Concerts (megaeventos + sports)- após SR de Fevereiro 25
jun25
Apesar da identidade do artista do espectáculo não ter sido revelada, o cantor sul-coreano foi o único com concertos em Macau naqueles três dias consecutivos. De acordo com o modus operandi, os burlões prometiam vender bilhetes para os diferentes dias e depois de receberem o pagamento ficavam incontactáveis.
Em 10 casos, as burlas foram feitas através da Internet e em outras duas ocorrências as burlas foram presenciais, dado que os alegados vendedores não compareceram na altura de entregar os bilhetes. As perdas por bilhete variaram entre 1.000 patacas e 25 mil patacas, num total de 87 mil patacas.
A Polícia Judiciária (PJ) anunciou o registo de 19 burlas em vendas online que resultaram em perdas de 25 mil patacas. De acordo com a informação da polícia, citada pelo jornal Ou Mun, as burlas foram realizadas através da venda online de mariscos, buffets em restaurantes locais, bilhetes para parques de diversões ou pacotes de hotéis locais.
https://www.plataformamedia.com/2025/06/16/policia-detecta-12-burlas-em-compra-de-bilhetes-para-g-dragon/
may25
Académico pede melhor gestão
Matthew Liu Ting Chi, docente da Faculdade de Gestão
de Empresas da Universidade de Macau, defendeu, em
declarações ao jornal Ou Mun, uma melhor gestão da
nova zona de espectáculos ao ar livre, no Cotai, pois
considera que a actual taxa de utilização está aquém do
esperado. O responsável pede que o Governo melhore,
através de medidas, a eficácia das operações a fim de
atrair mais turistas internacionais para assistir aos eventos.
Matthew Liu Ting Chi disse ainda que deveria ser criado
um concurso público para a concessão da gestão, a fim
de garantir a operação com fins lucrativos, algo que seria
melhor do que ter a zona de espectáculos sob gestão
pública. Além disso, o docente e académico sugeriu que
a futura concessionária poderá criar pacotes promocionais
que incluem transporte e alojamento, a fim de aumentar
a utilização da zona
Hoje Macau 30/5/25
May25
Outdoor venue becoming Asia’s next big stage to watch, says associations
The Cotai Outdoor Performance Area will host its first commercial concert of the year, drawing attention from industry leaders who are watching closely for its potential economic impact and cultural significance.
In just under three weeks, internationally acclaimed electronic music artist Alan Walker will take the stage at the venue.
In TDM’s Macau Forum on Wednesday, Che Fok Sang, president of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition & Tourism Sectors, mentioned that the outdoor arena offers “stronger conditions to attract top-tier international artists, particularly from Europe, the United States, and South Korea.”
He noted that outdoor concerts provide a unique atmosphere that some performers prefer.
“With more experience and successful shows, Macau is gaining attention in the global entertainment circuit. Many A-list performers now aspire to hold concerts here,” Che said.
He believes the venue complements existing indoor venues in the region.
During the discussion, plans for a water-themed music festival at the outdoor Cotai venue were mentioned, adding that it “[has] a high potential to attract diverse audience segments and boost tourism.”
Benefiting from concertgoer economy
Choi Chi Seng, president of the Macau Historical Districts Development Council, emphasized integrating concert audiences with local community consumption to maximize economic benefits.
On air, he proposed that the government conduct demographic surveys of concertgoers to tailor dining and activity recommendations in Macau’s historic districts.
“By providing discounts or promotions linked to concert ticket stubs, we can encourage visitors to explore neighborhoods like São Lourenço and Senado Square, boosting local businesses,” Choi explained.
Choi stated that a coordinated approach among government departments should be taken to integrate transportation, event scheduling, and community promotions—creating a seamless “chain economy.” This would involve informing visitors about shuttle services, dining options, and shopping deals before and after concerts to disperse crowds and avoid congestion.
Concerts reap
rewards for F&B
So far, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) has invited bids for six food stalls at the arena.
Lei Iam Leong, president of the Catering Industry Association, shared how the food and beverage sector is gearing up for the new venue’s events.
Lei highlighted that “collaborations” between fan clubs and restaurants during recent concerts boosted revenue by 30 percent, citing Blackpink and Jacky Cheung shows as examples.
“Many restaurants have extended operating hours and offered special menus timed with concert schedules […] For the June 15 event, we expect similar enthusiasm and will encourage more businesses to participate,” Lei said.
Lei also stressed the importance of food safety: “Food safety and quality standards are paramount when catering to large crowds at such events.” He encouraged vendors to innovate with “diverse and reasonably priced menus,” portable, easy-to-consume foods, and practical stall layouts suited for outdoor settings.
Che and Lei also noted that fan groups often organize pre- and post-concert gatherings at specific restaurants, creating “fan zones” that boost local catering businesses during slow periods like “afternoon teatime.”
“Concerts usually take place after 7 o’clock in the evening, so this group of fans actually need to eat, that is, during the afternoon tea period.”
Lei encouraged more restaurants to capitalize on these trends and suggested they “offer group bookings and themed promotions tailored to fan communities.”
The panel also discussed the “ticket economy,” where concert tickets serve as vouchers for discounts at local businesses.
The panel of three explained that this strategy is set to be expanded for the upcoming outdoor arena events. Lei cited prior events where restaurants offered incentives to customers presenting concert or movie ticket stubs, resulting in increased patronage and positive feedback.
Promotion and transportation keys
to success
Promotion, message clarity, and publicity were identified as crucial for event success.
