FOXTROTS
Fox – sly. Trots – left-leaning (Trotsky) plus its more insalubrious meaning.
Foxtrots – leading the industry in a dance.
April 28 2012
Macau-v-Singapore. Winner declared.
W |
HEN Macau embarked on its transformation – adding 3/4-times more hotel rooms, casinos, attractions and other facilities (including those to attract MICE arrivals) – it was on its way to become the leisure capital of Asia.
It might even have used that term. After all, much of the inspiration came from Las Vegas, which had achieved that ‘leisure capital’ status in the US. (The reasons for the fall in Las Vegas are complex, and are not part of this report – but I can tell you later if you want.)
The cement poured, and today what I call the New Big Mac is essentially there.
But it is not the leisure capital of Asia.
After Singapore opened its two gambling resorts – and many other attractions – the game plan changed.
With hindsight (with which I am particularly gifted), it was no competition. Consider this:
Singapore
-Admittedly Singapore has not as many casinos as Macau, but it has much more in terms of other leisure attractions. From the already-existing Singapore Zoo, to the new Universal Studios, with a new Cruise Centre and more thrown in.
-Plus a backyard. It has Indonesia (which has Bali), and Malaysia (which, even it is not a great tourist pull, at least has space).
-It has an efficient airport and a surfeit of airlines (five based there, albeit four of them part of the Singapore Airlines group).
-And more.
Macau
-Macau’s backyard is Hong Kong, which has attractions not that dis-similar from Macau, and a sullen visa-demanding like-us-or-else China.
-Having China on its doorstep, and better-still southern China, looked like a great advantage because you can fill the hotels with gamblers from China. But the other visitors did not come, and those big plans for international events faded. Most Chinese visitors want to gamble and gamble and gamble, and not watch some unknown-to-them American rock star or some weird Canadian circus.
-Air links. Macau airport has no inter-continental air links. That did not seem to matter because Hong Kong airport is there – and easily accessible from Macau. But how can you promote ‘Macau’ by flying into a strong destination such as Hong Kong? So the visitor market is doing what it has long done – travel to Hong Kong with an excursion trip to Macau.
Macau will thrive with its big China business, but it will not achieve that leisure-capital status.
The Fox