TOURISM
Tourism
Tourism is the backbone of Macao’s economy. With the long-term goal of building Macao as a world
tourism and leisure centre, the government department responsible for tourism development – the
Macao Government Tourist Ofce (MGTO) – started adjusting tourism policies and measures in
accordance with Macao’s new positioning, and promoted sustainable and healthy development of
the tourism industry in areas including marketing and promotion, tourism planning, products and
events, tourism industry management, and training and quality control.
Overview of Tourism in Macao
Major Markets
According to the Statistics and Census Service, the total number of tourists visiting Macao in
2015 was 30,714,628, representing a decrease of 2.6 percent over the 2014 gure. There were still
uncertainties in the global economy, resulting in a decrease in visitors from several major markets.
In 2015, the 10 major source markets of visitors were:
Country/Region No. of Visitors Percentage (%)
Mainland China 20,410,615 66.5%
Hong Kong 6,534,543 21.3%
Taiwan 988,059 3.2%
Korea 554,177 1.8%
Japan 282,217 0.9%
Philippines 276,806 0.9%
Malaysia 229,102 0.7%
United States of America 182,532 0.6%
Thailand 180,836 0.6%
India 167,578 0.5%
The 10 major sources of visitors in 2015 were: mainland China (accounting for 20,410,615,
66.5 percent of visitors); Hong Kong (accounting for 6,534,543, 21.3 percent of visitors); Taiwan
(accounting for 988,059, 3.2 percent of visitors); Korea (accounting for 554,177, 1.8 percent of
visitors); Japan (accounting for 282,217, 0.9 percent of visitors); the Philippines (accounting for
276,806, 0.9 percent of visitors); Malaysia (accounting for 229,102, 0.7 percent of visitors); the
United States of America (accounting for 182,532, 0.6 percent of visitors); Thailand (accounting
for 180,836, 0.6 percent of visitors); and India (accounting for 167,578, 0.5 percent of visitors).
Greater China (mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) comprised 90.9 percent of the total
market, and the international market comprised 9.1 percent. Mainland China continued to be the
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largest market for visitors to Macao, with 20,410,615 visitors, a decrease of four percent over the
2014 gure. They accounted for 66.5 percent of the total number of visitors, and 9,519,317 (46.6
percent) of them travelled to Macao under the Facilitated Individual Travel (FIT) scheme. Hong
Kong and Taiwan were the second and third largest markets for visitors to Macao, respectively;
the numbers of visitors from these regions increased by 1.7 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively,
compared with 2014.
Korea, the fourth major source of visitors, was affected by outbreak of Middle East respiratory
syndrome. It accounted for 554,177 visitors in 2015, slightly lower – by 0.1 percent – than in
2014. Malaysia, which ranked seventh, recorded a substantial decrease in the number of visitors. It
accounted for 229,102 visitor arrivals, down 8.4 percent compared with 2014. The Philippines and
Thailand, which ranked sixth and ninth, performed well and recorded 5.3 percent and 2.8 percent
increases, respectively, in numbers of visitors compared with 2014.
The Hotel Industry
According to Macao Government Tourism Ofce (MGTO) statistics, at the end of 2015, Macao
had 77 star-rated hotels and 33 guesthouses, supplying a total of 33,047 guest rooms.
Star Rating Number of Hotels Number of Rooms
Five-star Luxury Hotels 8 3,678
Five-star Hotels 24 17,268
Four-star Hotels 17 7,869
Three-star Hotels 15 2,726
Two-star Hotels 13 861
Sub-total 77 32,402
Guesthouse 33 645
Total 110 33,047
* Average room rate of three to ve-star hotels was 1,491.7 patacas in 2015 (down 7.8 percent from
2014)accordingtotheMacauHotelAssociation.
The total number of guests who occupied hotel rooms in Macao during 2015 was 10,488,800,
representing a decrease of 2.1 percent over the gure of 10,713,000 in 2014. The average year-
round hotel occupancy rate dropped from 85.5 percent in 2014 to 80.5 percent in 2015. The average
length of stay was 1.5 nights, up 0.1 nights compared with the 2014 gure.
Travel Agencies
At the end of 2015, there were 224 licensed travel agencies in Macao, 14 (6.7 percent) more than
in 2014. A total of 1,866 people held tourist guide licences issued by the MGTO, an increase of
68 – 3.8 percent – compared with the 2014 gure. The language abilities of these tourist guides
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spanned Cantonese, Putonghua, English, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Korean, Thai, French,
Spanish, Russian, Indonesian, Hokkien and Chaozhouese.
