Golden Dragon and Lion Parade
Festive joy livens up the city as the Year of the Rooster dawns. Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) sincerely wishes Macao residents and visitors an energetic and blissful year ahead. The Office also wishes that Macao’s tourism industry will keep forging ahead with diversified and sustainable development, and Macao will be successfully transformed into a “World Centre of Tourism and Leisure”.
On the first day of Lunar New Year (28 January), MGTO partnered with Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau to present Chinese New Year celebrations at the Ruins of St. Paul’s and Senado Square to share the festive joy with residents and visitors.
Macao welcomed over 30 million visitors last year. During Chinese New Year holidays, a great number of visitors are expected to come from the Mainland and neighboring regions to spend their vacation in Macao. Visitors of different nationalities also choose to visit Macao during this time of the year to experience the ambience of Chinese New Year. MGTO thus takes the opportunity to express New Year wishes to residents and visitors and extend warm hospitality to the latter on behalf of the city.
MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, President of Management Committee of Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, José Tavares, MGTO Deputy Directors Cecilia Tse and Cheng Wai Tong, officiated the eye-dotting ceremony for the golden dragon and dancing lions together with representatives of the local trade and other guests at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, and ignited firecrackers together at Senado Square to kick off the celebrations on the first morning of Lunar New Year. Following that, the guests joined the God of Fortune to distribute “Lai Si” and festive souvenirs to residents and visitors at Senado Square, filling the heart of the city with joyful blessings. “Lai Si” given by the God of Fortune conveys the best wishes to Macao for a flourishing and prosperous year ahead.
The 238-meter-long golden dragon led a parade across major tourist districts and demonstrated vigorous moves accompanied by vibrant young lions. Their lively performance bestows wishes that Macao will brim with vigor and vitality in the Year of the Rooster and rise to a new level of development. The Chinese zodiac animal “Rooster” symbolizes auspiciousness and vitality, wishing Macau residents a year full of joyful blessings as they join hand in hand for the brighter future of Macao.
MGTO keeps the tradition to distribute “Lai Si” to visitors during Lunar New Year. Starting on the first day of Lunar New Year, “Lai Si” containing phrases of New Year blessings are distributed at MGTO’s Tourist Information counters while stock lasts. Each “Lai Si” contains 10 cents and symbolizes auspicious wishes.
As another highlight, eight performance groups coming from different countries and regions for the "Parade for Celebration of the Year of the Rooster" are giving performances in advance at various tourist spots on the first and second day of Lunar New Year. Among them, the performance groups from Colombia, Portugal, Mainland China and Hong Kong performed at Rua do Cunha and the Taipa Houses on Taipa, as well as Iao Hon Market Garden and Macau Fisherman’s Wharf on Macao Peninsula respectively on the first day of Lunar New Year. The groups from Japan, Spain, Germany and the United States will perform at the Ruins of St. Paul’s, Senado Square, A-Ma Temple and the Taipa Houses on the second day of Lunar New Year. Each performance lasts for 5 to 15 minutes.
In addition, MGTO will present the grand outdoor festive event, the “Parade for Celebration of the Year of the Rooster”, on the third and eighth night of Chinese New Year. This year, revolving around a story about golden eggs prepared by the God of Fortune in celebration of the New Year, the event is ready to captivate audience with fantastic float parades, mega joint performances and more. MGTO hopes to bestow the brightest wishes upon Macao residents and visitors from different parts of the world with this spectacular festive event shining with characteristics of different cultures. The Fireworks Display for Celebration of Chinese New Year will be held on the third night of Chinese New Year, wishing local and foreign spectators a great start of the New Year.
MGTO rolls out an array of activities during Chinese New Year. Residents and visitors are welcome to browse the program on MGTO’s website: http://www.macaotourism.gov.mo.
The Office will allocate staff at ten major tourist attractions to provide guidance and tourism information for visitors between the first and ninth day of Lunar New Year (28 January – 5 February) while assisting in crowd management. For local dining, visitors can find award-winning restaurants and eateries listed in the publication “Star Merchant Award – Restaurants and Eateries Guide”. MGTO has also published the "Macao Food Guide during Spring Festival" (Chinese version only) together with the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao, the Industry and Commerce Association of Macau Northern District, the Industry and Commerce Federation of Macau Central and Southern District as well as the Industry and Commerce Federation of Islands of Macao. Offering a contact list of restaurants and eateries open during Chinese New Year, the handy food guide familiarizes visitors with operation information of the relevant restaurants in Macao.
During Chinese New Year, MGTO's Tourism Hotline 2833 3000 maintains its 24-hour operator service to answer enquiries and attend to visitors’ needs: http://en.macaotourism.gov.mo/useful/hotline.php
