Westin Resort Macau conference room.The oldest colony in Asia nods to the new millennium as a Special Administrative Region of China IT will be "business as usual" in Macau after the Portuguese colony reverts to Chinese rule this month, according to industry players.
As tourism is still Macau's top revenue-generating industry, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has been promoting Macau to short and longhaul markets.
"Tourism is a major part of Macau and it will be business as usual," says London's MGTO public relations manager Victoria Gemmel.
Macau International Airport marketing advisor Roger Mowbray Stephenson agrees: "All inter-governmental air service agreements presently in force and Macau's procedures for immigration, including existing visa-free entry regulations covering visitors from 37 lands, will continue as they are. Customs regulations, currency and free exchange for the local Macau pataca will continue undisturbed through the transition."
Macau's hotel rooms have doubled over the past 10 years. The Mandarin Oriental group's positive outlook on the future is represented by a US$16 million investment in renovations and new resort facilities, including a health club, spa, tennis and squash courts, landscaped swimming pools and adventure training facilities.
"The general feeling is that Macau will be a secure place to visit, and in addition the economy is picking up while overall there is a consistently upbeat mood in the city.
"There is a general feeling that China will help to encourage more mainland visitors to Macau, especially in the first year after the handover, to ensure its prosperity under the new SAR (Special Administrative Region) government," says general manager Frank Stocek.
The Hyatt Regency Macau, which has been selected as one of the official hotels for the handover is also bullish about the future.
"We are confident that Macau will once again become a popular destination for conference, incentive groups and FIT bookings. With our attractive rates and diverse conference and meeting facilities, we have already secured a few large conference groups for the year 2000," says director of marketing Andrew Wong.
Wong adds that the property has no intention of increasing wholesale rates for the next year. "We believe strongly in a long-term partner relationship," he says.
The Westin has also been chosen as an official hotel for the handover. Public relations manager Leslie Teng says an increase in business from China post-handover is expected.
"Statistics show there's already an increase in visitors from China even before the handover. Therefore, we do expect more visitors from China after the handover."
Teng also expects an increase of meeting groups from major corporations in China to be held in Macau after the handover and is promoting the hotel as "the best family and conference resort in Macau."