In 2015, 8,523,600 tourists visited Macao on package tours, representing a decrease of 7.6
percent over 2014. Most package tourists, totalling 6,899,900, came from mainland China, 5.7
percent less than in 2014. The second and third-largest sources of package tourists were Taiwan
and Korea, with 479,900 and 325,900, respectively.
In 2015, a total of 1,510,200 Macao residents travelled abroad. Of these, 610,200 joined outbound
group tours. The most popular destination was mainland China, with 474,100 (77.7 percent) residents
visiting. Taiwan was the second most-popular tourism destination for Macao residents, attracting
36,700 visitors or six percent of the total. Hong Kong ranked third, attracting 22,200 visitors or 3.6
percent of the total. A total of 900,000 residents engaged with travel agent services without joining
guided tours, 5.3 percent less than in 2014.
MacaoGovernmentTourismOfce
The functions of the Macao Government Tourism Ofce (MGTO) include assisting the formulation
and implementation of local tourism policies; enhancing development and diversity of the tourism
industry; and monitoring tourism and related business and issuing licences, in order to realise the
Government’s overall tourism objectives.
The MGTO has set up representative ofces in many countries and regions around the world,
including the Hong Kong SAR, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia,
France, the United Kingdom and Ireland, the United States of America, Russia, Australia and New
Zealand.
Macao’s tourism industry was also actively promoted by three overseas ofces: the Tourism
Section of the Ofce of the Macao Special Administrative Region in Beijing, Macau Economic
and Cultural Ofce in Taiwan, and Macau Tourism Promotion and Information Center in Portugal.
The objective for 2015 was to commence different projects that tap into the “Belt and Road”
initiative and develop Macao as a world tourism and leisure centre. Work included compiling
the Master Plan for Tourism Industry Development; enhancing regulation of the industry and
optimising tourism management and licensing services; continuing the Quality Tourism Services
Accreditation Scheme and providing professional training for the industry; launching four tourism
walking routes under the Step Out, Experience Macau’s Communities Programme, rening the
existing four walking routes and bus tour; enhancing community and cultural tourism through
the Community Tourism Plan, Tourism Awareness Campaign and Cultural Tourism Programme;
promoting tourism products overseas, using celebrity endorsers and information technology to
widen the impact of advertising as well as connect to development of smart tourism; and continue
participating in conferences and events hosted by international tourism organisations to promote
Macao as a branded tourism destination.
Tourism Planning
In pursuing the building of Macao as a world tourism and leisure centre, the MGTO commenced the
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compilation of the Master Plan for Tourism Industry Development. The rst phase was to collect
information and draft a preliminary plan. Through residents’ and travellers’ satisfaction surveys,
eld trips, interviews with relevant government departments, members of the tourism industry
and organisations, and workshops hosted by international professionals, the MGTO conducted
a comprehensive analysis of Macao’s tourism industry development, tourism resources, tourism
products, current situation of tourist markets, quality of tourism products and services, overall
tourism industry and development of the city. This analysis aimed at understanding the problems
and limitations the industry is facing, in order to develop an action plan tailored to urgent needs
for development of the tourism industry.
To encourage in-depth travel and lengthen the stay of tourists, the MGTO cooperated with other
departments to add QR codes to directional signage columns along the “Step Out, Experience
Macau’s Communities - Walking Tour Routes”. This helps tourists to access more travel information
through mobile devices, conveniently enriching their travel experience. Meanwhile, roads have
been beautied and building facades along them have been renovated.
Also, the MGTO started using scientic research methods to review effectiveness of tourism
products, and understand the travel behaviour and characteristics of visitors from different sources,
for reference in planning and developing future tourism products. In 2015, MGTO conducted
effectiveness evaluation surveys on the Parade for the Celebration of the Year of the Ram, the “Step
Out, Experience Macau’s Communities - Walking Tour Routes”, and the Macao Light Festival; as
well as surveys on Japanese visitors, Korean visitors; and the 2015 MGTO Services Satisfaction
Survey. In addition, MGTO launched “Macao Tourism Data plus” (http://mtdplus.macaotourism.
gov.mo/) to support tourism research and provide convenient sources of tourism information to the
public. The platform includes statistical reports and publications by the MGTO, tourism-related
information published by the Statistics and Census Service, and a wide range of tourism statistics
and interactive graphics, allowing users to easily obtain and analyse Macao’s tourism data.
The MGTO also participated in cross-departmental planning for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao
Bridge, the Master Plan for Macao’s New Districts, the facilitated sailing tourism scheme, the new
Taipa Ferry Terminal, and the cross-departmental task forces on Macao’s customary waters, and
climate change, to provide the Government with opinions on tourism.