Che explained that coordinated marketing efforts can increase awareness and attendance, ensuring the venue’s events reach their full potential. He suggested leveraging traditional media, social platforms, and fan clubs to amplify outreach.
“Fans are highly motivated to support their idols […] and often help spread the word through social media, bus ads, and even in-restaurant displays,” said Che.
Transportation logistics also received attention in the discussion. Choi recommended increasing shuttle bus services connecting the arena with various community districts to facilitate visitor movement and reduce congestion.
To ensure eventgoer satisfaction and encourage exploration beyond the event area, “clear, timely information on transport and local attractions should be provided” with ticket purchases and at the venue.
Previously, the IC stated that despite the new venue’s announced capacity of 50,000 spectators – its main reason for construction – the authorities hope to start with an event aiming at just 20,000 spectators and gradually increase this number.
Che explained yesterday that hosting smaller-scale activities at the venue could help the industry gather valuable data and experience, paving the way for larger productions in the future.
Overall, the three panelists expressed optimism that the Outdoor Performance Area will not only attract high-profile concerts but could also serve as a flexible space for diverse events such as night markets and outdoor cinemas.
In preparation for the highly anticipated “Alan Walker 2025 Live in Macau” concert at the Macau Outdoor Performance Area on June 15, 2025, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) has announced a public call for catering proposals from Macau’s local food industry to provide light meal services during the event.
The IC’s “Macau Outdoor Performance Area Concert Catering Plan” invites catering companies to submit their operation plans by 5:30 p.m. on May 30.
In a note series called ‘Casino Tale’, Morgan Stanley analyst Praveen K Choudhary notes that Melco Resorts stands to benefit significantly from multiple factors. The company’s revival of the iconic “The House of Dancing Water” entertainment show is expected to drive increased visitation and spending. Additionally, Melco possesses substantial de-leveraging potential and offers an attractive free cash flow to equity (FCFE) yield.
The refreshed entrance and improved table configuration at Melco’s Studio City property have already enhanced performance, positioning the company to capitalize on Macau’s recovery. The ongoing ramp-up of Studio City Phase 2 presents another opportunity for growth in the coming months.
Contrary to some competitors who are priced for substantial market share gains in fiscal year 2025, Melco has more reasonable growth expectations built into its current valuation. This creates a favorable setup for potential upside surprises as the year progresses.
Morgan Stanley’s base case valuation for Melco uses a target yield on 2025 estimated FCFE of 8.5 percent, which is 50 basis points higher than the long-term average since 2012, reflecting the current elevated interest rate environment.
https://agbrief.com/intel/deep-dive/21/05/2025/house-of-dancing-water-and-de-leveraging-potential-position-melco-to-outperform-ms/
Andy Wu diz que concertos não bastam para atrair visitantes
O Governo diz querer apostar na organização de espectáculos de grande escala para dinamizar a economia nos bairros com menos turismo, mas Andy Wu, dirigente associativo ligado ao turismo, diz que isso não basta, defendendo a venda de bilhetes com descontos associados para levar mais pessoas a consumir no território
Não é música para os ouvidos do turismo. Na visão de Andy Wu, presidente da Associação da Indústria Turística de Macau, não basta a realização de grandes espectáculos em Macau, nomeadamente concertos, para aumentar o número de consumidores nos bairros comunitários, ou seja, que estão mais afastados dos pontos turísticos.
Segundo o jornal Ou Mun, Andy Wu defendeu que são necessárias medidas complementares à realização dos concertos, nomeadamente a venda de bilhetes combinada com descontos associados em lojas locais, para que as pessoas que vão ao concerto possam também consumir antes dos espectáculos.
No tocante à economia nocturna, em bares e discotecas, Andy Wu declarou que ainda não consegue ser atractiva o suficiente para turistas, pelo que é importante ter medidas complementares aos concertos.
O Governo referiu que está a negociar com as plataformas de venda de bilhetes uma parceria para que haja pacotes de bilhetes com descontos em lojas, o que deverá ser uma realidade na segunda metade do ano, na sequência de muitos visitantes oriundos do Interior da China assistirem a concertos ou competições desportivas em Macau.
Sobre o modelo de descontos a adoptar, Andy Wu defendeu que se pode ter em conta o formato do Grande Prémio de Consumo para as Zonas Comunitárias, actualmente em curso, o que permitiria que os visitantes usassem cupões no comércio local. Tal seria mais indicado do que levar os turistas a consumir apenas nas lojas aderentes ao programa de descontos, disse.
Ser eficaz
Tendo em conta as negociações levadas a cabo pelo Executivo, Andy Wu referiu ao jornal esperar que estas parcerias sejam lançadas em tempo oportuno, nomeadamente já em Junho, aquando da realização do segundo concerto de grande dimensão no Cotai, na zona de espectáculos ao ar livre, perto do empreendimento Grand Lisboa Palace.
Andy Wu não esqueceu ainda o factor transportes públicos, essencial para que os turistas tenham melhor acesso aos bairros comunitários antes e depois dos espectáculos. Ficou feita a sugestão de criação experimental de autocarros exclusivos, do género shuttle-bus, com percursos concretos entre a zona de espectáculos e os bairros comunitários, para que os visitantes se desloquem a bairros menos conhecidos de Macau durante o dia e vejam depois o espectáculo à noite.
https://hojemacau.com.mo/2025/05/13/turismo-andy-wu-diz-que-concertos-nao-bastam-para-atrair-visitantes/
Macau’s mega event ambitions hinge on policy, funding support, says promoter
With a steady influx of visitors and top-notch hospitality facilities and services within integrated resorts, Macau holds significant potential to host large-scale music, cultural, and sporting events, provided robust policy, funding, and venue support is in place for organisers.
