"Macao Food Guide during Spring Festival"
With the seven-day-long Spring Festival Golden Week (27 January – 2 February) approaching, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is strenuously getting prepared for the peak period with a variety of measures adopted as follows: activation of tourism notification system, more scrupulous inspections, reminders to trade about various concerns, allocation of staff at different locations to provide tourism information for visitors, food guide publication as well as numerous mega celebrations during Chinese New Year and more. The above measures are taken to safeguard service quality in the industry, optimize the tourism environment and cater to the needs of residents and visitors for a memorable vacation in Macao.
Tourism Notification System for Golden Week
Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province and MGTO will operate the "Tourism Notification System for Spring Festival Golden Week" from 24 January to 3 February. The two authorities will keep in close contact to ensure smooth work of visitor reception between Guangdong and Macao during Chinese New Year. Starting from 24 January throughout the period of system operation, MGTO will release relevant information on Macao Tourism Industry Net http://industry.macaotourism.gov.mo and post daily-updated figures of Mainland and total visitor arrivals at various ports of entry up to every previous day, provided to the public for reference.
MGTO’s website regularly posts the room rates of different room categories reported by hotels and guests houses in Macao. The Office also advises visitors via its WeChat ID to arrange their accommodation and itinerary in advance before their trips to Macao.
During Chinese New Year, MGTO will carry out more scrupulous inspections at tourist attractions, ports of entry and different districts, and take concerted action with police authorities to tackle illegal accommodation. MGTO’s inspectors will stand by round-the-clock while manpower will be increased at Tourist Information counters. MGTO's tourism hotline (853) 2833 3000 will maintain its 24-hour operator service to attend to visitors’ enquiries. Visitors can also obtain travel tips and related information from MGTO’s website.
Reminders for trade to assist in crowd management
In order to safeguard visitor rights and tourism quality, MGTO has already sent out letters calling for the local trade’s attention to hygiene, fire safety, guest capacity, opening hours, occupational guideline on receiving tour groups, requirement for hotels and catering establishments to declare price lists as well as for hotels to record hotel guest information upon check-in, hotel swimming-pool management guideline and so forth. In addition, to facilitate enforcement of the Transport Bureau’s restriction measures which allow only guest alighting on Rua de D. Belchior Carneiro and reserve Rua do Volong partly as a pedestrian zone during prescribed time periods, MGTO has sent letters informing and advising local travel agencies to coordinate with tour guides for corresponding itinerary arrangement and crowd diversion. Via mobile text message, the Office also advises visitors to visit popular attractions during off-peak hours. These measures have been adopted to divert visitors from crowded areas and lessen the impact on traffic and neighborhoods near tourist sites, thus helping Macao to maintain a positive destination image. At the same time, MGTO will arrange staff at ten different tourist points to provide tourism information and guidance for visitors and assist in crowd management.
MGTO also regularly communicates and exchanges information with Consumer Council, Public Security Police Force, Macao Customs Service, Marine and Water Bureau, Transport Bureau and so forth. Visitors can visit Public Security Police Force's website: http://www.fsm.gov.mo/psp/pspmonitor on phone or computer to check the real-time border-crossing images at the arrival/departure halls and traffic lanes of Barrier Gate, Outer Harbour and Cotai Frontier Post on the "Real-Time Information Platform of Border Ports". Hence visitors can flexibly choose to leave or enter Macao at suitable timings. MGTO's website offers a direct link to Public Security Police Force's webpage of the "Real-Time Information Platform of Border Ports".
Handy information for an enjoyable trip
Visitors can download MGTO’s mobile app "What's On, Macao" and conveniently browse monthly highlights including events and festivals, performances, exhibitions, activities as well as the newest attractions in town for itinerary planning. They can also download the mobile apps "Experience Macao" and "Step out, Macao" to acquire more local travel tips. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) presented the PATA Gold Award for Marketing Media – Mobile Travel Application to MGTO for its mobile app "Step out, Macao" last year. The app offers maps and information about the “Step Out, Experience Macao’s Communities” walking tour routes in Chinese (traditional and simplified), English, Portuguese, Japanese and Korean. Besides the above, visitors can follow MGTO’s WeChat ID “mgtoweixin” to get more information about travelling to Macao.
MGTO has also published the "Macao Food Guide during Spring Festival" (Chinese version only) together with the General Union of the Macau Neighborhood Association, the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macau, the Industry and Commerce Association of Macau Northern District, Commerce Federation of Macau Central and Southern District as well as the Industry and Commerce Federation of Islands of Macau. Offering a contact list of restaurants and eateries open during Chinese New Year, the handy food guide familiarizes visitors with relevant restaurants’ operation information. In addition, visitors can find award-winning businesses listed in the publication “Star Merchant Award – Restaurants and Eateries Guide” and brochure “Star Merchant Award – Travel Agency Industry”.
To let residents and visitors enjoy a fascinating experience in this festive season, MGTO will roll out a series of activities during Chinese New Year, including the Golden Dragon and Lion Parade, Parade for Celebration of the Year of the Rooster, Parade Float Exhibition and the Fireworks Display for Celebration of Chinese New Year. As another highlight, the God of Fortune, the three Gods of Happiness, Prosperity and Longevity, the 12 Chinese Zodiac Mascots, Entourage Boy and Girl, Macao Tourism Ambassadors, as well as the dragon and lion dance teams will go around the city to bestow New Year wishes on residents and visitors and distribute “Lai Si” and souvenirs.
The Chinese New Year Festivities Program as well as the aforementioned guides and brochure are available for download on MGTO's website: http://www.macaotourism.gov.mo or acquired from MGTO’s Tourist Information counters. Residents and visitors can also browse the "Macao Food Guide during Spring Festival" and the “Star Merchant Award – Restaurants and Eateries Guide” on MGTO’s WeChat ID.