Tourism Products
The MGTO continued to promote various products developed under the Macao Tourism Product
Development Programme, including Pedicab Promotional Activities, Fishing Boat Tours during the
shing moratorium, and Golden Week Macau Dining Guide. To foster cultural tourism, the MGTO
has also explored tourism elements with local features, supported local performance groups to
perform at various tourist spots on weekends, and launched a promotion of temples and churches in
Macao, to draw attention to the substance of local culture.
Events and Festivals
The MGTO continued organising various events and festivals, which included the Lunar New
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Year Parade, Macau International Fireworks Display Contest, World Tourism Day, Macau Grand
Prix, Macau Food Festival and Macao Light Festival, with an aim of building Macao as a city of
mega events.
Community Tourism
In 2015, the MGTO continued implementing its Community Tourism Plan, which supported 13
organisations to hold a total of 45 activities in various parishes, attracting over 716,000 participants.
The MGTO continued to rene the “Step Out, Experience Macau’s Communities - Walking Tour
Routes” promotional programme, to better publicise the tourism walking routes. The MGTO also
supported 13 organisations in organising 33 events, attracting over 10,000 participants. In 2015,
the MGTO again organised the Tourism Awareness Campaign, spreading a positive message to
residents and the industry regarding tourism, by supporting 18 bodies to organise 52 events, which
were attended by over 44,000 participants.
Business Tourism
The incentive tourism, wedding tourism and student tour programmes were rened to create a new
product combing all elements: the Incentive Travel Stimulation Program, which was launched in
1 July 2015. During the year, the incentive tourism programme beneted 35,322 participants, and
the student tour programme beneted 1,403 students and teachers.
The MGTO continued leading members of the Macao tourism industry to participate in
international business tourism expos. It also continued the Incentive Travel Shows Rewards
Programme, and during 2015, 32 participating enterprises received support through the reward
points granted.
Macao Light Festival
From 6 December 2015 to 1 January 2016, the MGTO organised the rst Macao Light Festival
from 7pm to 10pm every night, at 11 tourist spots of the Historic Centre of Macao. The festival
included 3D mapping, light installations and interactive games.
Tourism Marketing
The promotion themes of “Enchanting”, “Fascinating”, “Surprising”, “Tasteful” and “Vibrant”
moments were continued in 2015, and were used in travel exhibitions, tourism industry promotions,
and trade fairs in major tourist source regions - including “Experience Macau - Fuzhou, Fujian”; a
road show titled “Fun Summer in Macau - Tourism Carnival” in Huashan Creative Park, Taiwan; a
large-scale food festival for promoting Macao food, “Good Food Month - Night Noodle Markets”
in Sydney, Australia; Macao Cultural and World Heritage Exhibition held at the Grand Central
Terminal in New York City, US; food truck “Macau Cafe” in Thailand; and a 3D video mapping
show in the Festival of Lights held in Berlin, Germany - to showcase Macao’s tourist attractions
and diverse culture to people all over the world.
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Globally-acclaimed travel guide book publisher Lonely Planet named Macao one of the “Lonely
Planet’s Best in Travel 2015 - Top 10 Regions”. Also during the year, the MGTO produced a TV
programme for broadcasting in Macao’s major tourist markets, and made good use of the Internet
including social media platforms as a channel for promotions.
The MGTO continued working closely with tourism authorities in the Pearl River Delta region.
It organised delegations of industry representatives to pay eld visits to mainland China, and
joined the tourism authorities of Guangdong, Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Shaoguan for a
visit to Malaysia and Singapore to promote joint-route tourism products. The MGTO also focused
on marketing in mainland China, by promoting Macao and Pearl River Delta joint-route tourism
products in cities along mainland China’s high-speed rail lines.
Information Counters
Seven information counters have been set up by the MGTO in major ports and tourist spots in
Macao (the Border Gate, the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, Edif Ritz at the Largo do Senado,
Macau International Airport and Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal) and major ports in Hong Kong
(Shun Tak Centre and Hong Kong International Airport). In 2015, the Tourist Enquiry Services of
MGTO received an outstanding service award in the Second Top Quality Public Services Awards
of the Macao SAR.
In 2015, information counters in Macao and Hong Kong received 1,347,584 visitors. There
were 646 complaints received during the year regarding retail services, gaming, restaurants, travel
agencies, hotels, transportation, and services provided by public bodies.
Regional and International Cooperation
Regarding international cooperation, the MGTO continued to participate in various events organised
by tourism organisations, such as conferences, seminars and training programmes organised by
the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Pacic Asia Travel Association
and the World Tourism Cities Federation, in order to enhance the popularity of Macao in the
international tourism circle through exchanges and cooperation. The MGTO also participated in
the World Conference on Tourism and Culture in Siam Reap, Cambodia, and the 21st session of
the UNWTO General Assembly in Medellin, Colombia.
