16 Mar 2016
IN THE HEADLINES
- Macao adds five new Michelin-starred restaurants in 2016 guide
- Martin Scorsese's upcoming film 'Silence' to feature Macao
- Ibiza-style Pacha Macau now open!
- Increased access: Cathay Pacific launches new flights from London Gatwick to Hong Kong
- Hotel update: More luxury openings in 2016
- Event calendar: When in Macao, don't miss…
WHAT'S NEW
Macao adds five new Michelin-starred restaurants in 2016 guide
Five new restaurants in Macao have gained Michelin starred status in the 'MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2016', reinforcing Macao's reputation as one of Asia's most exciting food destinations. The five new restaurants awarded one star for 2016 are: Feng Wei Ju (Hunanese and Sichuan); Mizumi (Japanese); 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA (Italian); Shinji (Sushi); and Terrazza (Italian). Chinese restaurant The Eight and Robuchon au Dôme, which specialises in French cuisine, both located at the Grand Lisboa Hotel, retained their three stars. Cantonese eatery Jade Dragon and French contemporary restaurant The Tasting Room have been both awarded a new star, totalling two Michelin stars each. The eighth edition of the prestigious guide features a total of 16 starred eateries in Macao and includes 12 street food establishments for the very first time.
Coming soon: Macao to be featured in Martin Scorsese's upcoming film 'Silence'
Director Martin Scorsese's latest project, titled 'Silence', portrays 17th century Macao. Based on a novel of the same name by Japanese writer Shusaku Endohas and starring Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield, the historical drama film tells the story of two Jesuit priests, Sebastião Rodrigues and Francis Garrpe, who travel to Japan to locate their mentor and spread the Christian gospel. The multi-award winning director is quoted as saying that he was surprised by the influence that the Portuguese had in this part of the world. 'Silence' is expected to be released worldwide later this year.
Ibiza-style Pacha Macau now open!
Pacha Macau has recently opened its doors, bringing Ibiza-style nightlife to Macao. The club celebrated its Grand Opening in January, attended by 2,000 guests who enjoyed an electrifying performance by world-famous Columbian-American producer and record label owner DJ Erick Morillo. The premium club, located at cinema-themed Studio City, offers state-of-the-art audio-visual facilities and a 1,000-square-metre dance floor that can host up to 3,000 party-goers.
TRAVEL NEWS
Increased access: Cathay Pacific launches new weekly flights from London Gatwick to Hong Kong
Macao will be even more accessible to UK visitors from 2nd September 2016 as Cathay Pacific is launching four new weekly flights from London Gatwick to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), complementing the airline's existing five-time daily service from London Heathrow and four-time weekly service from Manchester. HKIA is also serviced by British Airways with two daily flights from Heathrow; and Virgin Atlantic with one daily flight, also from Heathrow.
New ferry service from Tuen Mun (Hong Kong) to Macao
Ferry service operator TurboJet, which links Hong Kong and Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to Macao, has launched a new route from Tuen Mun, in the New Territories', to Macao, making it even easier for visitors to Hong Kong to discover its fascinating and unique Portuguese-Chinese neighbour. The new service operates four daily ferries in each direction and the journey time is just 40 minutes. This service adds to the operator's existing routes from Sheung Wan and Kowloon, both in Hong Kong, to Macao.
HOTEL UPDATE
More luxury hotel openings in 2016
Macao saw two major hotel openings in December 2015: St. Regis Macao, offering the first butler-service hotel in Macao; and the business-oriented Crowne Plaza Macau. However, the string of new luxury hotels is set to continue well into this year with the following two exciting openings scheduled for 2016*:
- Hollywood Roosevelt Macao: With a style described as a modern take on 'Hollywood's glam with a 1950s retro twist design', the hotel will feature a private VIP club with wine bar and cigar lounge, private open-air swimming pool and bar for hosting pool parties, Jin Yue Xuan Japanese restaurant, state-of-the-art meeting facilities and movie screening room. The property, to be set in a 12-story tower in Taipa, will have 373 rooms and suites, all with dedicated balconies.
