If you haven’t heard of the city of Macau by now, you must have been living under a rock for the past five years. Macau is located in the south-east of China and is considered a special administrative district just like Hong Kong. Formerly a Portuguese colony, Macau has definitely taken advantage of its special status to establish itself the main gambling destination in the world, beating Las Vegas many times over.
The New Las Vegas
With only half a million residents but over 30 million of visitors every year, its economy is entirely dependent on the online casino industry and more specifically Chinese tourists. Some of the famous Casinos to visit are the Wynn Macau, the Casino Lisboa, the Venetian Macao and the Sands. The best time to visit this new city that never sleeps is between October and December. With temperature ranging between 20 and 25 degrees, all you need to bring is a light jacket to enjoy yourself. The increase in tourism means an increase in gambling revenue as well, with over 30 million visitors per year, you can imagine the impact it had on its local economy. The majority of tourists comes from mainland China with over 20 million of visitors.
Yet so Much More Than Gambling…
Even though it’s known for its gambling related activities, Macau has developed many related industries to entertain its visitors, whether it’s in the food, shopping or entertainment industry. You can imagine why after a full day at the casino, a pit stop at a 5 star restaurant to decompress. According to a report from JP Morgan Chase, it was ranked the best economically performing city in the world, beating over 300 cities worldwide such as Hong Kong in 2014. It used to rely on wealthy VIP and high rollers but it has broaden its appeal to all kind of tourists. Everyone can enjoy the exciting city that is Macau.
