Sands China’s bilingual publication wins PATA Gold Award

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Sands China Ltd. has received the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award 2025 in the Best Printed Marketing Campaign (Industry) category for its bilingual publication In Search of Its Roots – An Illustrated History of Rua das Estalagens. The accolade recognises the publication’s creative quality and its role in documenting, preserving and promoting Macao’s local cultural heritage as part of Sands China’s community revitalisation programme.

Published under the patronage of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture and supported by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the booklet was produced by local cultural and artistic professionals including the Macao Artist Society, author Siguo Chen and illustrator Shirley Lu. Local teams handled interviewing, translation, photography, illustration, layout and printing. The publication compiles in-depth oral-history interviews with neighbourhood associations, merchants and residents to capture Rua das Estalagens’ people, anecdotes and historical moments.

The project ties into Sands China’s broader Rua das Estalagens revitalisation initiative launched in April 2024. One of its endeavors is the Community Revitalisation Series – Entrepreneurship Recruitment Programme for Rua das Estalagens. From about 600 participants and 120 eligible applications, it selected seven business proposals to revitalize the area. Six have opened on Rua das Estalagens, with the seventh expected to open in September. Shopfront beautification by local artists and other initiatives have supported both new entrepreneurs and long-standing businesses, helping to restore the street’s cultural and commercial vitality.

Dr. Wilfred Wong, Executive Vice Chairman of Sands China Ltd., commented on the project in full: “Our initial purpose in publishing ‘In Search of Its Roots’ – part of Sands China’s revitalisation initiatives for Rua das Estalagens – was to harness community strength to record the rich cultural atmosphere and unique neighbourhood stories of this historic street, reignite the district’s century-old prosperity, and rediscover the enduring cultural heritage of the area. This exquisite booklet, crafted by local teams with ingenuity and acclaimed by PATA, not only demonstrates Macao’s cultural and creative strengths on a global stage by telling a fascinating story about the city to the world, but also broadens public understanding of our history.

“We would like to express our gratitude to the Pacific Asia Travel Association and the judging panel for their recognition and we thank the Macao Artist Society, author Siguo Chen, illustrator Shirley Lu, and other partners for their collaboration. Sands China looks forward to continuing to work closely with the Macao SAR government and the local community to promote more ‘tourism + culture’ projects, demonstrating Macao’s cultural depth and innovative vitality.”

The digital edition of In Search of Its Roots is available online, and print copies have been distributed to local school and public library collections to support education and community memory. This PATA recognition demonstrates how culturally focused publications can function as both marketing assets and lasting contributions to community archives—advancing cultural tourism while strengthening local identity and entrepreneurship.

The digital version of “In Search of Its Roots – An Illustrated History of Rua das Estalagens” can be viewed and downloaded at https://assets.sandsresortsmacao.cn/‌ebook/SCL/revitalization-of-rua-das-estalagens/index.html.