These remarks were made by Jerry Chiang, founder of entertainment companies J-Cube and Pulse Kingdom, on the sidelines of the ArtBiz Asia 2025 forum held in Macau on Friday.
“One of Macau’s key advantages in hosting events is that it’s a tourist destination, attracting around 40 million visitors annually,” Chiang said.
“It’s well-equipped with infrastructure — from hotels and food and beverage outlets to daily amenities,” he added. “Transportation is also quite convenient.”
J-Cube is behind several international-scale events, including the SUPERPOP Music Festival and DesignerCon Asia. DesignerCon, an annual convention in the United States that celebrates art, design, and collectable culture, is set to launch its Asian leg in Hong Kong later this year.
When asked why Hong Kong was chosen over Macau as the host city, Chiang pointed to stronger financial incentives and institutional support in the neighbouring special administrative region.
“To attract top organisers and IPs [intellectual properties] to a city, the local implementation costs need to be manageable,” he explained. “Without strong government backing in terms of funding and policy, it’s difficult for such events to take root here.”
“Following the Hong Kong stop for DesignerCon Asia, we’ll bring the event to Singapore and then Thailand,” he said. “As for Macau, I’d be happy to bring it here — as long as it’s not a loss-making venture.”
Chiang also highlighted the city’s limitations in terms of large-scale performance venues, which might hinder its ability to host major music festivals. However, he expressed hope that the newly built Macau Outdoor Performance Venue could help fill that gap.
The venue, located adjacent to the Grand Lisboa Palace in Cotai along Avenida do Aeroporto, was inaugurated in December 2024 and has a capacity of around 50,000 spectators. To date, no public performances have been held there since its launch event, as authorities continue to conduct cautious stress testing across key areas such as security, transport logistics, crowd control, and public order.
Macao’s ambitions to become a leading regional and global hub for sports and entertainment – a hybrid sector dubbed “sportainment” – took centre stage at the morning session of the final day of the Asian IR Summit 2025, held at the Galaxy International Convention Centre yesterday.
Speakers noted that the integration of sports and entertainment (a concert following a football game, for example) was an increasingly powerful driver of economic growth and diversification. They noted that Macao’s unique cultural and geographical strengths could help position the city as a leading sportainment hub in the Asia-Pacific region as well as on the global stage.
In a roundtable session titled Enhancing Macao’s Position as a Regional and Global ‘Sportainment’ Hub, top-level executives from the SAR’s casino-resorts discussed what transforming Macao into a premier destination for sports-led entertainment might entail.
The panel featured Kevin Benning, senior vice president and general manager of Melco’s Studio City; Jeffrey Jiang, executive vice president of entertainment services at Galaxy Entertainment Group; and Michael Jensen, senior vice president of strategic optimisation at Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace.
[See more: Macao’s tourism chief outlines vision for 2025 in Asian IR Summit keynote]
Jensen emphasised the importance of delivering “quality events” and world-class experiences to attract high-value visitors, and said that sportainment needed to be presented as “something worthwhile, something memorable” in order to draw sizable crowds.
He gave Wynn’s recent golf tournament, the International Series held at the Macau Golf and Country Club, as an example of how his concessionaire manages to host such events without a stadium like Galaxy Arena.
Benning, meanwhile, stressed the need for greater coordination between integrated resort operators, to avoid scheduling conflicts. He also brought up the importance of featuring A-list athletes and celebrities to boost an event’s profile, using Taiwanese-American basketball star Jeremy Lin’s involvement in the East Asia Super League as an example.
Jiang acknowledged that Macao’s current infrastructure, including venue capacity and accommodation for international guests, remained a barrier to hosting major global events. He said the next five to 10 years should bring significant improvements, but noted that government collaboration – as is seen in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore – would be essential.
The speakers said they were looking forward to the upcoming National Games, which are being co-hosted by Macao and make use of various venues at the city’s casino-resorts. They also noted the value of niche events that could be staged at the likes of Studio City’s new rooftop skate park.
The government requires Macao’s six casino operators to invest heavily in non-gambling activities – a category that incorporates the sportainment sector.
The panel was followed by a session entitled The Globalisation Trend of Sportainment, which centred around the art of balancing sport and entertainment to ensure the latter doesn’t overshadow the main event.
Kevin Chang, UFC senior vice president and head of Asia-Pacific, noted that the sport itself had to “deliver first and be the reason people fly in to get that authentic experience.” Then, he added, there’s a “time and place for entertainment to creep in.”
Chang said that when top-tier athletic talent wasn’t available, events may need to lean more heavily on entertainment. He also highlighted the use of technology – such as live stats and rapid video clip editing – to elevate the fan experience.
Susanna Thng, head of sports content at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park, pointed to the recent Hong Kong Sevens as a successful example of entertainment complementing a sporting experience. The Sevens saw back-to-back rugby games satisfy the core audience, who then enjoyed performances by the likes of the English rock band Kaiser Chiefs and DJ Pete Tong.
https://macaonews.org/life/sports/macau-asian-ir-summit-sports-entertainment-sportainment/
Macau is strategically leveraging the burgeoning concert economy to fuel revenue growth and diversify its tourism offerings under the (relatively) new 10-year gaming concessions.
