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Part 4 : Factors that will shape Macau ’ s future ICE365 Macau report
not possible – you ’ d never be able to open resorts big enough .
“ The gaming / non-gaming split should therefore be discussed as a quantity rather than a percentage , as in that regard Macau probably will grow to match Vegas in the volume of revenue from non-gaming amenities .”
Having said that he admits there is room to grow . For example , Macau has around 37,300 hotel rooms , compared to more than 150,000 in Las Vegas , something that will grow as properties expand and new facilities are opened .
Wieners , on the other hand , argues that while Macau may not be able to strike the sort of gaming / non-gaming balance seen in other jurisdictions , building out attractions off the casino floor will be crucial to its future success .
“ I believe it will be key for Macau to continue pushing operators to embrace non-gaming while also working hard to promote the city ’ s image as a nongaming destination for attractions that are of interest to the focus market groups ,” he says .
“ It ’ s a long-term play and one that requires commitment to not only the products available but also the way in which Macau markets itself . Overall the destination has little in the form of threats , both from a geographic and a political standpoint . Covid-19 was well managed and as a result has shown that the city can bounce back from even the most extreme of global disasters .”
That ’ s not to say it doesn ’ t face challenges ahead : “ Even if every flight was taking off , people would still be reticent to travel , so it will take time .
“ However , where Macau can further advance itself is in the marketing of the destination as an entertainment and family-focused one ,” he adds . “ In the early days there was a big focus on the Unesco heritage sites , but just like other destinations have done , Macau will have to reinvent itself similar to Las Vegas – and I think this will happen over the coming years .”
After all , Macau is not yet regarded as a family-friendly destination , though Wieners is confident this will change in the coming years . To be effective , this requires a significant change to how it is marketed to consumers .
“ I think there should be a major shift in the way Macau presents itself to the world , to show it ’ s for everyone ,” Wieners says . “ I think the MICE elements are really key , but there is lots more that could be done to put Macau on the map as an entertainment destination .
“ For it to recognise what it ’ s been asked to do by the Chinese government , it ’ s got to reinvent the story it projects out to the world . You ’ ll see that in the next 10-15 years .” Comments from Wynn Resorts chief executive Matt Maddox , following the company ’ s full-year results for 2020 , back this up . In February , he said one of the positives of the past year had been the ability to “ spend a lot of time
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