Millennial and Gen Z patrons may not be as interested in gambling, but it would be a mistake to downplay their role
Macau Business | January 2024 | Special Report | New Gaming Benefits – First Year (and Beyond)
At the last MGS Entertainment Show & Summit, Sands China President and Executive Director Wilfred Wong said that Macau is now attracting more young tourists, with a proportion of 25 to 40 years old. revealed that it was close to %. Last year saw a significant increase in the number of concerts.
This revelation was confirmed at another point at the same event when Lloyd Robson, general manager for Asia at casino equipment supplier Aristocrat Gaming, said: [in Asia]apparently they [the customers] I'm about five or six years younger than I was before the pandemic. ” Suppliers of electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are among the companies most interested in anticipating these demographic changes, as this type of equipment could become even more attractive.
“So it seems like casinos are really competing to capture another demographic,” Lloyd-Robson acknowledged. “Certainly, nothing much has changed,” said Patrick Lo of the Macau Institute of Tourism (IFTM), given that tourists continue to refer to Macau as a “famous UNESCO World Heritage site.” admit. “Macanese cuisine and a special atmosphere mixed with Chinese and Portuguese cultural influences,'' and not forgetting gambling, which is “almost a must-have item that tourists talk about.''
“The most important change we are likely to witness is that since the outbreak of the pandemic until now, young FITs (Flexible “Independent travel'' is something that seems to be increasing more and more,'' reveals the IFTM instructor. “They then use social platforms to share and spread their experiences in Macau, which in turn attracts more attention and a desire to visit Macau from an equally young social platform audience.” adds Patrick Loh.
Are tourists less interested in gambling now? “Due to their different demographic characteristics, tourists may each have their own travel interests,” an IFTM lecturer told Macau Business. answered. “For example, older people may not use online facilities as much, and from their blinkered understanding of Macau, there may only be gaming, which could lead them to visit Macau solely for gambling purposes. On the other hand, young and educated people usually have a lot of online information about Macau and may understand that Macau has many cultural and gastronomic attractions waiting for them. I don’t know.”
In other words, according to this researcher, who teaches at the Faculty of Tourism Management, “Mainland Chinese tourists visiting Macau are a mix of those coming for gambling purposes and those coming for non-gambling purposes.'' It's supposed to be.'' China is a country with a total population of over 1 billion people, so there are many different reasons for traveling. ”
Mr Low's IFTM colleague Eve Wren also praised the diversification strategy, saying it was “working well”. “Non-gaming elements such as the MICE sector, heritage tourism, gastronomy, tourism retail and family tourism are growing.While gaming elements remain important, other elements are also rapidly evolving,” added the graduate program coordinator for two faculties at IFTM.
“With the rapid development of non-gaming elements and the development of more affordable facilities, Macau's destination image will gradually change, with Macau gradually attracting a mass market in addition to remaining high rollers. “It will become a destination for people to do things,” Professor Wren said. told Macau Business.
“Macau cannot build a competitive advantage in non-gaming entertainment because non-gaming entertainment is available everywhere in China. Gambling is what sets Macau apart from other places in mainland China.” – Zhonglu Zeng
However, it is important not to discount the role of gambling as an essential factor in attracting tourists, argues Zeng Zhonglu, a former professor at Macau Polytechnic University and one of the leading experts in the field. “I think Macau will need gambling for many years to come. The SAR government is trying to increase the appeal of non-gaming, but the importance of gambling has not diminished at all,” said the current president of the Asia-Pacific Gambling Research Association. explains.
“Macau cannot build a competitive advantage in non-gaming entertainment because non-gaming entertainment is available everywhere in China. Gambling is what sets Macau apart from other places in mainland China. Most tourists… visit Macau for the purpose of gambling. Less than half of the people actually go to the casinos to gamble, but many non-gamblers want to watch gambling out of curiosity, and of course, just for the sake of gambling. There are many people who come to Macau in the same year,'' Professor Zeng reaffirmed in a conversation with Macau Business.
Still recovering from the pandemic
“As it has been less than a year since the pandemic ended, it is still too early to conclude whether tourists' travel habits and behaviors have been affected by the pandemic,” Patrick Loh said. I am. The Macau-based academic said, “Tourism is a labor-intensive industry, and the pandemic has dealt a very serious and important blow to the industry. “We have had to make large-scale layoffs,” he said. We will overcome the pandemic and wait for the revival. ”
“After the pandemic ends, some industry players have already shut down their operations, while others who are still surviving are facing immediate staff shortages to welcome normal conditions.” As a result, airlines, hotels, retail stores, and restaurants may face staff shortages, and while service volumes are recovering, they are not yet back to pre-pandemic levels. The prices of airline tickets, hotel rooms and other consumer goods are much higher than usual, coupled with the inflationary effect,” the IFTM lecturer added.
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