The success of recent entertainment events in driving significant foot traffic, hotel bookings, and restaurant spending has underscored the potential of this sector.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the recent Asian IR Summit in Macau, Jeffrey Jiang, Senior Vice President of Entertainment Services for Galaxy Entertainment Group, highlighted the positive impact of concerts.
He pointed to the example of the popular Chinese boy band Teens in Times, whose 2023 concert in a Galaxy venue attracted a young fanbase. While seemingly paradoxical given Galaxy’s focus on premium mass gaming, Jiang explained the underlying synergy: “The parents of these top-tier Chinese artists’ fans are our main target for gaming. In this way, the concerts serve as a crucial revenue driver.”
Macau’s gaming operators are actively capitalizing on this trend to broaden their revenue streams. However, challenges remain in fully realizing this potential. These hurdles primarily involve the limited size of existing venues and the demanding schedules of top-tier international artists.
Addressing the competition for outside acts, Jiang stated, “International artists have always been a key direction for our efforts. A significant portion of international artists make their city or country selections when planning their entire Asian tour. Therefore, we communicate not only with mainland Chinese cities and Hong Kong but also with international promoters. Of course, they might also consider neighboring countries like India, Japan, and Korea. Sometimes, the final decision rests with the international artist themselves.”
He further elaborated on Macau’s current standing, noting “Macau’s recognition among many international artists is not yet as high as Hong Kong or Shanghai, which have established themselves as financial centers with years of international standing.”
Another significant obstacle is the preference of many major international artists for stadium-sized venues for their Asian tours, citing examples like Taylor Swift, Travis Scott, and Lady Gaga.
Jiang acknowledged this limitation: “Currently, Macau, while the government has developed an outdoor performance area, it is still in a trial operation phase and not yet equipped to host shows with capacities of 50,000 people or more. I believe that in the future, the government will gradually improve the outdoor venues to meet the needs of global international artists requiring capacities of 40,000 to 50,000 or more.”
The executive expressed optimism for the future, adding, “As Macau’s position and reputation in the global performance landscape grows, along with the availability of diverse venues, I believe more and more international artists will come. This year, we have already hosted Green Day, a top global punk band, and Andrea Bocelli, a leading figure in classical music.”
Jiang also noted the long lead times involved in securing international acts: “International artists often plan their Asian tours one to two years in advance. Galaxy Arena only opened in 2023, so there is naturally a time lag.”
Melco’s niche approach
During a panel session titled “Enhancing Macau’s position as a regional and global sportainment hub,” at the Asian IR Summit, Galaxy highlighted its large-scale concerts in driving mass traffic and gaming revenue from parents of fans.
Meanwhile, Melco Resorts & Entertainment has adopted a slightly different strategy, focusing on smaller, more exclusive events. Kevin Benning, Senior Vice President and Studio City General Manager at Melco, explained during the Asian IR Summit panel that their approach is tailored to the Studio City Event Center’s more intimate capacity.
Benning highlighted the importance of understanding what makes sense for their specific venue: “We’re 4,000 to 5,000 seats, so much smaller than what Galaxy has. So we need to get a little more creative at times to find the right sports and entertainment that fits our footprint and can meet all of our needs. That’s where you’ve seen a little more unique events at Studio City compared to some of the other places.”
He provided examples of their creative approach: “Recently, we brought FISE, the Battle of the Champions, street skating to Macau. It was successful because there were multiple teams from Japan that were very well known with huge followings. There were also Spanish and Taiwanese teams with huge followings, as well as groups from Korea. Even with only 4,000 seats, we figured out how to bring in the right teams and the right events that can excite the market to come and visit.”
Addressing overlapping concerns
The burgeoning concert and event economy in Macau presents both opportunities and challenges, particularly concerning the potential for scheduling overlaps that could strain infrastructure and resources. Operators acknowledged the issue of simultaneous events, often concentrated on weekends, which can pressure transportation networks and cause hotel demand to skyrocket within short periods.
Jeffrey Jiang of Galaxy Entertainment noted the capacity limitations and the fact that a significant portion of hotel rooms are typically reserved for gaming patrons, potentially leaving leisure visitors underserved. In this context, Jiang emphasized the potential of Hengqin’s hotel inventory to complement Macau’s, suggesting it could cater to the needs of non-gaming tourists rather than acting as a direct competitor.
“Hengqin can act as a buffer to kind of withdraw or to share the resources with Macau; that could be a future opportunity,” stated Jiang.
Michael Jensen, Senior Vice President, Strategic Optimization at Wynn Macau, Wynn Palace, strongly advocated for greater collaboration among operators to optimize the event calendar and mitigate scheduling conflicts. “How collectively as operators can we bring that to the market without sort of having everything on the same weekend is a correct point, because it just closes the system,” Jensen asserted.
The executive stressed that a more coordinated approach would benefit Macau as a destination by attracting the right audiences for the right events at appropriate times.
Echoing this, Jiang pointed out the two distinct scheduling realities: the fixed itineraries of touring international artists and the greater flexibility for operator-owned or hosted events. While acknowledging the difficulty in altering established tour dates, Jiang suggested that increased communication among operators could help avoid overlaps for events under their control.
Addressing transportation pressures and the potential of leveraging Hengqin for Macau’s event landscape, Kevin Benning of Melco noted that, on one hand, connectivity between Macau and Hengqin has significantly improved following the launch of the light rapid transit. On the other hand, he raised concerns about the practical challenges of efficiently moving thousands of people across the border within short time frames.
He emphasized that the border crossing process still needs to become smoother.
