The Alliance for Common People Building Up Macau (known as (API) is urging the government to work with local businesses to improve outcomes in the São Domingos quarter, citing survey results that point to serious economic challenges despite the area’s historical attractions and commercial significance.
In a survey conducted between March and April, API found that 71.4 percent of its 42 shop-owner respondents felt pessimistic about their business prospects and that most had experienced declines in business over the past year, local media outlets report.
At a press conference on Friday, API president and lawmaker Nick Lei Leong Wong blamed the trouble largely on an uneven distribution of tourists in Macao’s old town – despite their steadily increasing numbers.
Lei pointed out that visitors tended to cluster around certain well-known attractions while bypassing nearby streets and alleys, even when they, too, had cultural and historical value. He warned that this trend limited opportunities for businesses located off the beaten track and risked further stagnation in the area.
[See more: ‘Rapid shifts’ in visitor spending behind Macao’s shrinking GDP]
The survey highlighted five key challenges for São Domingos: insufficient customer traffic, falling sales, inadequate infrastructure, inconvenient transport access and intense competition. Most businesses rated the overall environment as average or below average.
To address these issues, the association recommended several measures, including street and alleyway beautification, improved signage, the integration of festive and cultural elements, better transport options (including the addition of new car parks), and the redevelopment of the São Domingos Municipal Market Complex.
Lei said he hoped the government would consider the survey’s findings and recommendations to prevent further business closures and support the vitality of the São Domingos district.
Located around St Dominic’s Church, part of Macao’s UNESCO-recognised Historic Centre, and the vibrant Rua de São Domingos shopping street, the quarter is a short stroll from many of the city’s historic landmarks.
