The Collective Wisdom Policy Centre, a Macao-based think tank, is joining a growing chorus of organisations and industry representatives urging the local government to stage another citywide consumer promotion. This comes after the conclusion of the latest three-month-long shopping drive, which ran until 29 December.
Aimed at boosting local spending, the campaign saw e-coupons handed out to Macao residents through designated digital wallet apps during the weekdays, allowing them to redeem these discounts on the weekends. The aim was to incentivize them to shop in Macao during their leisure time, instead of heading to nearby cities on the Chinese mainland.
In a recent local media report, two Collective Wisdom Policy Centre representatives, Leong Hong Sai and Cheong Meng Wai, said the recent campaign boosted the foot traffic and business volumes of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
They mentioned that the government needed to make improvements to the next consumption drive, however, saying the coupons should be made more accessible for seniors.
They also pointed out that the government should expand the coupon’s use to weekdays. Other suggestions included increasing the redemption amount, allowing for the discounts redeemed in segments rather than in one go, and introducing coupons for visitors.
[See more: Macao’s citywide consumption campaign generated 1.1 billion patacas in spending]
Lei Choi Hong, a member of the Northern District Community Service Consultative Council, has also made calls for more consumption incentives.
Speaking to local Chinese media, Lei said she hoped the authorities would fasttrack the launch of a new round of promotions after the Lunar New Year. She added that the government should look to the mainland’s trade-in program as a source of reference and consider ways of including more seniors in the campaign.
Currently, the Macao government has not indicated whether or not it intends to kickstart a new consumption drive.
During a closing ceremony last month, the head of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, Yau Yun Wah, kept mum about a follow-up campaign, telling local media that his department would assess the overall economy and gather feedback from stakeholders.
The latest consumption campaign helped to stimulate 1.1 billion patacas’ worth of spending (roughly US$138 million) among residents, providing a much needed boost for the local retail sector, which has experienced a decline due to growing competition from mainland China.