Overall, Macau continues to provide many advantages, but overcoming some short-term issues could significantly boost relevance and continuity, providing a significant https://agbrief.com/news/macau/09/05/2025/macau-embraces-concert-boom-to-diversify-revenue-under-new-concession/?utm_source=Asia+Gaming+Brief&utm_campaign=8885beba95-AGB%3A+%2302136+Friday%2C+09th+May%2C+2025&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51950b5d21-8885beba95-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&ct=t%28AGB%3A+%2302136+Friday%2C+09th+May%2C+2025%29&goal=0_51950b5d21-8885beba95-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=8885beba95&mc_eid=31e20475e6
GERAL Entertainment event promoters in Macau are struggling with inconsistent audience demand despite an expansion of venues in recent years.
This message was one of the highlights illustrated by industry professionals during an Asian IR EXPO roundtable on Thursday on how to develop Macau into a regional and international entertainment hub.
According to David Baxley, vice president of regional entertainment at Sands China, Macau now boasts one of the highest venue densities worldwide – second only to Las Vegas.
“I was just looking at the numbers, comparing the number of shows in 2019 versus 2024 in Macau, both private and public,” Baxley said. “There is almost three times as many shows in 2024. So, that’s a huge increase.”
He added, “There’s also been a huge increase in the number of seats, the number of venues in Macau. I think we now have more venues per capita than anyone in the world except Las Vegas.”
However, the venue growth has not brought much benefit to performance promoters, who Baxley said “are losing money”.
In order to turn around the situation, Baxley proposed a ticket plus visa initiative for short-term visits.
“There certainly is an oversupply of potential audience members. I think that what really needs to happen is we need to equalise that,” he said.
“The best idea that I have for equalising that is allowing people to buy a ticket that includes a visa to visit Macau for either 12 hours or 24 hours.”
He continued, “Until we actually knit up the Greater Bay Area into a single region entertainment-wise, I think you’re going to see this huge shortage of audience members, people buying tickets.”
Most of the current entertainment, as he pointed out, skews towards popular music from South Korea for the younger audience and legacy acts.
This landscape suggests a lack of variety in genres.
“When you look at Vegas, it’s a different world, but you have so many different genres, so many different types of music. They’re happening not just on the weekends,” he said.
“They’re happening during the week. You don’t even have to really think about if you can go to Vegas on a Tuesday or Wednesday or whether you’re going to be able to find entertainment.”
He added, “You just can go, and even though you’re planning, you look and see what’s available, what’s here.”
One of the key challenges facing Macau is the rising cost of international artists.
“The cost of international artists has risen post-Covid dramatically,” Baxley revealed.
“So, someone like Maroon 5 is like 50 per cent higher, even though they don’t have any new songs. I think it’s just because more markets are opening up.
This, coupled with the weak sponsorship market in Macau, makes it difficult to consistently attract big names.
Raymond Lo, senior vice president of Melco Resorts & Entertainment, suggested a long-term residency show model tailored to the city’s weekend-heavy market.
“It’s a very weekend market at this point in time. That’s why having a daily show may not be really a good way to do it, but doing that on a weekend basis, kind of like a longer-term residency can fit the theatre.”
https://www.macaubusiness.com/macaus-show-promoters-are-struggling-say-industry-pros/
entertainment diaspora for its visitors.
Mega-events and festivals are central to government strategies to encourage repeat visits to a city that remains small despite doubling in size, Macau’s tourism chief has said.
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Tourism Office, delivered the message to the 2025 Asian IR Summit on its first day.
In her speech on Tuesday, the official emphasised that it is a ‘top-to-bottom kind of policy’ to push for the city’s transformation into a “world centre of tourism and leisure’.
Fernandes pointed out, ‘That is not just what the Macau SAR government has vowed to do, but it is also written into the national policy, actually three times in a row into our country’s national policy.”
https://www.macaubusiness.com/macau-bets-on-mega-events-to-boost-repeat-tourism-tourism-chief-says/
Segundo o comunicado do Instituto Cultural de Macau (IC), desta sexta-feira, foram recebidas várias propostas para a realização de grandes eventos no segundo semestre de 2025, estando previstos mais espetáculos entre julho e outubro. Já há quatro eventos inscritos para o aluguer do espaço, com uma área total de 94 mil metros quadrados e situado no Cotai.
A nota de imprensa do IC não refere quais os artistas que atuarão nos espetáculos já programados. Os detalhes serão anunciados em breve. Mas sabe-se que o próximo será já em junho e com capacidade prevista para 20 mil pessoas.
Para o segundo semestre do ano, o Governo está a apontar para espetáculos ao ar livre a chegar aos 30 mil espectadores. Neste momento, decorre ainda a recolha de propostas de eventos para o espaço que fica ao lado do Grand Lisboa Palace. É ainda um “período experimental” e conjuga-se com a intenção de diversificar o tipo de realização de espetáculos em Macau.
Outdoor Performance Venue idled after inaugural event
Built last year in a bid by the government of Ho Iat Seng to cater to large-scale events, namely concerts, Macau’s Outdoor Performance Venue stopped operations right after its inaugural event on December 28 last year.
Since then, the venue has been closed and has not hosted any activities, with at least one concert previously announced to take place last month being canceled without justification.
When the Times questioned the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) on the status of the venue and its program for this year, the IC noted only the previous words of IC president Deland Leong, who said that authorities had received many relevant applications on the sidelines of the Macao International Parade event.
Still, the March concerts did not meet the performance requirements.
According to Leong, the bureau was also set to announce the concerts to be held in May the following week.
