Sands China Wins Two PATA Gold Awards

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Sands China has been recognised at the PATA Gold Awards 2026 with two honours: winning the Gold Award in the category of Printed Marketing Campaign (Industry) for the artbook publication “Sands China Presents — Dopamine: Fountain of Happiness” and the Gold Award in the category of Sustainable and Inclusive Marketing Campaign for its signature initiative, the Sands Shopping Carnival.

The two awards affirm Sands China’s outstanding achievements in art and culture and its commitment to corporate social responsibility. By continuously developing a diverse portfolio of high-quality non-gaming offerings, the company has enriched the experiences of Macao residents and visitors, while proactively fostering the development of the city’s art and cultural talent, local SMEs and social inclusion. Together, these efforts support the Macao SAR government’s policy of economic diversification and reinforce Macao’s position as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.

Dr. Wilfred Wong, executive vice chairman of Sands China Ltd., said: “Sands China has once again received recognition at the PATA Gold Awards, garnering two prestigious Gold Awards this year. These achievements not only affirm the company’s longstanding efforts in advancing non-gaming development but also serve as a tremendous recognition and motivation for our team members, whose dedication and passion continue to drive the synergies of ‘Tourism+’ initiatives and create long-term value for Macao.

“Over the years, we have been unwavering in our commitment to delivering impactful non-gaming programmes, which have helped forge meaningful connections with the Macao community and contributed to the city’s diversified development. Whether through art and cultural programmes that showcase Macao’s diverse appeal to the world, or community care initiatives that support the local community and SMEs, we remain dedicated to responding to the city’s development needs and driving shared growth with the community.

“Looking ahead, Sands China will continue to work closely with the Macao SAR government and all sectors of society to jointly expand the possibilities of the ‘Tourism+’ strategy in advancing the city’s long-term development, thereby contributing to Macao’s economic diversification and its development as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.”

Leveraging Premier Event to Foster Community Inclusion

The company’s Sands Shopping Carnival received the Gold Award in the Sustainable and Inclusive Marketing Campaign category at the PATA Gold Awards, in recognition of the carnival’s success in leveraging its position as Macao’s largest free sales platform to create an annual premier event that delivers both economic benefits and social values.

The Sands Shopping Carnival won the 2026 PATA Gold Award for Sustainable and Inclusive Marketing, recognised for delivering economic and social value as Macao’s largest sales event.

Launched amid the pandemic in 2020, the Sands Shopping Carnival was founded on Sands China’s commitment to standing shoulder to shoulder with the Macao community through challenging times. Each year, the carnival offers the city’s largest complimentary exhibition and sales platform to Macao’s SMEs, social service organisations and Sands retailers, providing a wealth of entertainment and family-friendly experiences that enhance the diversity and appeal of the platform.

To date, the carnival has provided more than 4,000 complimentary booths for local businesses and attracted 800,000 visitors. It has become a well-established summer shopping and leisure event for both residents and visitors from the Greater Bay Area, continuing to inject impetus into Macao’s economy.

Throughout the past seven years, Sands China has incorporated its commitment to supporting local SMEs and the community-focused spirit of Sands Cares into the carnival, transforming it from a consumption event into a platform that brings the community together and promotes social inclusion.

Each year, the carnival provides local social service organisations with opportunities for product sales, performances and recreational activities, fostering broader participation and engagement across the community. The carnival has also helped the public gain a deeper understanding of the work of various social service organisations, thereby strengthening mutual understanding, connections, and a spirit of reciprocal care within the community.

The scale of participating social service organisations in the carnival has grown sixfold, from five in its inaugural edition to 30 cumulatively. These organisations provide a wide range of services, including rehabilitation, youth development, animal welfare, and support to vulnerable groups.

To date, the carnival has benefitted nearly 1,500 service users, demonstrating its positive impact in fostering community cohesion. In addition, over 400 Sands Cares Ambassadors have shown their steadfast support for the event by contributing a total of over 1,120 hours of volunteer service over the past seven years. Beyond supporting the planning and operation of the carnival, they have also accompanied underprivileged groups from the local community to enjoy the event, helping them integrate into society through care and support.

