17 Feb 2015
IN THE HEADLINES
- Macau welcomed 31.5 million visitors in 2014 – representing a 7.5% year-on-year increase
- Macau chosen as one of the top 10 regions for travel in 2015 in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2015
- Cathay Pacific now flies direct from Manchester to Hong Kong four times a week, making Macau more accessible for those in the north of England
- The city's hidden gems uncovered with four new “Step Out, Macau” walking tours
- Hot New Hotel Openings in 2015 include Asia's largest JW Marriot and The Ritz-Carlton's first all-suite hotel, PLUS mega entertainment and leisure complex Studio City prepares to wow visitors with Asia's largest Ferris wheel and Batman themed virtual-reality ride
NEWS IN BRIEF
Macau reveals record-breaking end of year visitor statistics
Macau Government Tourist Office has announced that 2014 visitor arrivals topped a record-breaking 31.5 million, representing a 7.5% year-on-year increase and reinforcing Macau's position as a thriving Far East destination.
Combined visitors from the UK and Ireland were just under 65,000 and the UK remains the largest European source market to Macau.
With four new walking tours, cultural events and performances, hotel, shopping mall and entertainment complex openings; 2015 hopes to be yet another strong year for attracting UK visitors to this thriving East-meets-West corner of Asia.
Macau has the X-factor and features in Lonely Planet's Best In Travel 2015
Macau has been chosen as one of the top 10 regions for travel in 2015 in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2015. The popular “travel bible” highlights the top ten countries, cities and regions that Lonely Planet's experts recommend travellers experience in 2015, based on the destination's excitement and 'x-factor'. In selecting Macau, Lonely Planet highlighted Macau's Portuguese heritage, its unique Macanese fusion cuisine and broad range of attractions, from Buddhist temples to glitzy shows and from the world's highest bungee jump to Michelin starred dining. It also highlighted forthcoming new transport links and hotel openings.
Manchester to Macau made easy! With Cathay Pacific direct flights from Manchester to Hong Kong
From 8th December 2014, Cathay Pacific Airways launched a four-times-weekly service from Manchester to Hong Kong, making Macau easier to access for those travelling from the north of England. The service offers Business Class, Premium Economy Class and new Economy Class seats.
Flights depart from Manchester to Hong Kong every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Departures from Hong Kong are also on these days. Once in Hong Kong, travellers can take the short 50-minute ferry ride into the heart of Macau direct from Hong Kong International Airport.
Four new “Step out, Macau” walking tours launched
Macau Government Tourist Office has just added four new walks to their “Step Out, Macau” walking tour routes and has also redesigned its four existing ones, so visitors now have a choice of eight different itineraries to explore the diversity of Macau's neighbourhoods on foot.
The new routes will take visitors to fascinating yet lesser-known districts including, the Parish of the Nossa Senhora de Fátima, Parish of the Santo António, in areas of Macau Peninsula, the Parish of the Nossa Senhora do Carmo in Taipa, and the Parish of São Francisco Xavier in Coloane.
Visitors can download an electronic guide book which includes route maps and transportation tips or view the different routes online at www.macautourism.gov.mo. A new Mobile App for Andriod and iOS versions is due to launch soon. The guide will also be available in hotels and at MGTO Tourist Information counters in Macau.
Hot Hotel Openings in 2015
The four-star Harbourview Hotel, modelled after the 18th century architecture of Prague, celebrated its grand opening on 11th February 2015, in time for Chinese New Year festivities. Located in Fisherman's Wharf, close to the Macau ferry terminal, this hotel has 444 rooms and suites along with a Praha bar and restaurant, indoor swimming pool and gymnasium.
Opening in the second quarter of 2015 is the Crowne Plaza Macau located in the oldest part of the city in the north end of the Macau peninsula. This contemporary styled hotel will offer 208 modern guestrooms, all with sea views, Azure restaurant for all day dining, indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, meeting space, plus a signature Imperial Kitchen Chinese Restaurant.
27th May 2015 will mark the completion of phase two of the expansion of Galaxy Macau with the opening of three major hotels and a new entertainment district. Set to open are Asia's largest JW Marriot with over 1,000 rooms, The Ritz-Carlton's first all-suite hotel with over 250 suites and Broadway Hotel, offering family travellers 320 well-appointed rooms to choose from. At the same time, The Broadway at Galaxy Macau will be a new street and entertainment district featuring hawker-style vendors, live entertainers and world class performances showcasing the best of traditional and contemporary Asian culture, as well as housing the 3,000-seater Broadway Theatre.
