Skal Asia to Meet in Macau in May

“It is absolutely unprecedented,” said Earl Wieman, Skal International Asia President when he started to describe the development of Macau’s tourism infrastructure.

“Tiny Macau with a population of just 500,000 will attract over 22 million tourists in 2007. It is therefore not surprising that the world’s major hotel developers are lining up to invest in Macau’s bright future.”

Macau is expanding its tourism potential in many ways and not just through gambling. With an average length of stay of just over a day, the former Portuguese colony is keen to expand its MICE and cultural potential to expand the average stay to 3.5 days within the next  3 years. And if all the development and new convention space is anything to go by they may well exceed this goal in record time.

Skal International Macau President Nuno Jorges and HE Joao Manuel Costa Antunes, Director of the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) were enthusiastic in their promotion of Macau. “22 million visitors represent almost three times the number of visitors before the handover in 1999 and the numbers of newly increased direct flights from AirAsia, Tiger Airways and Viva Macau have all helped boost accessibility.”

The ever-changing skyline of Macau is gathering speed. Wynn, Sands, the Venetian, Galaxy Star World, Stanley Ho’s new 47 storey Grand Lisboa and Sir Richard Branson’s US$3.75 billion casino join Macau Studio City, Asia’s first leisure resort combining theatre TV and film facilities with gaming and entertainment. The complex also includes 2,000 world class rooms from Ritz Carlton and Marriott including the Tang Hotel by designer David Tang.

“We want to also establish cultural tourism, promoting Macau as a multi-faceted destination,” said Mr. Antunes. “The Macau Grand Prix, the International Music festival and the International Fireworks Competition are all well established in the annual line-up of non-gaming activities. With the hordes of MICE visitors expected to arrive, arrivals are expected to continue to soar. Revenues are already reputed to have exceeded Las Vegas.”

Between 25th-28th May 2007 senior travel industry professionals are set to gather for the Skal Asian Area Assembly, and the MGTO is pushing out all the stops to make sure this top industry event receives the red carpet roll out.

The Skal Asian Area Assembly is set to attract members from across the region which stretches from Mauritius to Guam and will include newly joined members clubs from the Singapore and Hong Kong Skal Clubs.

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