As part of the Sands Cares global corporate citizenship programme, the Sands Cares Ambassador Programme was established in 2009 and has since continuously mobilized team members to give back to the community. To date, the programme has contributed a total of over 362,000 hours of volunteer service. Through their collective efforts, Sands Cares Ambassadors have fostered social inclusion, underscoring Sands China’s longstanding dedication to the Macao community.

Award-Winning Publication as Lasting Record of Macao’s Art and Cultural Strength

Another project, the artbook titled “Sands China Presents — Dopamine: Fountain of Happiness” won the Gold Award in the Printed Marketing Campaign (Industry) category at the PATA Gold Awards.

Compiled by the Sands China team in collaboration with the city’s curatorial team ARTICROSS and design team UNTITLED MACAO, the award-winning publication serves as an important documentary record of the Art Macao: Macao International Art Biennale 2025 special exhibition, “Dopamine: Fountain of Happiness,” and collateral exhibition, “Beyond the Frame: International Contemporary Masterpieces,” which took place between July and October 2025.

The special exhibition “Dopamine: Fountain of Happiness” brought together nine internationally renowned contemporary artists from Asia, Europe and the United States. In collaboration with the iconic Sesame Street, the participating artists created 14 originals, exquisite commissioned artworks for Macao, exhibited at The Venetian Macao. The exhibition sought to evoke the happiness and positivity embodied by Sesame Street through the vibrant colour palette and uplifting power of dopamine aesthetics.

In addition, the collateral exhibition “Beyond the Frame: International Contemporary Masterpieces,” held concurrently at Sands Gallery, further explored the boundless intersections between art and the perceptions of the world. Featuring more than 60 works by six artists from the special exhibition across a diverse range of mediums, spanning painting, sculpture, installation, and mixed media, the collateral exhibition invited audiences to reimagine the connections between art, the self, and the world around them.

Together, the two exhibitions traced an artistic journey from emotional resonance to intellectual exploration, presenting a premier art event in Macao imbued with both international perspectives and a humanistic spirit.

They also showcased Macao’s outstanding curatorial capabilities and creative vitality on the global stage. Over the course of three months, the exhibitions attracted more than 4.1 million visits, underscoring their widespread appeal to audiences.

The “Sands China Presents — Dopamine: Fountain of Happiness” artbook provides a comprehensive record of the curatorial concepts behind the two exhibitions, alongside the creative vision, original sketches, and artistic narratives of the nine participating artists from home and abroad.

Designed with vibrant colours, the award-winning art book encapsulates the essence of the two exhibitions through a compelling interplay of text and imagery. It offers an exquisite interpretation of the vitality and optimism enlivened by dopamine aesthetics, while exploring the deeper significance of contemporary art as a reflection of its time and a bridge that connects cultures, perspectives and communities around the world.

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This marks the second consecutive year Sands China has received the PATA accolade for its publication work, following its Gold Award in the Printed Marketing Campaign (Industry) category for the bilingual publication “In Search of Its Roots – An Illustrated History of Rua das Estalagens”.

This back-to-back achievement reaffirms Sands China’s commitment to producing thoughtfully curated, high-quality publications that document the valuable milestones of Macao’s cultural and artistic development.

To extend the impact of both exhibitions, the “Sands China Presents — Dopamine: Fountain of Happiness” artbook has been added to the permanent collection of the Macao Public Libraries, while a digital version is also available to readers around the world.

Through both formats, audiences can experience the richness and diversity of Macao’s cultural landscape. The digital version of the artbook can be downloaded via the following link: https://l.ead.me/bgyN4z.

This year’s two PATA Gold Awards are a testament to Sands China’s longstanding efforts and achievements in enriching non-gaming offerings and advancing the development of the city’s integrated tourism and leisure industry.

Looking ahead, Sands China will continue to draw on its resources and strengths to introduce more “Tourism+” initiatives. Together with the Macao SAR government and various sectors of society, the company will further strengthen the position of Macao as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, driving further progress in its economic diversification.

As one of the most authoritative and internationally recognised awards in the Asia-Pacific tourism industry, the PATA Gold Awards was established in 1984, to promote the high-quality and sustainable development of the tourism sector. Since its inception, it has honoured tourism organisations and initiatives that have demonstrated excellence in strategic practices, innovation, sustainability, and other areas.