- Wynn Palace: According to Chairman Steve Wynn, the hotel will have an 8-acre performance lake at the front entrance lined with restaurants and an aerial tram transport system featuring gondolas resembling smoke-breathing dragons to carry customers to the property. Wynn Palace, which will feature 1,700 rooms, is scheduled to open its doors in Cotai in mid-2016 and will become the group's second property in Macao after Wynn Macau.
EVENT CALENDAR: WHEN IN MACAO, DON'T MISS…
A-Ma Festival
29th April 2016
This April, Macao commemorates its most popular deity, A-Ma, the Goddess of Seafarers – from whom Macao is said to derive its name. The A-Ma Festival is a popular day for locals to worship at the stunning A-Ma Temple and for visitors to enjoy the atmosphere and traditional Cantonese Opera performances. According to the legend, the maiden A-Ma ordered the elements to calm down when a storm threatened a boat out at sea and the winds and seas obeyed her; on the spot where the boat reached land, the grateful mariners built the A-Ma Temple.
27th Macao Arts Festival
30th April – 29th May 2016
Performance artists from across the world will gather in Macao for the annual Arts Festival, whose 27th edition will pay tribute to literary giant William Shakespeare on the 400th anniversary of his death. The festival will kick off with the English poet's romantic comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', rendered by the Shakespeare Theatre Company (USA) and will draw to a close with an adaptation of 'Macbeth', one of Shakespeare's most renowned tragedies, by Third World Bunfight (South Africa). Over 100 activities and performances, including modern dance, Chinese and Western music and painting exhibitions, will take place at several UNESCO-listed auditoriums across Macao over the course of a month.
Procession of Our Lady of Fátima
13th May 2016
According to believers, the Virgin Mary revealed herself to three peasant children in Fátima, Portugal, back in 1917. To commemorate the miracle, the Procession of Our Lady of Fátima parades the streets of Macao every year in May, carried by women dressed in white, from St. Dominic's Church to Penha Chapel, where a mass is held.
Feast of the Drunken Dragon
14th May 2016
Known for being one of Macao's most famous – and wild – local festivals, this event involves fishermen drinking large amounts of rice wine and dancing with wooden dragons in a procession that takes them from the Kuan Tai Remple near Senado Square to Macao's Inner Harbour. The event commemorates a man who managed to slay an evil sea dragon.
Dragon Boat Festival
9th June 2016
This ancient Chinese festival commemorates the heroic poet and royal minister Wat Yuen, who protested against corrupt officials by throwing himself into a river. Today, it is a key event in Macao which sees huge crowds gathering at the banks of the Nam Van Lake to watch elaborately-designed dragon boats race to the sound of beating drums, as if they are looking for Wat Yuen's body. Teams from across the globe take part in the festival, which dates back over 2,000 years.
*Dates and some details are based on latest information supplied by third parties, which has been updated as of March 2016. As the Macao Government Tourism 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.
Keep up to date with all the latest news and information about Macao on Facebook www.facebook.com/MacaoUK, Twitter www.twitter.com/MacaoUK, Instagram www.instagram.com/MacaoUK or visit www.macaotourism.gov.mo.
-ENDS-
For further media information and images contact:
Tom Panagos or Enrique Martin
Macao Government Tourism Office – UK & Ireland Representatives
E: tom@humewhitehead.co.uk / enrique@humewhitehead.co.uk
T: +44 (0) 845 498 9980 / 9984
About Macao:
Located just 40 miles from Hong Kong on China's South coast, Macao 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, Macao 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, Macao blends the best of the past with new and is fast becoming one of the most Asia's most intriguing destinations.
About the Macao Government Tourism Office:
The Macao Government Tourism Office is the tourism development arm of the government of the Macao SAR (Special Administrative Region) dedicated to promoting Macao as a preferred destination and co-ordinating related activities and services within the local tourism industry. www.macaotourism.gov.mo
