If you left Macao today and came back ten years later, what would its tourism industry look like? Hospitality expert Glenn McCartney, who posed that question to an audience at a business gathering on Wednesday, hopes that it will be a sector characterised by public-private partnership, sustainability, and a liberal working visa regime.
The associate dean of the Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Macau was addressing a breakfast gathering organised by the France Macau Chamber of Commerce (FMCC) at the Sofitel Macau. His presentation was entitled “Navigating the Path to Sustainable Tourism Diversification in Macao.”
The topic of diversification has come under intense local scrutiny as Macao seeks to reduce its overwhelming dependence on the mainland Chinese gaming market. But for diversification to be successful, “The public and private sectors [must] work together in a more collaborative way,” McCartney told Macao News on the sidelines of the event.
As an example, he cited Macao’s working visa policies, which many find restrictive.
During the pandemic years, Macao saw a lot of non-resident “talents being dismissed and leaving” the city, which needs imported talent for event tourism and MICE industries, according to McCartney.
[See more: Consultation sessions begin for the government’s economic diversification plan]
“If you’re going to bring shows, there are specific talents that you’re going to have to bring in, and this has to be in sync with the labour policies that will help that industry,” he said. “Sure, there’s a lot of local people who can do some studies … but there’s some very skill-specific and technical sides that you’re going to have to bring in.”
McCartney pointed to the House of Dancing Water show at the City of Dreams, which was suspended in mid 2020 and is reported to be returning next year. “Scuba divers, make-up artists, technical crew members are the examples of all the technical people that you would need to stage these types of fantastic shows,” he said.
The expert also reminded his audience how sustainability has become a rising demand among travellers. “I think our industries must also respond to that, especially as Macao has said that it wants to be a smart city, a green city,” he told Macao News.
“We’re looking to attract tourists to come and stay longer in Macao. Well, there’s a change in the world of tourism globally. The younger people are coming as they start to travel more, and sustainability is part of their demand.”
The FMCC was founded in 2008 to foster Sino-Franco business ties. Its regular Breakfast Talk Rendez-vous series convenes different experts to talk about issues and topics of interest to the Macao business community.
