Uneven sales leave some shop owners happy, others concerned

Lok Win Ma

Casino revenue growth in Macau slowed down during January, falling short of analysts’ estimates, as the world’s largest gaming hub prepares for what may be another bumpy ride in its recovery from a two-year slump.

Every year during the Chinese New Year Festival, Macau welcomes crowds mainly from the tourism market of Mainland China. The road that leads to the Ruins of St. Paul was packed with visitors, as well as the shops alongside the slope up to one of the iconic tourism spots in Macau.

The Times interviewed a few shop owners who have their businesses in the vicinity of the Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul, and received a great variety of reactions regarding sales during the Chinese holiday.

Veng Io K, a book vendor in her 60s with a business located right next to the Igreja de São Domingos, spoke happily of her sales during the holidays. “The business was really good,” she said, adding that “it was a lot better than in previous years.”

Veng said that there were more people visiting her shop, as well passing by her premises. “In the previous years, there were not this many people,” she recalled. Her shop sells children toys and Chinese books, including Fengshui books and books about China’s politics. Some of these cannot be found in Mainland China. “All products were being sold, whether it was the Fengshui books, political books, or toys,” said Veng, adding that “business went up 30 percent.”

The owner of another shop, which sells food including dried seafood and is also situated at the center of the aforementioned tourism area, said that business yesterday was similar to that of the previous Chinese New Year because, for the first time, it opened during the holiday.

A traditional shop nearby, which sells simple clothing items, saw a decrease in sales. The owner Lok Win Ma, who is about 50 years old, had his shop open during the whole holiday period, but his business decreased 10 percent year-on-year. However, Li explained that the reasons for the drop are not directly associated with the holiday itself but with other factors. “Nowadays, people like to do shopping online,” he said, further indicating that even when compared to non-holiday periods throughout the year, business during the Chinese New Year was still slower.

The restaurant Curry Veng, 咖喱荣, where people can only buy take-away food, recorded a 30 percent growth in its revenue. Four restaurants owned by the same person, under the same brand name, can be found in the vicinity of Senado Square. The travel agency Chinoy Express Travel and Tours, which does business mainly with Filipinos, told the Times that, compared to regular days, there were more Filipinos applying for a Chinese visa during the Chinese New Year.

Owners at the Filipino eatery Sarimanok, located at  Rua da Alfândega, said that their business during the holiday this year was “extremely low” when compared to last year’s, adding that the restaurant depends primarily on its Filipino market in town.

Vendor Chao Chi Veng, who sells chestnuts right next to Senado Square, said that his business was also worse compared to last year because it rained during the first three days of the Chinese New Year.

Chan Wai Chong, salesman at Loja Das Conservas, said that some customers visited the shops looking for specific products, which unfortunately were already sold out. Chan noted that the shop only opened yesterday, and that Chinese New Year business was similar to that of non-holiday days.  JZ/LV

Fireworks vendors say business cooled down

Several fireworks sellers at the two legal fireworks trade spots in the city have reported a decrease in business revenues during the Chinese New Year, as assessed from the beginning of the Chinese New Year until midnight yesterday.  The vendors have complained that few visitors have shown up. The weak sales might have possibly be due to rainy weather during the first days of the Chinese New Year. Several vendors reported that business this year did not meet their expectations, with the number of visitors being significantly less than the previous year. However, the vendors claim to be willing to continue operating in the fireworks market next year, even if this year was a disappointment.