Taste Jam market sales hit MOP200,000, MGTO declines event extension

The first-ever “ZAPE Taste Jam” market, which is set to conclude in two days, has attracted 36,000 visitors and generated sales of MOP200,000 – far surpassing initial expectations – though the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has confirmed that it will not extend the event at this time.

The market, jointly organized by the authorities and the Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, opened on August 15 and was originally scheduled to run for 10 days, though it was temporarily closed for one day on Sunday due to the hoisting of Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 3.

MGTO earlier announced a budget of MOP4.6 million for the entire event, with the government covering MOP3.6 million.

Speaking to the media yesterday, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of MGTO, reported that as of Tuesday, the data covered the first five days of participation, although the market operated for only four days, attracting approximately 36,000 visitors and averaging about 9,100 people per day.

“This figure far exceeds our original expectation of 4,000 visitors per day,” she noted.

The total revenue over these four days reached MOP200,000, with some stalls, including two from shops in ZAPE, achieving daily revenues of more than MOP10,000. She concluded, “So overall, it’s a pretty good figure.”

According to the tourism chief, the event is expected to conclude as scheduled, with no extension of its duration.

“Some people have asked if there will be an extension, but even if there is, it would likely be on weekdays, and business volume would not be as high as on weekends. Therefore, after considering this, we have decided not to extend the event for the time being.”

However, she emphasized that the authorities will review the event after its conclusion and consider future event types and how to introduce such events to the area.

Earlier, a social media post indicated that some merchants in the ZAPE area had not been invited to participate in the market.

One of the organizers, the Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, responded that it was unable to provide a clear answer, leading these merchants to feel neglected.

Senna Fernandes addressed this by stating that, in addition to attracting foot traffic, the organizers, including her office and the Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, had proactively engaged with nearby business operators to understand their situations.

They found that these merchants had benefited from the increased foot traffic, with some even reporting business growth.

She cited actual examples, noting that nearby shops took advantage of the increased foot traffic for promotional activities, attracting both tourists and local residents.

This demonstrates that the benefits of the event extend beyond the 30-plus participating merchants, contributing to the overall commercial vitality of the area. She emphasized that in future events, it would be desirable to introduce more diverse types of businesses to enrich the area’s offerings and promote its prosperity.

“Actually, when we plan each event, we don’t just consider businesses in that particular area. We also aim to introduce new businesses or different types of products to make the area more vibrant. Sometimes, bringing in businesses or products from other areas can provide more choices. In the future, there may even be opportunities for businesses from other regions to set up shop here,” the tourism chief emphasized, highlighting the need to strike a balance.

“Whether we continue to organize such events or explore new ideas, there are many options available. Our ultimate goal is to promote this area – on one hand, to establish its reputation, and on the other, to attract both local residents and tourists to learn more about the area, thereby creating future business opportunities for the community.”

The authorities reaffirmed that the ongoing market event is just a pilot project and does not imply that the government will rely solely on this method.

They emphasized that in the future, a variety of measures will be implemented to promote the development of the community economy. These may include intellectual property-themed events, consumer discount initiatives, and ticket-stub economy activities, among other composite measures, aimed at introducing various projects to different businesses in local neighborhoods.