Without gambling

As our readers will discover in another of this special report’s stories, long before the Hotel Estoril opened Macau’s first modern-style casino resort in 1962, the image of the territory then administered by Portugal was already dominated by gambling.

In other words, this image, still present today among residents and tourists, was built over more than a century.

How long will it take until, as the Government desires, Macau is mainly known for touristic attributes other than gambling?

“Yes, Macau is trying to move towards a more leisure type of image instead of a casino or gambling image. However, it will take some time for the image to change. I do not think it is possible to eliminate the casino image altogether in the short run. Rebranding takes time, though Macau is working hard on it,” answers Professor Amy So, Associate Professor, Department of Integrated Resort and Tourism Management, University of Macau.

The Government wants gambling concessionaires to invest more and more in non-gambling elements, although it is still not clear how gastronomy, shopping or entertainment will pay back those investments made by the integrated resorts.

Source: https://www.macaubusiness.com/special-report-without-gambling/