Macao Tourism Office launched the “ Travel Macao” plan, targeting the Macau resident to join local tour. This can rescue the local tourism industry in Macao, which was severely hit by the epidemic. There have in total of 15 routes, divided into two groups, community tours and leisure tours. This include the routes of nature, history, and entertainment projects and facilities of the gaming companies.
Macau has been “closed” for more than 5 months. Local residents have been “trapped” in these 32 square kilometers city. During the weekends, the road to Coloane always meet the traffic jams. Hiking trails, parking lots, and restaurants are overcrowded. The resort in Cotai even need to open the employee parking areas for citizens to park and shop. People in Macau feel very bored in these days.
This local tourism plan, the effect is to make Macau people re-understand Macau? Relaxed in the outbreak?
The local tourism plan launched by the MGTO can help the tourism industry, getting temporarily support from local tourism. Also, this can make Macau people better understand the local culture and history. Indeed, in addition to shopping, the purpose of traveling abroad is to experience different cultures and cuisines, understand the local history, and experience a different life. Macau, as a “world tourism and leisure city”, do the people really felt it before?
In this pandemic, Macau did return to its “leisure” status, but the economic and employment problems followed. This local tourism plan, the effect is to make Macau people re-understand Macau? Relaxed in the outbreak? Together with the gaming companies to solve employment problems for the tourism industry? or… all of the above.
*Chinese editor of Plataforma
