Event facilities at Studio City Macau include a Grand Ballroom, nine Salons, extensive pre-function space and an event garden
Macau’s varied integrated resorts and attractions ensure accompanying persons of business event participants are never bored. By Prudence Lui
Macau’s popularity among vacationers, thanks to its variety of hotel accommodation, attractions, activities and dining options, plays in its favour when meeting and incentive planners are considering the destination for programmes involving accompanying familes and partners.
Planners TTGmice spoke to said Macau has plenty to offer to people of all ages and of both genders.
Accompanying spouses can play a round of golf, take up cooking classes, retreat to a spa or enjoy a a fine meal, while families with children can go on on a cultural walking tour and learn about the destination’s history.
Macau also has a rich variety of Michelin-star restaurants, and a gourmet meal there costs less than the same in Hong Kong, according to Lily Agonoy, managing director of BCD Travel in Hong Kong.
Agonoy described Macau as an “ideal destination for incentives” because of the availability of many venues for large groups and adequate facilities for spouse and children.
She pointed out that Studio City Macau and Broadway Macau, in particular, are hottest now, as they are fresh options, having only opened this year.
“(They) have varied recreational and dining facilities to woo attendees (and encourage them to) bring their family,” she added.
Studio City Macau, which officially opened on October 27, has been promoting its non-gaming elements to woo MICE groups with spouse programmes. While solemn meetings are taking place at one of Studio City Macau’s many event facilities, accompanying spouses with young children can spend the day at the world’s first four-dimensional Batman Dark Flight, a simulation ride that enables the audience to ‘fly’ behind Batman and see how he defeats Gotham City’s villains; exploring the 3,700m2 Fun Zone, an indoor play centre equipped with interactive play areas; being entertained by magicians at the House of Magic; and going on a ride on Asia’s tallest ferris wheel – the Golden Reel – which towers 130m above Cotai.
Broadway Macau, opened in May, also features well in spouse programmes. It houses a five-star hotel with 320 rooms and suites, Macau’s hawker-style street market, live entertainment, retail outlets, and more.
Existing attractions in Macau are also keeping their offerings fresh for incentive groups. For example, AJ Hackett Macau Tower, which specialises in adventurous fun such as bungy jumps, sky jumps, gravity-defying walks along the outer perimeter of the tower 233m up in the air, and daring climbs up the tower’s vertical ladders, has plans to extend the height of its climbing wall from 32m to 46m in the future. The climbing wall is reserved for private groups on weekdays.
AJ Hackett Macau Tower International Conference Consultants (ICC) director, Katerina Tam, said: “It’s always good to have something new in Macau so that we can provide different experiences for our delegates and accompanying persons.”
In late October, ICC offered optional tours for accompanying persons of the 4th Scientific Meeting of the Asian Federation of Osteoporosis Societies-cum-16th Regional Osteoporosis Conference. Operated by Cotai Travel, the two tour options featured cultural, heritage and sightseeing elements.
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Bruno Simoes, executive director of smallWORLD Experience
Bruno Simoes, executive director of smallWORLD Experience, suggests three unique teambuilding activities in the city
Culinary and carving challenge
A big part of Macau heritage and traditions is its food. This activity in Grand Coloane Resort Macau, done under the watchful eye of a professional chef, will give visitors the pleasure of experiencing the art and flavours of the local cuisine.
Sky drumming
Drumming at 233m above ground is one-of-a-kind experience in Macau! This will be an amazing teambuilding experience. Guests who are afraid of heights will play from the inside of the Macau Tower.
iDiscover Macau
This activity is a combination of a treasure hunt and amazing race, where teams use a tablet to solve challenges and obtain instructions – a good way to sightsee Macau’s heritage landmarks while having a fun time.
Picking up cooking skills
at Grand Coloane
Resort Macau
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In a sophisticated space
The St. Regis Macao’s elegant Astor Ballroom and 11 breakout meeting rooms opened on December 17, 2015, injecting even more venue options into the destination’s stock. The smaller function spaces can accommodate groups of 10 guests while the Astor Ballroom can take up to 750 guests.
For larger MICE groups, the luxury hotel can join forces with its neighbour, the Sheraton Macao Hotel, and offer a combined venue for events with up to 5,000 guests.
The pool deck on the eighth floor makes a refreshing venue for cocktail receptions with 400 guests.
The hotel is also able to arm event planners with a full suite of technology tools such as web-based event planning solutions, e-proposals, e-menus and meeting apps.
A spokesman with The St. Regis Macao told TTGmice: “It is one of the few hotels in the city to offer stunning views through floor-to-ceiling windows in the meeting rooms.”
He added the hotel’s “key source markets for MICE will be luxury lifestyle brands and global companies that plan board meetings, trainings, offsite events, product launches and media events”.
Since its opening, most of the hotel’s MICE business has been from multinational firms although several weddings are also lined up into 2016.
To get planners well acquainted with the hotel’s MICE capabilities, an introductory offer is now available, with rates starting from MOP2,288 (US$287) per person. The offer is valid for bookings made by July 10, 2016 and for stays until December 30, 2016 (Sundays to Thursdays only). A minimum stay of two nights is required for bookings of 10 rooms and more. Package perks include complimentary private group transfers on arrival at the ferry terminal or airport; a complimentary one-hour welcome cocktail session when booked with a dinner event or full-day meeting; two suite upgrades for every 15 rooms booked; one complimentary room for every 25 rooms booked; and double SPG Pro Points.
