IN THE HEADLINES

• Macao's giant panda cubs, Jian Jian and Kang Kang now receiving visitors!
• Forbes Travel Guide 2017 places Macao on top of the world!
• Beautiful Destinations release stunning images of Macao
• New dining and retail options in Taipa Village
• Five-star deluxe Legend Palace Hotel opens
• MGM Cotai unveils the world's first MGM lion statue made with 24 carat gold
• Forthcoming events

WHAT'S NEW

Giant panda cubs, Jian Jian and Kang Kang, ready for visitors!

Visitors to the Macao Giant Panda Pavilion now have the opportunity to meet Jian Jian and Kang Kang, the two giant panda cubs born in June last year. For two hours on Sundays (2.30pm to 4.30pm), the cute panda twins will be on display along with their parents, Xin Xin and Kai Kai. The 3,000 square-metre Macao Giant Panda Pavilion in Coloane is also home to Macao's first-ever pair of red pandas, Luo Luo and Tong Tong (pictured), who arrived in November 2016. www.macaupanda.org.mo

Forbes Travel Guide 2017 places Macao on top of the world!

The Forbes Travel Guide has unveiled its 2017 Star Award winners, with the prestigious five-star rating (described as “outstanding”) given to ten Macao hotels – an achievement only matched globally by Paris. These ten hotels are: Altira Macau, Banyan Tree Macau, Conrad Macau, Crown Towers, Encore Tower (at Wynn Macau), Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Mandarin Oriental Macau, MGM Macau, Wynn Macau and The Ritz-Carlton, Macau. Eleven Macao restaurants and seven spas have also received the sought-after five stars. Wynn Macau (pictured) becomes the world's only resort with eight five-star awards. The prestigious Forbes Travel Guide picks the world's finest hotels, restaurants and spas selected by their inspectors, which visited 162 destinations for the 2017 guide. For the full list of winners, please click here.

Beautiful Destinations releases stunning images of Macao

Beautiful Destinations, who “celebrate the beauty of the world and its amazing people, places and experiences” has released stunning images taken by its team last year during a visit to Macao. The colourful and powerful photos beautifully showcase everything visitors can see and do in Macao, from its beautiful World Heritage sites and traditional neighbourhoods to its spectacular modern day attractions and entertainment. Beautiful Destinations also released an incredible three-minute video which perfectly summarises one of Asia's most fascinating destinations.

New dining and retail options in Taipa Village

Taipa Village, one of Macao's most traditional and atmospheric districts, has recently welcomed a number of new restaurants and shops, increasing the already extensive dining and retail options in the area. Recently-opened eateries include King's Lobster Restaurant, Restaurante Portugues Pescador and DiGreen; while the O Santos Loja Portuguesa delicatessen is a treasure trove of Portuguese produce such as sardines, olive oil and wine. The iconic Lord Stow's Bakery – famed for its delicious pasteis de nata (Portuguese egg custard tarts) – has also opened a new branch in the area's famous Rua do Cunha (known as “Food Street” due to the high concentration of food outlets). Taipa Village is located on the island of Taipa, south of the Macao peninsula and connected to it via three bridges. www.taipavillagemacau.com

MGM Cotai unveils the world's first MGM lion statue made with 24 carat gold

MGM Resorts International has unveiled the golden lion statue (the company's emblem) that will welcome visitors to their second property in Macao, MGM Cotai, which scheduled for opening in the second half of this year.  The impressive lion statue is the group's first made with 24 carat gold, using approximately 32,000 sheets of gold foils, weighs 38 tons and will stand at 11 metres high, providing an iconic entrance to the 1,400-room resort.

NEW HOTEL OPENINGS  

The five-star deluxe Legend Palace Hotel opened on 27th February in the Fisherman's Wharf area.  Inspired by the architectural styles of 18th century Monte Carlo, it is conveniently located adjacent to the Macao Ferry Terminal and offers breath-taking views over the Pearl River Delta. The resort has 223 elegant guestrooms and suites with butler and limousine service plus a variety of bars, restaurants, shops and leisure facilities. www.legendpalace.com.mo

Two further hotels due to open their doors over the next few months* are:

• Macau Roosevelt Hotel: Scheduled to open at the end of March 2017, the property will have 368 “photogenic” guest rooms, including rooftop suites, inspired by Old Hollywood. Features include a private open-air swimming pool and bar for pool parties and the Jin Yue Xuan Japanese restaurant. www.themacauroosevelt.com 

• The 13: Billed as the world's most luxurious hotel, The 13 is due to open this year. Its 200 exclusive villas, measuring from 2,000 to 30,000 square feet, will feature private lift to the lobby, 24-hour butler service and complimentary transfers in the hotel's fleet of Rolls-Royce Phantoms. www.the13.com

*Important Note: Dates and some details are based on latest information supplied by third parties, which has been updated as of March 2017. 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.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

A-Ma Festival

19th April 2017

Macao is gearing up to pay tribute to its most popular deity, A-Ma, the Goddess of Seafarers – and from whom the name of 'Macao' is said to be derived. Seafarers and their families visit the ancient A-Ma Temple which was built by mariners on the spot where a boat, which was about to sink due to a heavy storm, reached land after the maiden A-Ma controlled the elements and calmed them down.

28th Macao Arts Festival

28th April – 31st May 2017

The Macao Arts Festival, now in its 28th year, brings together theatre, dance, music, circus, multimedia and visual arts from performers from around the world. This year's festival is themed around 'heterotopia' and will explore the diverse possibilities of space in over 100 activities and performances scheduled over the course of a month. The festival will kick off with the performance “Play and Play: An Evening of Movement and Music” (pictured) by acclaimed US artistic director Bill T. Jones, who is visiting Macao for the very first time. www.icm.gov.mo/fam/28/en/

Feast of the Drunken Dragon

3rd May 2017

This festival, one of Macao's wildest, commemorates a man who destroyed an evil dragon with the 'courage' of alcohol. It sees local fishermen drinking large amounts of rice wine and dancing with wooden dragons in a procession which starts in the morning at the Kuan Tai Temple near Senado Square and finishes at the Inner Harbour.

Procession of Our Lady of Fátima

13th May 2017

The Procession of Our Lady of Fátima parades through the streets of Macao every 13th May to commemorate her apparition to three peasant children in Fátima (Portugal) in 1917. Woman dressed in white clothing carry the statue from St. Dominic's Church to the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha, where a mass is held.

Dragon Boat Festival

30th May 2017

This is one of Macao's most popular events, which commemorates the heroic poet Wat Yuen, who protested against corruption by throwing himself into a river. On this day, teams from all over the world compete on elaborately-designed dragon boats which race to the sound of beating drums. The crowds cheering for their teams at the banks of the Nam Van Lake add to the excitement of this ancient festival, which dates back over 2,000 years. http://sport.gov.mo/en/sites/dragonboat_sp/2017/id/355

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:

Enrique Martín
Macao Government Tourism Office – UK & Ireland Representative

E: enrique@humewhitehead.co.uk

T: +44 (0) 845 498 9984

About Macao:

A Special Administrative Region of China since 1999, Macao blends the best of east and west, old and new and is one of Asia's most intriguing destinations. Located just 40 miles from Hong Kong on China's south coast, it offers a world class hotel, restaurant, shopping and entertainment scene, whilst retaining its unique Portuguese-Chinese culture in its UNESCO World Heritage listed architecture, colourful events and fusion cuisine. Chosen as one of Lonely Planet's top 10 regions for travel in 2015, Macao packs a lot into its 11 square miles and makes the perfect addition to a Far East holiday or stopover en route “Down Under”.

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