Sands China’s 2022 Sands Shopping Carnival concluded yesterday, providing a free business platform for local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in turmoil due to the lingering impacts of the pandemic.
The carnival launched Saturday with the aim of providing a “shopping and leisure hotspot for families under one roof,” coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival this year.
Held for the third consecutive year after it was postponed in July due to the largest coronavirus outbreak Macau has faced, the 2022 carnival comprised over 530 booths and featured a total of eight exhibition zones.
The event featured Sands retailers, household products, family fun products, gourmet foods, healthy lifestyle products, sports accessories, cultural and creative items and kids’ fun.
Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd., said: “As Macau navigates the unpredictable ups and downs of the pandemic, it is our responsibility to continue supporting the SAR government’s economic revival initiative and the retail sector as we make efforts toward economic recovery.”
“We also strive to support the development of local SMEs by providing them a free business platform in this largest sale event in Macau, with an objective to transform it into a significant event in the city,” he added.
Some local firms to whom the Times spoke were enthusiastic about the event, though some retailers expressed worries that financial impacts from the recent outbreak would cause shoppers to spend less.
“We’re positive about the results of this carnival. But we’re also worried residents will be more cautious in their spending due to the fact that the [outbreak] has just passed,” said a retailer.
“I hope there will be more events like this, because we SMEs have been affected greatly by the pandemic. Therefore, giving us a free platform to showcase our products is helpful for us even when we are aware that shoppers are more cautious with their spending,” said another.
Hotel occupancy rate ‘better than usual’
The hotel occupancy rate is higher than usual, but still not as strong as before, according to Sands China president Wilfred Wong, who spoke to the press on the sidelines of the Sands Shopping Carnival. He expects that the rate will not increase significantly amid the recent Mid-Autumn Festival.
As the city recovers from its largest outbreak to date, from mid-June to July, the weekend occupancy rate stands at 70% to 80%, with hopes that the upcoming Golden Week in October will reach similar levels.
Data shows that, in the first seven months of 2022, the average occupancy rate of guest rooms in hotel establishments decreased to 37.7%, with the number of guests declining by 27.9% year-on-year to some 2.94 million.
Wong also mentioned that Sands’ bid proposal for the upcoming gaming license tender is set to be completed, noting it will be ready to submit by the September 14 deadline.