Since then, almost two weeks have passed, and despite the Times’ insistence on the matter, the IC only remarked that the information on the May concerts “had been postponed.”
In the March interview with the media, Leong said the IC had received applications from multiple projects, and the authorities were reviewing them.
She also added that despite the new venue’s announced capacity of 50,000 spectators – its main reason for construction – the authorities hope to start with an event aiming at just 20,000 spectators and gradually increase this number.
To the media’s insistence on knowing more details about the suspension of the concerts in March and April, Leong referred to the number of spectators, implying that event organizers wish to target a larger audience than the 20,000-cap that IC is currently aiming for.
According to figures released by the IC, the venue welcomed approximately 11,000 attendees during the trial inauguration concert.
At the time, and already under the new government led by Chief Executive (CE) Sam Hou Fai, the new government leader said that the venue was “a game-changer for our entertainment industry,” adding, “It not only enhances our cultural offerings but also promotes economic diversification.”
Also, during the same event, Leong said, “This is just the beginning. We are excited to see how this space evolves into a hub for international performances,” adding that the idea of the first concert was to trial-run the venue’s facilities and crowd management systems.
“We wanted to ensure everything was in place for a smooth experience,” she added, stating that the IC was committed to “making this venue a cornerstone of our cultural tourism strategy.”
Capacity was always the reason
From the start, the venue’s construction was motivated by the need for a large-capacity space (at least 50,000 spectators).
The former CE, Ho Iat Seng, first aired the idea of finding the ideal location for such a space, and the former Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Elsie Ao Ieong, pursued it after extensive criticism following the concerts of the South Korean band Seventeen, held in late January 2024 at Taipa’s Olympic Sports Center Stadium.
Excessive noise, traffic constraints, and damage to the sports facilities were cited as reasons for needing a new and dedicated venue for this type of event.
Later, the former CE established the capacity target for the new venue, and the final location was announced a few weeks later.
At the time, both the former CE and the Secretary acknowledged the quality of existing venues within gaming concessionaire properties. Still, they insisted on the need for a large-scale venue.
According to organizers, the two concerts by the K-pop band Seventeen gathered a total of 40,000 spectators, an average of 20,000 per concert.
The largest indoor venues suitable for and regularly hosting such events in Macau are the Galaxy Arena (16,000 seats) and the Venetian Arena (14,000 seats).
According to the Macao Government Tourism Office’s cultural and events agenda, Macau hosted 67 performances in the first quarter of this year, most of them smaller-scale concerts held by private entities and the government.
Another 27 performances are on the agenda for this month, some of which are planned to run for several consecutive days and attract many spectators, both locals and visitors.
Concurrently, in the neighboring region of Hong Kong, several concerts and music festivals have been held this year, with more planned events in the pipeline.
Hefty cost, recovery on ‘standby’
The venue’s construction cost MOP84 million, and the government hopes to recover the investment through rental income.
The venue fees are calculated based on the number of attendees, with different rates depending on audience size.
According to the CE order published on the matter, the venue’s maximum daily rental charge will be MOP500,000.
During the trial operation period (2025), a 25% discount will be applied.
Events with fewer than 30,000 spectators will have a rental fee of MOP350,000 and a rehearsal and setup charge of MOP175,000 per day.
The performance-day fee is MOP500,000 for events with more than 30,000 spectators, while a half-price charge applies for rehearsal and setup days.
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/outdoor-performance-venue-idled-after-inaugural-event.html
Macau casino resort operator Sands China Ltd is hosting over 30 shows across its three Cotai performance venues between March and mid-June. Most of the spectacles are concerts at the Venetian Arena, the recently-revamped and rebranded event facility at the Venetian Macao.
That is based on GGRAsia’s review of the company’s social media postings and its official website.
The Venetian Arena – formerly the Cotai Arena, and now with a 14,000-seat capacity – hosts an aggregate of 16 concerts from March through to May, featuring artists either from Hong Kong, Taiwan, or South Korea.
A presidente do Instituto Cultural (IC), Deland Leong Wai Man, reconheceu que a zona de concertos ao ar-livre no Cotai não vai receber espectáculos durante este mês. As declarações de Leong aos órgão de comunicação social foram citadas pelo jornal Ou Mun.
Segundo Deland Leong Wai Man, o IC planeou organizar concertos nesta zona de grandes espectáculos em Março e Maio. E até foram recebidas cerca de 30 propostas para a utilização do espaço.
Todavia, as autoridades consideraram que as propostas apresentadas para Março não reuniram os critérios exigíveis para a utilização do recinto. Leong explicou que tal se deveu principalmente ao facto de as propostas não apresentarem uma expectativa de audiência suficientemente grande para justificar o uso da zona de concertos ao ar-livre, que tem capacidade para 50 mil pessoas.
Contudo, as autoridades ainda não querem receber um espectáculo com 50 mil pessoas. Segundo a responsável, nesta fase é preferível um espectáculos com uma audiência de 20 mil pessoas, dado que o Governo pretende que as entidades produtoras testem o recinto e ganhem experiência na coordenação das entradas e saídas do público e na organização do trânsito.
Galaxy Entertainment has previously said that in 2024 it hosted “approximately 460 shows and events”. They included concerts by Hong Kong singer and actor Andy Lau, and sports events “UFC Fight Night Macau”, the ITTF World Cup, and the Women’s Volleyball Nations League, the company mentioned in its 2024 results filing published in late February.
Galaxy Entertainment flagged in the same filing that it would offer a “wide range” of shows and events in 2025, including concerts and another edition of the ITTF World Cup in April.
