Macao Drone Gala to attract over 100,000 visitors across five days, MGTO forecasts

The Light up Macao Drone Gala has earned its place in the annual events calendar this year, the director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said yesterday at the press conference to announce this year’s event.

The drone gala was held for the first time last year as a replacement for the now-defunct Macao International Fireworks Display Contest, which was cancelled two years in a row due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We expect to attract around 100,000 visitors between April 30 and May 4. On these five days, we are forecasting that visitors’ figures may reach at least around 20,000 per day,” the MGTO director said.

Responding to questions from the media, Senna Fernandes said that the event has earned its place in the events calendar this year with its transfer from September to May.

“Last year we had this event for the first time in September to fill the gap left by the cancellation of the fireworks display contest. This year we decided to have this event in May because we understood that our annual event calendar was not balanced, having many events in the second half of the year and fewer in the first half. We are trying to change that and introduce more events in the first semester,” she said. “Also, we know that the second half of the year is often affected by the rain season and other weather-related events such as typhoons, being less suitable for the performance with drones,” she added.

According to data analysis by the MGTO, last year’s event proved popular and contributed to bringing to Macau “some extra 13,000 people to watch the drones show,” Senna Fernandes said. She commented that the high visitor numbers are important not only for the event itself and for the image of Macau, but also for the Nam Van area, where the performances take place. The Van Nam neighborhood is an area with many small and medium enterprises related to cultural and creative industries, which stand to benefit from the event.

Same budget with 

less govít investment

The budget for the event will be of a similar size to 2021, that is, around 7.4 million patacas.

However, the director noted that this year the government investment is significantly less (at only 4.4 million patacas): a reduction made possible by the sponsorship collected from the six gaming concessionaires who will sponsor the event this year.

Although it was not specifically announced, the amount involved (3 million patacas) suggests an equal investment from the six concessionaires of about 500,000 patacas each.

Larger-scale and higher 

quality drone show

Although the Light up Macao Drone Gala 2022 comprises only eight performances over four days (one show fewer than in 2021), the MGTO explained that the event this year will be on a much larger scale and be even more spectacular, with the participation of a total of 880 drones (almost triple the number in 2021), creating even more fantastic three-dimensional images in the skies of Macau.

The shows will be held on the Labor Day Holidays (May 1 and 2) and the following weekend (May 7 and 8).

The Drone Gala, themed “Macau for All Seasons,” will include different elements such as festivals, events, and unique architecture.

The MGTO also said that although there will be two 15-minute performances per night, all the performances are unique and not repeated, and visitors are thus invited to watch all the performances over the four nights of visual entertainment. Performances will be held at Nam Van Lake at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Additionally, a series of outreach activities will be held in parallel with the drone gala, including the exhibition of a large drone capable of carrying a passenger to take place at the Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre between 7 and 10 p.m. on April 25 and between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. from April 26 to May 8.

The event also includes a Photography Contest and a “Drone Sky Art” Formation Design Contest in which the citizens are invited to take part by submitting their creative ideas.

The public can also participate in interactive online games via the website “drone-games.ad-on.mo/temp.html” from April 19 until May 8, to save and redeem reward points for prizes, special offers and enter a lucky draw. 

The prizes include hotel accommodation and dining coupons offered by the six partner entities for the event — Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Wynn, Sands China Ltd., Galaxy Entertainment Group, SJM Resorts, S.A. and MGM.