Report Macau bets big on India, eyes growth in tourist arrivals

Macau is expecting over 4.8 per cent growth in tourist arrivals from India this year, betting big on its unique blend of museums, cuisines, shopping malls and casinos to lure a record number of Indians to the ‘Las Vegas of the East’, the Press Trust Of India (PTI) reported yesterday.
“In 2014, the visitor arrivals from India to Macau were 1,67,000. Macau has been witnessing a 4.8 per cent growth year-on-year. We expect it to do much better this year,” Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) Head of India Representative Arzan Khambatta told PTI in Macau.
“This is because Macau is a perfect destination for leisure as well as Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions (MICE) activities,” Khambatta said.
Macau, recently selected by the Lonely Planet travel guide, as one of the top 10 best travel regions of 2015, has all the ingredients that anybody would want for a good holiday, he added.
One of the biggest advantages, the PTI envoy states, is that there is no hassle getting a visa, as it’s a ‘visa on arrival’ destination.
Macau is focusing on both youth and families, along with senior citizens and women travellers.
“Segments like groups of friends, honeymooners, groups of families are our focused audience. We are placing Macau as a premium and luxury destination mainly from the metro cities,” Khambatta said.
The Indian agency goes on describing what they see as “various family oriented activities that an Indian traveller can indulge in like the famous show of ‘The House of Dancing Water’, the walking tours around Senado Square, the skyline of Macau from the 60th floor of the Macau Tower, the calm and serene Coloane island and the buzzing old Portuguese Taipa island, bungee jumping for the adventure seeker or skywalk for the thrill seeker. “
Macau also has a lot to offer foodies with its different cuisines like  Portuguese,  Chinese as well as the unique local Macanese cuisine at restaurants, “or you can go safe with the Indian cuisine,” the Press Trust of India added.