Exploring the rising Seoul

South Korea became the top foreign tourist market to Macau last month, surpassing the Philippines and reaching over 65% of pre-pandemic levels.
Surfing that wave, both the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and Sands China Limited showcased the city’s main attractions last week in two consecutive events in Seoul, a bustling metropolis of 9.4 million.

On June 29, Sands China hosted a reception and gala dinner for over 120 guests at a top venue in Seoul to promote primarily its high-end property Londoner Grand, dubbing the event “Start of a Whisper,” featuring top Korean stars in K-pop and gastronomy. Macau government officials, travel and hospitality professionals, business partners, media, and influencers also attended.

Upon arrival, guests were greeted by “a regal blue and gold reception area” – the colors of Londoner Grand – and a G Bear gin bar.

The cocktail reception was followed by an impressive dinner highlighting Korea’s celebrity chef Choi Hyun-seok, best known for his appearance on Netflix’s hit show “Culinary Class Wars.” Each course was punctuated by entertainment, including a headline performance by K-pop superstar Rain.

A little rain punctuated an otherwise sunny Seoul in a prelude to summertime, as this writer and a Macau media delegation moved from event to event, strolling some major avenues in the shopping and financial districts of the vast Korean capital city – from where most visitors to the SAR hail.

Seoul itself is a tourism magnet in East Asia and has already recovered from the economic isolation of Covid times.
As of June 2025, Seoul’s tourism sector is experiencing a robust resurgence, surpassing pre-pandemic figures.

In January 2025, the city welcomed 900,000 foreign tourists, exceeding the previous record of 880,000 in January 2019. This marks a significant 27% increase from January 2024, indicating a strong upward trend, according to official sources.

In 2024, Seoul attracted approximately 13.14 million foreign visitors, nearing its all-time high of 13.9 million in 2019. Projections for 2025 suggest South Korea aims to welcome around 18.5 million foreign visitors, a 13% increase from the previous year. Analysts predict that, given Seoul’s status as the nation’s primary tourist destination, a substantial portion of these visitors are expected to explore the capital.

From left to right: Davis Fong, Paul Wong, U U Sang, Wilfred Wong, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Lok Po, and Andy Wu Keng Kuong

Against this booming tourism backdrop, Macau officials and industry leaders sought to capture Korean interest with a high-profile showcase.

The popularity of the city derives precisely from the global phenomenon of K-culture and especially K-pop.

Master Rain teased the audience that night while singing his hit songs back at the Sands ballroom in the Lotte compound, where Wilfred Wong, SCL’s executive vice-chairman, beforehand was promoting the marvels of the 2,405-room Londoner Grand and other Macau landmarks as a diversified tourism destination for an affluent Korean market.

Celebrity chef Choi Hyun-seok

K-pop Superstar, Rain at the “Start of a Whisper” gala dinner

“Sands China is thrilled to have had the opportunity to present Londoner Grand at our Macao Showcase 2025 to a diverse and influential audience in Seoul. Korea is a very important market for us and for Macau, and we hope this was reflected through the activities we presented here in the past two days,” Wong said.

He also added that the aim was twofold: to introduce the newest resort brand to the Korean market, and to “elevate awareness of Macau as a world-class destination for business and leisure by emphasizing its rich cultural, gastronomic, and lifestyle experiences.”

The busy Macau week compressed

Compressed into four days, Macao Week at Seoul’s Hyundai complex, which ended yesterday, surely gave that “Macau feeling” of crowded touristic sites as we strolled the space at the opening hours last Friday.

Packed with hundreds of visitors, the roadshow “Journey to Experience Macao” mainly consisted of stands from the “big six” operators – Melco, MGM, Sands China, Galaxy, SJM, and Wynn.

Also at the fair was a Hengqin booth to show potential visitors that tiny Macau can be extended to vaster areas of the Mountain Island – where parks and non-gaming entertainment can appeal to young families with kids.

Indeed, this event was aimed at millennials and Gen Zs, as Helena de Senna Fernandes told the media.

“South Korea is now our top market outside of Greater China and growing fast,” the MGTO director said, adding, “but we want to increase awareness,” especially among young people, such as young couples.

Understandably, the pink decorations and marketing elements dominated part of the non-gaming area of the exhibition, appealing to a sector that, before the pandemic, was already gaining momentum: weddings and honeymoons. Macau, the city of love?

The opening ceremony was highlighted by entertainment and a lucky draw for visitors in their 20s and 30s. The draw followed registration on a Korean app and a screening process that selected hundreds of candidates. Four lucky contestants were drawn and given plane tickets plus a tourism package to visit Macau – and were flown to Taipa airport exactly on opening day last Friday. The stunt seemed to please the crowd.

Helena de Senna Fernandes told us that the next roadshow will take place this month in Bangkok, followed by Malaysia and Indonesia.

In a brief conversation, Vincent U, IPIM’s head, told the Times they had a “very important” meeting with the Chinese Chambers of Commerce in South Korea to raise awareness about Macau and the GBA as a trade and investment hub among their members. He added that both parties are planning meetings in Macau and Seoul “to promote exchanges and possible business, beneficial to both sides.”

“Cooperation is a two-way street,” he said.

On the streets of Seoul, the sun was shining gloriously.

Paulo Coutinho, Seoul*
*This writer travelled to Seoul at the SCL invitation

The Grand at The Londoner

Londoner Grand in Macau comprises 2,405 rooms, including 1,500 suites. This represents a significant increase in suite offerings compared to its predecessor, the Sheraton Grand Macao, which had only 360 suites.

The hotel is part of the The Londoner Macao integrated resort and is branded under Marriott International’s Luxury Collection. The renovation and rebranding were completed in phases, with the first tower opening by the end of 2024 and the second by May 2025.

Londoner Grand features Georgian-inspired architecture and offers a range of accommodations, from standard rooms to expansive suites with terraces, private pools, and media rooms.

According to Wilfred Wong, “Londoner Grand is more than a hotel – it’s an exclusive resort within a resort, with the scale to be inclusive.”

“The Londoner Grand experience has been designed for travelers who expect nothing less than the best – the A-listers who define luxury on their own terms.”

Integral to Londoner Grand’s unique story is G Bear, Londoner Grand’s No. 1 Ambassador and Chief Experience Officer. G Bear personifies the brand’s warmth and whimsy; his priority as leader of the A-team is to make sure every guest feels like the A-lister they are, and every visitor feels welcome in Macau,  a statement from the company reads.