‘Concert economy’ boosts real estate transactions in Old Taipa
Macau’s concert scene has had a significant impact on the local real estate market, according to Centaline Property.
The number of concerts held in Macau has increased significantly in recent years, with an average of three to five concerts per week.
This has resulted in a surge of inbound tourists, with over 1.3 million visitors recorded during the recent eight-day Spring Festival holiday, including a record-breaking 219,000 tourists on the third day of the Lunar New Year.
“The ‘concert economy’ has driven business for companies around the venues, especially in the Rua do Cunha business district,” the realtor said in a press release.
According to data from Centaline, the number of purchase and sale transactions in Taipa last year increased by nearly 60% year-on-year, totaling around MOP642 million.
Investors have been particularly active in the Rua do Cunha business district, drawn by rental returns of around 3% to 4%, and individual shops reaching up to 5%.
By the end of last year, several “six-digit” rental transactions, ranging from MOP100,000 to MOP300,000, were recorded in the area.
“Amid a series of favorable travel news, the number of tourists visiting Macau is expected to show an upward trend,” the realtor said.
Moreover, long-term prospects for the Rua do Cunha business district are optimistic, with the entry point for investments ranging from MOP30 million to MOP150 million. VC
FEV25
Here’s why Macao won’t be able to host a Taylor Swift concert anytime soon
Experts say Macao needs to develop a local talent pool when it comes to event production, as well as be more open to overseas talent
ARTICLE BY
Kenny Fong
PUBLISHED
11 Feb 2025
As anyone who has been down the dazzling Cotai Strip can tell you, Macao is first and foremost a gambling city. In recent years, however, the tiny territory has been attempting to expand its repertoire as an international tourist destination by pivoting to non-casino offerings, chief among them concerts and cultural events.
In his 2024 policy address, the then chief executive Ho Iat Seng highlighted the government’s expedited efforts to turn Macao into a “city of performing arts” and a “city of sports.” He mentioned that the SAR “organised 60 large-scale sports events and 56 large-scale cultural and arts events, receiving more than 21 million participants” between 2020 to 2024.
Concerts have certainly become big business in Macao. The head of the Cultural Bureau, Leong Wai Man, recently told Chinese state media that the concerts hosted by the city’s casino-resorts attracted 10 million people in 2023, generating a box office of around 1.1 billion patacas (US$136.2 million).
But while Macao may be able to stage table tennis tournaments, regional regattas, and Chinese theatrical extravaganzas, it has yet to become part of a major global event on the same scale as Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. The latter saw the US popstar performing in enormous venues last year, before crowds as large as 96,000 people.
The benefits of attracting such a big name star to the SAR could be enormous, so much so that the portmanteau “Swiftnomics” has been coined to describe the American singer’s extraordinary ability to boost the economies of the places where she holds concerts. Analysts, for instance, estimate that the Singaporean economy gained as much as US$332 million from Swift’s six shows last March, while the Down Under leg of her tour helped to boost the Australian economy by over US$188 million. Small wonder Shanghai is now actively courting the star.
Few hotel rooms and even fewer concert staff A January 2024 concert by K-pop stars Seventeen at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Macao highlighted the city’s inability to stage a major outdoor concert – Photo by shofiphoto
Despite the massive upside of staging a Taylor Swift-sized concert, there have been concerns over Macao’s capability to host such an event. The Seventeen concert is a case in point. Held at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Taipa last January, the K-pop concert drew a total of 40,000 fans over the course of two days. While it certainly helped to boost the local economy, the enormous number of spectators also resulted in traffic gridlock, extensive damage to the pitch and noise complaints among residents living near the venue.
The fiasco prompted the government to consider alternative venues for large-scale events, culminating in the trial opening of an outdoor performance venue beside the Lisboeta on the Cotai Strip on 7 December. This new venue is designed to accommodate over 50,000 spectators, but it is by no means all that is required for the staging of a big international show.
“We don’t have [enough] hotel rooms,” is the blunt bottomline of Glenn McCartney, an associate professor in integrated resort and tourism management at the University of Macau (UM).
Government data indicates that as of the end of 2024, Macao had 146 hotels that offered 43,000 rooms, a paltry sum compared to Singapore’s 73,500 rooms and the 91,961 rooms that Hong Kong offered as of September 2024.
Lawrence Che Fok Sang, the founder and CEO of Chessman Entertainment & Production, a local events promoter that has helped to stage the concerts of talents such as Eason Chan and Mariah Carey in Macao, is more optimistic – but only guardedly so.
[See more: Concerns voiced over personnel and transport at Macao’s outdoor performance venue]
“If Taylor Swift really came [to Macao], she might organise 4 or 5 shows, with each one drawing perhaps 50,000 people,” Che says. “We might have just enough hotel rooms, if it’s all international visitors, coupled with [additional hotel rooms in] Hengqin.”
Then there is the shortage of local talent. “It’s not to say that Taylor Swift and other people wouldn’t bring their own talent to stage it, but we would also need a lot of local talent [in areas such as security and staging] to be able to integrate with that,” McCartney says.
Che agrees. While pointing out that Macao has pulled off concerts by the likes of Madonna and the Rolling Stones in the past, he nonetheless says “If we want to become a ‘city of performing arts,’ we really need to start from education and attracting talent.”
The entertainment production firm CEO points out that young people in Macao lack proper guidance on how to enter the event production industry. The lack of foundational knowledge within the talent pool is another major hurdle, although Che believes this can be ameliorated through education.
Che also highlights the need for Macao to attract more overseas talent, pointing out that these experts can “become Macao residents” and help educate local staff.
