Macao’s older districts would be revitalised by the opening of budget hotel options, says tourism chief Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes.
The head of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) told media over the weekend that budget hotels – considered in short supply in Macao – “will make the old part of town more vibrant and bring more people to stay around those areas.”
She added that MGTO hoped for a “more balanced” distribution of hotel rooms across different price categories, according to a report in the Macau Daily Times.
[See more: The Grande Hotel Macau: Back to life]
With the global economic recovery still uncertain, visitors to Macao are spending less and looking for cheaper places to stay. Two-star hotels posted average occupancy rates of more than 93 percent in August, suggesting demand is high.
The government meanwhile hopes to encourage visitors to explore districts not on traditional itineraries in order to ensure that businesses across the city benefit from tourism.
Senna Fernandes’ remarks come after the reopening last month of the Grande Hotel on the northern border of the historic São Lourenço district. An architectural icon dating back to the 1940s, the property has been converted into budget accommodation.
