theme song Hello Macau!

The event has become one of the most iconic annual cross-border events in the city, stimulating the synergy of tourism, entertainment, gastronomy and culture, and fully utilizing the Tourism + effect.

Oktoberfest Macau at MGMs traditional setting will be recreated this year, including the classic Oktoberfest blue and white marquee, traditional wooden benches and chairs, beer ladies dressed in traditional costumes from Germany, the designated beer Lwenbru and special German barbecue dishes.

Oktoberfest has been held at MGM since 2009 and is now in its 13th year. It has been one of the highlights of the year at MGM, however last years Oktoberfest was temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic epidemic.

Tickets go on sale from 11 September at a cost of MOP$250 and include two glasses of your selected beverage.

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Oktoberfest returns to MGM Cotai from 12 to 23 October - Inside Asian Gaming

The very first Macau showing of Picassos artworks in gemmaux MACAU - Media OutReach - 7 September 2023 - As part of "Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2023", organised by the Macao SAR Government, One Central Macau proudly presents for the first time in Macau, "Pablo Picasso: Paintings in Glass" sponsored by Hongkong Land. Aligning with the objective of Art Macao, this show will contribute to arts and culture in Macau, establishing it further as a World Heritage city. The six artworks in this show are among fifty works, unique and signed, selected by Picasso himself between 1954 and 1957, among his most exemplary works to be interpreted in gemmail (French for 'enamel gem'). One Central Macau's Picasso Gemmaux artwork to premiere in Macau

This exhibition is the very first Macau showing of Picasso's artworks in gemmaux to be presented at the Atrium of One Central Macau with free admission from today until 31st October. This showcase offers a rare opportunity to appreciate many of Picasso's most important artworks. As part of Art Macao's theme, "The Statistics of Fortune", this show features works that are reminiscent of the technique of stained glass seen in churches in aesthetics, yet they are back lit light boxes engineered by a workshop led by physicist Roger Malherbe-Navarre working on light diffraction in Paris in the mid 1950's. At the time, the technique was extremely innovative. The layering of several panes of carefully assembled glass gave Picasso's artworks the third dimensionality he sought to achieve in paintings. The technology of these backlit light boxes also gives a new life to the colours, as well as preserving them closer to the intention of the artist. Impressed by the gemmistes' masterful assembling and fusing of carefully selected glass, Picasso declared 'A new art is born!'

Intimate retrospective into life of renowned artistic genius

This exhibition features a special curation of six gemmaux artworks, representing many of Picasso's closest and most influential 'studies' of life. Among them are 'Femme assise', an early portrait of Dora Maar, fellow artist and lover who led him to create the masterpiece Guernica, and the very first gemmail work Picasso signed. Another iconic work is the 'Portrait of Marie-Therese Walter', in which Picasso depicts the French model Marie-Therese Walter, who gave birth to his first daughter, and Mere et Enfant, in which Picasso's wife Olga and his first son, Dora Maar, are depicted. The exclusive series also includes a striking self-portrait of the artist himself, executed in an emotionally expressive style. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Picasso's death and the artworks on display are borrowed from private collections.

"We hold a deep appreciation for the role of arts in society and have dedicated ourselves to honouring cultural heritage. We envision ONE CENTRAL MACAU to serve as a canvas that connects art with the community. This Picasso exhibition is the latest initiative which aims to educate, engage and inspire the community in Macau, inviting people to revel in the beauty of diverse cultural expressions." said Jennifer Lam, Director & Head of Marketing & Communications at Hongkong Land.

Sherry Wong, Chairperson of the Hongkong Land Art Committee, states, "Art Macao is the most important cultural and artistic event of Macau organised by the government and, we are enthusiastic in our participation. Hongkong Land is continually exploring opportunities to both advance and enhance artistic vibrancy by fully reflecting the trends and cultural life of the Macau community. We are especially pleased to present the exhibition "Pablo Picasso: Paintings in Glass", offering an opportunity to both discover and fully appreciate the creativity and personality of one of our greatest and most popular artists."

The unique display of original artworks is featured at the atrium of One Central Macau, with enlarged reproductions of each work displayed on the back of the painting, making it easy for the public to view the series of masterpieces from other locations in the atrium. Be inspired by "Pablo Picasso: Paintings in Glass" at One Central Macau.

"Pablo Picasso: Paintings in Glass" Date : From now 31st October, 2023 Admission: Free entry Location: G/F, Atrium, One Central Macau Avenida de Sagres, Nape, Macau

Editor's Note: The Hongkong Land Art Committee consists of members from a wide range of backgrounds - each one with a keen interest in art and culture - coming from a wide variety of key departments within the company. The committee provides a distinctive perspective about art with the mission to inspire, educate and cultivate an appreciation and curiosity for arts and culture, in order to preserve its heritage while making it accessible to all.

Hashtag: #onecentralmacau #artmacau #pabolpicasso #gemmaux #paintingsinglass

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

One Central Macau is a leading shopping destination on the harbour front of Macau Peninsula. Spanning 200,000 square feet in leasable shop area, it houses a spectacular array of leading international designer brands, including Boucheron, BVLGARI, Burberry, Cartier, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Zegna, FENDI, Gucci, Herms, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Luck Hock Watch, Patek Philippe and more. These brands have chosen to establish their duplex or multi-storey flagship stores, or their first or biggest outlet in Macau at One Central.

