Indirectly-elected lawmaker Lam Lon Wai suggested in a written interpellation submitted to the government in February that “night-time sightseeing bazaars” should be set up at places such as the Leisure Area of Kun Iam Statue Waterfront and the Macau Science Centre in Nape and the rooftop garden of the Barra Light Rail Transit (LRT) Station.
The interpellation and the reply from the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) were released to the media yesterday.
MGTO said in its reply that regular night bazaars with special characteristics could only be set up after considering their possible impacts on the respective neighbourhood’s residents and the environment, while it was also necessary to comprehensively assess a number of other factors, such as the nature and scale of the activities, as well as the expected foot traffic in various districts.
MGTO quoted the LRT management as saying that it would take into account the hardware facilities and actual situation of the rooftop garden of the Barra LRT Station, assess the possible organisation of the night bazaar by taking into account a number of factors, and come up with recommendations to the possible organiser of the rooftop night bazaar.
In addition, MGTO noted that the Tour Group Subsidy Scheme launched by MGTO last year recorded a total of 20,271 tour applications involving 544,000 visitors.
MGTO also said that it was working with different organisations to promote study tours that help understand the history and culture of Macau, adding that the bureau has also introduced a number of preferential tourism measures for international cruise travellers with high spending potential, encouraging international travellers from cruise ships berthing at the Hong Kong Cruise Terminal to join group tours to Macau.
MGTO noted that the group tour products have already been put on the shelves and sold by 12 international cruise companies, so as to expand the international market, promote the development of joint tours between Hong Kong and Macau, and boost Macau’s tourism spending.
This undated file photo downloaded yesterday from the Public Works Bureau (DSOP) website shows the rooftop garden, the potential site of the night bazaar, of the Barra Light Rail Transit (LRT) Station.
