MGTO supports heavier fines for illegal inn operators

Helena de Senna Fernandes speaks to the press

The director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Helena de Senna Fernandes, said that sites suspected of hosting illegal inns have been under inspection.

Just last month, the government set up an interdepartmental working group to study the possible criminalization of the operation of illegal inns.

Speaking on the sidelines of the traditional blessing ceremony of a gastronomy event yesterday, the official explained that the bureau also aims to have heavier measures to penalize these illegal inns’ operators.

“We have never stopped the inspections. Basically, the inspections are being carried out every day. When the police force spotted some illegal guesthouses, they would inform us to follow up, including sealing the houses, and cutting the water and electricity supply. Regardless if it’s the police or us, we are doing our own work,” said Fernandes.

The official noted that operators of these illegal inns are not local residents. Thus if these operators refuse to pay fines amounting to a minimum of MOP200,000, these operators may opt to leave Macau for good.

She noted that this would be of limited consequence for these non-
residents, thus questioning the effectiveness of such a measure. 

“We have to consider how to make illegal guesthouse punishment more effective. Our secretary [Alexis Tam] has already made his stance [clear] regarding illegal guesthouse criminalization. Let’s give a little bit of time to the government, let the government do what we need to do,” she said.

“Officers working on frontline duties also think that there should be a bigger deterrent effect. We, including our secretary, think that criminalization is one [such method with a stronger deterrent effect], [but] it’s not singularly decided by us. We have already expressed our stance,” the official stressed. 

The bureau has already issued penalties in the over 1,000 cases, and according to the official, hundreds of offenders have already paid the penalty, with the majority of these offenders being non-local residents.

Meanwhile, commenting on the functionality of old shops in the city, some of which have operational problems, Fernandes said that the government is creating a series of measures for these shops to be passed onto the next generation.

“The government can’t promise 100 percent that all of the old shops can continue their businesses, but the government will work with the public regarding this matter,” she explained.

“We saw that the cultural fund launched a program helping the old shops to conduct renovation, and helping the designers to do some new designs for the old shops to make the old shops more modern,” Fernandes added.

When asked whether the bureau has plans to impose an international tourists tax – similar to recent measures in Japan that require departing tourists to pay MOP75 –  Fernandes said that further research was still required.

First cooking show with UNESCO chefs

Joseph Tse will take part in the event

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) will hold its first cooking show that is open to the public with chefs from the UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy, with a budget of MOP3.5 million.

Themed “Possibilities of Gastronomy and Creativity”, the forum will take place from Jan. 19 to 21, with presentations and discussions on January 21.

The outdoor culinary demonstration is a highlight of the “International Gastronomy Forum, Macau 2019.”

In a traditional blessing ceremony held yesterday at Anim’Arte Nam Van, MGTO director Helena de Senna Fernandes said that the event aims to enhance the city’s position in gastronomy.

During the weekend, the event will feature some 30 chefs from 20 Creative Cities of Gastronomy, including Macau, in addition to two candidate cities from China.

As the host city, Macau will conduct five cooking performances during the two days, inviting local celebrity chefs such as Jacky Lam (honored by the SAR with the Medal of Merit for Tourism in 2017), Joseph Tse (executive chef of three Michelin star restaurant, The 8) and Tam Kwok Fung (executive chef of Wing Lei Palace restaurant).

There will be also ten gastronomy booths, four with drinks, and three eateries, presenting local dishes, drinks and more, brought by local food and beverage industry operators.

All food will be free, while the food prepared by the chefs from Creative Cities of Gastronomy will be distributed in limited portions, on a first-come first-serve basis. LV