The cosmopolitan lifestyle complex also features 7 luxurious residential towers, the Mandarin Oriental, Macau hotel, as well as one of the most coveted hotel managed properties, The Residences & Apartments at Mandarin Oriental, Macau. One Central enjoys direct access to MGM MACAU, and is immediately across from Wynn Macau, with Grand Lisboa and StarWorld Hotel within the distance of a stone's throw. With its central location, One Central sits right at the intersection of the best in entertainment, luxury and elegance, offering a shopping experience synonymous with Central Hong Kong or Beverly Hills of Los Angeles.

Official Website: http://www.onecentralmall.com.mo Official WeChat: OneCentralMacau

Hongkong Land is a major listed property investment, management and development group. Founded in 1889, Hongkong Land's business is built on excellence, integrity and partnership.

The Group owns and manages more than 850,000 sq. m. of prime office and luxury retail property in key Asian cities, principally in Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and Jakarta. Its properties attract the world's foremost companies and luxury brands.

The Group's Central Hong Kong portfolio represents some 450,000 sq. m. of prime property. It has a further 165,000 sq. m. of prestigious office space in Singapore mainly held through joint ventures, a luxury retail centre at Wangfujing in Beijing, and a 50% interest in a leading office complex in Central Jakarta. The Group also has a number of high quality residential, commercial and mixed-use projects under development in cities across China and Southeast Asia. In Singapore, its subsidiary, MCL Land, is a well-established residential developer.

Hongkong Land Holdings Limited is incorporated in Bermuda and has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. The Group's assets and investments are managed from Hong Kong by Hongkong Land Limited. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

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ONE CENTRAL MACAU Celebrates the Year of Picasso with "Pablo ... - ZAWYA

Sep 06, 2023 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck

The actual criminalisation of unauthorised money-exchange activity known to occur in Macaus casinos or their surroundings is currently being considered by the citys authorities, said on Wednesday Wong Sio Chak (pictured centre), Secretary for Security, during a media briefing on crime data for the first half of 2023.

Mr Wong did not go into detail on the mechanics of such criminalisation. But he said unauthorised money changing had long been affecting security conditions inside casinos and the areas surrounding them, and had often induced other crimes, notably scams, illegal detainment of individuals, assaults and even murders.

Bets at Macau casinos are mainly denominated in Hong Kong dollars, but many of the venues customers are from mainland China, which imposes controls on the amount of Chinas currency, the yuan, that can be brought across the border, per trip.

Unauthorised currency exchange taking place in or around Macau casinos has been classified by Macaus Public Prosecutions Office as activity between private parties, and so in general terms, it currently comes under the citys financial regulatory framework, rather than being a criminal matter.

On this topic, Mr Wong said during the Wednesday briefing: The Judiciary Police have hoped that the illicit money exchange that is related to gambling purposes could be criminalised.

He added: Alternatively, if these [illicit money exchanges] are not to be criminalised, we would assess how the fines can be enhanced to a very hefty level for the purpose of deterring such acts, coupled with measures such as enforcing an immigration ban on the offenders.

The briefing heard that during the first six months of this year, Macau police identified via daily inspections and various special operations at the citys casinos a total of 8,124 individuals involved with illicit money exchange. The tally was a 198.1 percent increase on the 2,725 individuals logged by the police in the first half of 2022, noted Mr Wong.

In the January to June period, Macau police had alerted the citys casino regulator, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, to 488 people involved with illicit money exchange, and the regulator had subsequently banned them from entering Macau casinos, said Mr Wong.

The Secretary also noted that most of the illicit money traders identified were residents of the Chinese mainland who had respectively entered Macau on a tourist visa.

In the first half where Macau had seen the lifting of Covid-19 -associated travel restrictions, an increase in tourism and gaming business recovery there had also been a growth in gaming-related crimes, stated Mr Wong during the briefing.

The Secretary said that the police had investigated 422 cases of suspected gaming-related crime during the first half. That was a 113.1 percent increase on the 198 cases in the same period in 2022. However, the first-half gaming-related crime case tally was still 56.4 percent lower than the same period in 2019, when the police investigated 968 cases.

Out of the 422 gaming-related crimes probed in the first six months of 2023, there had been year-on-year rises in alleged thefts, scams and usury, according to Mr Wong.

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GGRAsia Criminalising illicit money swap biz an option: Macau govt - GGRAsia

Macau casinos have seen MOP8 billion ($991.4M) in gross gaming revenue (GGR) during the first 14 days of May, an average daily run rate of MOP570 million ($7.06 million), as per investment bank JP Morgan. According to the firm, the ongoing robust recovery shows elevated baseline demand levels, similar to what was seen during the Lunar New Year in late January this year.

"This implies that last weeks GGR a seasonally slow week after the long holiday was still at MOP500 million per day, a meaningful notch above the MOP400 million plus run-rates that the industry generated prior to the Labor Day holiday, said analyst DS Kim, as reported by the Macau Daily Times.

For its part, VIP demand is on a recovery rate of around 25% to 30%, significantly higher than the recovery recorded during the first quarter of the year. "VIPs still dont move the needles for profits/cash flows, but we believe this level of recovery is pretty impressive, nonetheless," the investment bank noted.

Meanwhile, casino stocks have been on a decline amid the sector gaining momentum.However, Kim noted that "those better-than-expected fundamentals" will ultimately drive the sentiment or stocks higher as the street numbers move up."

Last month, the casino sector posted its best gaming month since January 2020, delivering GGR of MOP 14.7 billion ($1.81 billion), a 15.6% increase from the level seen in March. The April period included two days of the national Labor Day holiday that extended until May 3.

Gross gaming revenue in the city soared 450% year-over-yearlast month to smash the consensus estimate of analysts. However, it was still more than one-third below the 2019 level. Still, the start of the year has been strong for Macau.

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Macau shows elevated baseline demand levels as GGR reaches ... - Yogonet International