Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) Director Yau Yun Wah told reporters at the Macau Science Centre (MSC) in Nape yesterday that a raft of measures will be implemented in Zape district, with the aim of attracting visitors and improving the area’s business environment, due to the fact that five of the 11 satellite casinos slated to close by the end of this year are located there.
Zape is the Portuguese initialism for Outer Harbour Land Reclamation Zone. Nape is the initialism for Outer Harbour New Land Reclamation.
The government announced last week that all 11 “satellite casinos” in Macau will close for good by December 31 this year. However, gaming operator SJM has announced that is plans to buy the hotels where two of the satellite casinos are located (Pone 16 and L’Arc) so that they could continue to operate, but no longer as satellite casinos* but casinos directly operated by SJM.
Yau told reporters that several projects will be launched by the government in Zape, such as interactive “photo check-in points” to be set up across Zape between mid-to-late November and 2026, aiming to attract tourists and residents. Concerning the “photo check-in points”, Yau said that discussions were ongoing with a certain international intellectual property (IP) holder.
Yau also said that his bureau will cooperate with major mainland ticketing platforms, offering concert ticket buyers “gift packages”, including admission to the Macau Grand Prix Museum and consumption vouchers for shops in Zape, aiming to promote the area’s commerce.
Yau pointed out that the bureau will encourage more associations and community groups to organise events in streets like Rua de Pequim (北京街), and Rua de Xangai (上海街), leveraging Zape’s “public spaces”, adding that the bureau will coordinate its revamp with relevant entities to enhance and beautify the district, aiming to optimise the use of public spaces for events.
Moreover, to encourage tourists to spend more on local businesses, Yau said that vouchers or discounts will target 3- and 4-star hotels’ guests, aiming to increase tourists’ consumer spending power.
Regarding the other affected businesses near the satellite casinos in Zape, Yau told reporters that there are about 160 businesses in Zape, most of which previously relied on satellite casino customers. He noted that they are now facing “transition challenges”. While the government aims to stimulate Zape’s vitality through events and support business transformation, Yau emphasised that market forces will ultimately determine commercial outcomes.
According to a DSEDT statement on Monday, in response to the possible impact on the economy of the areas surrounding the satellite casinos’ slated to close by the end of the year, bureau officials have already visited the affected businesses.
The statement pointed out that support measures for affected small and medium-sized (SME) enterprises are being prepared, including the “Support Scheme for SMEs”, “Bank Loan Interest Subsidy Scheme”, “Bank Loan Guarantee Schemes” and “SME Digitalisation Support Services”. According to the statement, the bureau is determined to provide further clarification on its support measures for the affected businesses that are willing to restructure or convert their commercial operations.
For more information about the support measures, businesspeople may contact the bureau on 8597 2288.
Yau was speaking on the sidelines of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (Macao) for Technology Enterprises from Brazil and Portugal at the MSC Convention Centre yesterday morning. The competition has been held for five consecutive years.
* While a satellite casino formally belongs to a gaming concessionaire, it is actually owned and run by a third-party company and located on premises not owned by the respective concessionaire. – MPD
Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) Director Yau Yun Wah speaks to reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s “ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (Macao) for Technology Enterprises from Brazil and Portugal” at the Macau Science Centre (MSC) in Nape. – Photo: Ida Cheong
