The Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) will host the 31st Macao International Fireworks Display Contest from September 9 to October 7, with pyrotechnic companies from 10 countries participating in the contest, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandas announced in a press conference yesterday at Macau Tower.
MGTO held a press conference to unveil details of the contest and its outreach programmes, and a Chinese traditional blessing ceremony for the event was also held earlier that morning.
During the press conference, Senna Fernandas noted that the contest will stage 10 firework shows, two each evening, each spanning about 18 minutes, on the evenings of September 9, 16, and 23, as well as October 1 and 7, with contestants from Australia, Austria, mainland China, Germany, Japan, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Following the last two firework shows on October 7, a prize-giving ceremony will be held for the winners of the contest.
According to Senna Fernandas, the budget for the contest is 18 million patacas, which is 26 percent lower than that of the previous edition in 2019, adding that the last firework display competition held in 2019 had 12 teams participating. She pointed out that this year’s contest will comprise only 10 teams so that the event’s logistics and transportation prices have decreased. Therefore, she said, the total budget has been reduced from the previous one.
The MGTO chief described the 31st edition of the contest this year as a “comeback”, since the last edition of the contest took place in 2019.
According to Senna Fernandes, the “iconic event” aims to immerse travellers from around the world in the fascination with Macau’s “tourism+” approach in different corners of the city, highlighting that the city’s six integrated resort operators will be the partners for the contest this year.
According to MGTO, five sites are recommended to watch the fireworks from, namely the area spanning from Kun Iam Ecumencial Centre to the Leisure Area of Kun Iam Statue Waterfront on Avenida Dr Sun Yat-Sen, the waterfront at the Macao Science Centre, Anim’Arte NAM VAN, Avenida de Sagres (next to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Nape), and Avenida do Oceano in Taipa.
An online voting activity will also take place during the contest, where spectators can vote and enter a lucky draw on the final day, MGTO said in a statement yesterday, while there will also be a photo competition and student drawing contest related to the fireworks.
For more information about the fireworks, please visit the MGTO official website at https://fireworks.macaotourism.gov.mo/.
MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandas (front, sixth from the left) addresses yesterday’s press conference, flanked by other government officials and integrated resort operators at Macau Tower. – Photo by Ginnie Liang
