Macau turns to Middle East and India tourists

Macau is seeking to meaningfully expand the percentage of its visitors from overseas, this time targeting the Middle East and Indian markets.

However, a gaming scholar told AGB the move will be very challenging due to the cultural differences.

The Secretary for Economy and Finance of Macau, Lei Wai Nong, revealed at a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that the Middle East and India will become new focuses in Macau’s tourism promotion efforts.

The official mentioned that, until 2019, Macau was “developing and doing well” in expanding the Indian tourist source market. At the same time, the authorities are also looking for agents to attract Middle Eastern guests to visit Macau.

Speaking to AGB, Professor Zeng Zhonglu, from the Macao Polytechnic University’s Gaming Research Team, said he believes that it will be a tough task for Macau to lure Indian and Middle East tourists due to the cultural and cuisine differences.

“India has a big population, although the per capita income is relatively low. If we can attract some high-income groups to come to Macau, the number will be considerable,” he said.

Zeng added that how Macau overcomes the religious and language barrier for Middle East and Indian tourists is an important factor. The professor opines that bringing the tourists in should not be an issue due to Macau’s proximity to the Hong Kong International Airport. 

Regarding the Middle East market, the scholar believes there will be much potential to attract high rollers. “If successful, it will be beneficial for Macau,” he said.

Currently, Macau is working on enhancing cooperation with the Hong Kong International Airport, pushing a new plan that will allow passengers arriving in Hong Kong to pick up their bags in Macau, therefore bypassing Hong Kong immigration. The luggage could be sent either via land or sea.

Source: Asia Gaming Brief