Can Macao even handle the logistics of a major event?
The practicalities of handling big international events are also a concern. McCartney says the SAR can handle arena shows, with crowds of 10,000 to 15,000 people, but a Taylor Swift-sized concert is a much more daunting prospect.
Simply moving large numbers of people around Macao could prove problematic. The city’s taxis are woefully inadequate, there are no ride hailing services available, the bus network is unfamiliar to visitors, and the train system does not connect the city’s main points of entry – the Border Gate and the ferry pier – to Cotai, where events take place.
Ha Chon Ieng, a representative of the Islands District Community Service Advisory Committee, has even mentioned the absence of “proper pickup and drop-off points” at the outdoor performance venue, following the staging of its first concert last December.
Similarly, the government was slammed for its poor crowd control decisions during the Seventeen concert, which included the temporary closure of the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) Estádio station and its connecting footbridge, a move that local lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho said not only severely delayed residents’ ability to return home, but also “made the situation even more chaotic.”
In preparation for a Taylor Swift-sized concert, McCartney points to the need for the city to “do a lot more work liaising over the border” as such an event would involve “a massive flow of people exiting” to and from neighbouring locations such as Zhuhai and Hong Kong.
“We just can’t let [there be] the mass exodus,” the academic says, noting that the city needs to consider “issues of queuing and processing a lot of people through immigration points.”
Is Macao’s outdoor performance venue a solution?
Prior to the construction of the outdoor performance venue, two of Macao’s largest concert areas included Galaxy Arena and the Venetian Arena, which can house up to 16,000 and 14,000 people respectively. While these venues are certainly world-class, they are physically unable to accommodate the enormous numbers that a Taylor Swift concert would attract.
Che is optimistic that the new outdoor performance venue “will change some of the ecology of Macao’s performance industry,” calling it “a very big positive for our industry’s [current] development.”
Major global artists “have a basic requirement for the venue to have at least 50,000 people or more,” Che notes. “We now fulfil this condition for the time being, so we can hold discussions with others [about staging such events].”
McCartney is more cautious, pointing out that “we need more time to assess” the outdoor venue because “ a venue in itself is not what makes an event.” The tourism expert mentions that issues relating to capacity, traffic and the experiences of attendees and the community all need to be considered together with the outdoor area.
But both agree on the industry’s need for more policymaking support.
The local concert economy can have a “powerful effect” in supporting the growth of the city, Che says, but he adds: “We really need to adopt many different policies, including those on the part of the government, which may need to take us seriously.”
https://macaonews.org/news/business/macau-events-production-concerts-macao/
jan25 Resultados Galaxy
Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group is expected to have increased its market share and outpaced industry growth in the three months to 31 December 2024, driven by a dynamic live events offering and the recent opening of revamped gaming supply, according to a note from Jefferies analysts Anne Ling and Jingjue Pei.
With the company due to release its Q4 results next month, the analysts are forecasting revenue of HK$10.9 billion for the quarter, up 7% quarter-on-quarter compared with industry growth of 3%, and Adjusted EBITDA of HK$3.10 billion, up 5% quarter-on-quarter. Galaxy’s Macau market share is seen increasing by 1ppt.
“This is driven by [Galaxy’s] rich offerings of events and concerts including Andy Lau (3 to 6 October), Dao Lang (8 to 9 November) and (G)I-DLE (25 to-27 October),” the analysts said, as well as “the continuous ramp-up of Phase 3 at Galaxy Macau and the upgrade of StarWorld’s level 3 that hosts the largest-scale Live Table Games terminals in Macau.”
https://asgam.com/2025/01/19/jefferies-galaxys-live-events-schedule-new-product-offerings-to-boost-4q24-earnings/
jan25
Lawmaker Ella Lei, representing the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM), has expressed concerns over the impact of the new Outdoor Performance Venue on the businesses of local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
In a written inquiry to the government, the lawmaker expressed concerns about the fact that the new venue is located in Cotai due to the need for enough space, as well as traffic and noise concerns, which might not align with the purpose of increasing the business of local SMEs through the visitors attending the events.
Lei said that, according to government-provided information, the authorities have so far received around 10 proposals for events at this new venue scheduled to take place this year from organizers in Asia, Europe, and the United States.
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/ella-lei-expresses-concerns-on-the-impact-of-new-outdoor-venue-on-local-smes.html
jan25
Lawmaker Ella Lei, representing the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM), has expressed concerns over the impact of the new Outdoor Performance Venue on the businesses of local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
In a written inquiry to the government, the lawmaker expressed concerns about the fact that the new venue is located in Cotai due to the need for enough space, as well as traffic and noise concerns, which might not align with the purpose of increasing the business of local SMEs through the visitors attending the events.
Lei said that, according to government-provided information, the authorities have so far received around 10 proposals for events at this new venue scheduled to take place this year from organizers in Asia, Europe, and the United States.
The lawmaker suggested that the government take the initiative or encourage the event organizers to introduce schemes to allow visitors and residents participating in the performances or sports events to enjoy preferential discounts on community spending, among other measures, to attract those visitors to visit other places in Macau and spend at those locations too.
The same lawmaker also suggested that the government find attractive ways to extend the length of stay of tourists, revitalize the local community economy, and continue to promote the non-gaming elements to achieve the goal of diversifying the economy while benefiting local and traditional SMEs
https://macaudailytimes.com.mo/ella-lei-expresses-concerns-on-the-impact-of-new-outdoor-venue-on-local-smes.html
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