Galaxy Macau's collection of quality restaurants, bars and lounges will increase to 120 outlets, the retail space will also be expanded to over 100,000 sq m with 200 luxury stores, and the meeting and event space will cater for 3,000 guests.
The hotlyanticipated Studio City Macau, set to open in the middle of the year, is a cinematically-themed leisure and entertainment complex, which will integrate a family entertainment centre, TV studio, five-star hotel, extensive dining venues and shopping mall. The art-deco style complex will feature 1,600 hotel rooms located between two towers and will boast Asia's highest Ferris wheel, the “Golden Eye” at 130 metres.
The entertainment centre will also play host to a virtual-reality Batman Dark Flight ride, which will allow fans to soar over Gotham City and a Wonder Woman go karting track.
Other openings in the pipeline for 2015 include, the St. Regis Macau within the Sands Cotai Central resort,which will boast400 additional hotel and apart-hotel rooms and the glamorous Hollywood Roosevelt Macau, whose style has been described as a modern take on 'Hollywood's glam with a 1950s retro twist design.
Note: Dates and some details are based on latest information supplied by third parties, which has been updated as of February 2015. As the Macau Government Tourist Office cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information, which may be subject to change, we recommend that you verify the latest details with the companies concerned prior to use.
WHEN IN MACAU, DON'T MISS:
19th – 28th February - Chinese New Year Celebrations
This year's Chinese New Year Celebrations in Macau are predicted to attract bumper numbers of visitors. During ten days of celebrations, visitors can expect to lap up the festive mood and enjoy dragon and lion dancing street performances, entertainment in the major city squares, colourful lanterns and flowers that decorate the streets and skies, a spectacular fireworks display (21st February) and lively parade for the celebration of the Year of the Ram (21st and 28th February).
6th – 15th March – CATS The Musical @ The Venetian Theatre
Fans of theatre should head to The Venetian Macau to experience this globally-loved musical, which tells the story of a tribe of cats and their choice to start new lives. The Andrew Lloyd Webber production will follow the original orchestration and score and be performed in English. Unparalleled by any other venue in Asia, The Venetian Theatre is one of the most lavish settings in greater China and a perfect place to enjoy this musical triumph. For ticket bookings visit:
11th May – A-Ma Festival
Visitors should head to the stunning A-Ma temple in the Historic Centre of Macau where homage is paid to Macau's most popular deity, the Goddess of Seafarers, from whom Macau is said to derive its name. The maiden A-Ma (also known as Tin Hau) ordered the elements to calm down when a storm threatened a boat out to sea. Legend has it that the winds and seas abated. On the spot where the boat reached land, the grateful mariners built the A-Ma Temple.
20th June - Dragon Boat Festival (Tun Ng Festival)
For a waterside spectacle, visitors should take to the banks of the Nam Van Lake on Macau where this ancient Chinese festival commemorates the heroic poet Wat Yuen, who protested against corruption by drowning himself. Today all celebrations are concentrated on the famous Dragon Boat Races which attract teams from across the globe.
Visit www.macautourism.gov.mo, follow us on Twitter or visit You Tube for more ideas on what to see and do in Macau:
-ENDS-
For further media information and images contact:
Polly Martin or Enrique Martin
Macau Government Tourist Office – UK & Ireland Representatives
E: polly@humewhitehead.co.uk / enrique@humewhitehead.co.uk
T: +44 (0) 845 498 9985 / 9984
About Macau:
Located just 40 miles from Hong Kong on China's South coast, Macau continues to surprise and thrill visitors with an ever-evolving hotel, restaurant, shopping and entertainment scene, whilst retaining its unique Portuguese influences inherent in its culture, architecture, events and fusion cuisine. Chosen as one of the top 10 regions for travel in 2015 in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2015, Macau packs a lot into its 11 square miles with an abundance of historical buildings, beaches, gardens, museums, spas, shopping malls, dazzling shows and activities ranging from golf to bungee jumping. A Special Administrative Region of China since 1999, Macau blends the best of the past with new and is fast becoming one of the most Asia's most intriguing destinations.
About the Macau Government Tourist Office:
The Macau Government Tourist Office is the tourism development arm of the government of the Macau SAR (Special Administrative Region) dedicated to promoting Macau as a preferred destination and co-ordinating related activities and services within the local tourism industry. www.macautourism.gov.mo