Regarding regional cooperation, the MGTO focused in cooperation with the National Tourism
Administration in policy establishment, industry management, product development and tourism
marketing. The Government signed an agreement with the China National Tourism Administration
to set up a Joint Working Committee on Tourism to Support Macao’s Aspirations to Build a World
Tourism and Leisure Centre, to achieve progress towards building Macao as a world tourism and
leisure centre.
Cooperation on tourism with the Pearl River Delta regions, Hong Kong, Guangdong, Fujian
and nearby regions was maintained. The Government attended the Zhuhai-Macao Co-operation
Conference 2015, and signed an agreement on a tourism cooperation framework, and set up a Zhuhai-
Macao tourism cooperation working group with the Zhuhai Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau.
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Moreover, during the Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao Tourism Cooperation and Development
Meeting, the MGTO signed the Framework Agreement on Tourism Cooperation between Hong
Kong, Zhuhai and Macao with the tourism authorities of the HKSAR and Zhuhai, further enhancing
tourism communications, cooperation and development among the three places.
Tourism Training
Tourism and related industries employ a signicant proportion of Macao’s total workforce. The
Government attaches great importance to training people employed in the tourism sector; it offers
training courses for various tourism-related professionals through the Institute for Tourism Studies.
The Institute of Tourism Studies
Established in 1995, the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) is a public tertiary education institute
afliated to the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture, and is the rst educational institution
to be granted the TedQual Certication by the UNWTO. The IFT offers degree and professional
programmes in a wide range of tourism-related disciplines, such as hotel services, tourism, cultural
heritage, conventions and exhibitions, retail and marketing, leisure and entertainment, sports and
recreation, cultural and creativity, and culinary arts. The institute also cooperates with renowned
overseas colleges and training institutions to offer advanced management courses. In addition, the
IFT has been commissioned by the Government and other institutions to conduct policy research
on tourism planning and development.
To meet the human resources demands of the tourism sector and complement the sector’s future
development, IFT’s degree programmes admitted 398 students and 18 exchange students during
the 2014/2015 academic year. During the academic year, there were 1,568 students enrolled in the
following degree programmes:
Daytime Degree Programmes
(English as Medium of Instruction)
Evening Diploma and Degree
Programmes
(Chinese as Medium of Instruction)
(1) Culinary Arts Management
(2) Tourism Business Management
(3) Heritage Management
(4) Hotel Management
(5) Tourism Event Management
(6) Tourism Retail and Marketing Management
(1) Hotel Management
(2) Tourism Event Management
Regarding non-tertiary education, a total of 20,227 students took various vocational and continued
education courses during the 2014/2015 academic year, with 136 of the students enrolled in two
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1.5-year Western Culinary Skills and Pastry and Bakery programmes; 1,491 students enrolled in the
Macao Occupational Skills Recognition System (MORS); and 1,570 enrolled in various free training
courses under the Community Education and Development Programme (CEDP). Moreover, the
school joined hands with Luso-Chinese Technical and Vocational Middle School to organise a three-
year tourism programme for senior secondary students, and cooperated with several organisations
to promote various courses under the Community Education and Development Programme.
Regarding international exchanges and cooperation, as at August 2015, the IFT had built
connection with 97 schools, organisations and institutions in 28 countries and regions, including
mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, countries in the Asia-Pacic region, Europe and North
America, to promote academic and cultural exchanges. During the 2014/2015 academic year,
in addition to exchange programmes and international internships, there were over 50 students
participating in exchange courses and learning programmes in mainland China, Asia, Europe and
America, with support from the IFT.
The IFT also signed an agreement with Bournemouth University’s Department of Tourism and
Hospitality, and Guangzhou Vocational School of Tourism and Business, to widen the scope of
international cooperation in the IFT’s academic exchanges and student exchange programmes.
Tourism Resources
Boasting a brilliant and fascinating history encompassing 400 years of cultural exchanges between
China and the West, Macao has a unique appeal to tourists. Its scenery is embellished with tourist
treasures of all types, including picturesque dwellings constructed in traditional styles and ancient
temples built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, buildings with Southern European architectural
features, baroque-style churches and impressive contemporary structures.
Churches
Ruins of St Paul’s
The Ruins of St Paul’s, the surviving facade of St Paul’s Church, is Macao’s landmark. Designed by
a Spanish Jesuit, construction of the original church began in 1602, and it was completed between
1637 and 1640.
St Paul’s Church has been destroyed by re three times, but fortunately its original facade
remained standing. The facade has since been repaired many times, and is now generally known
as the Ruins of St Paul’s.
St Paul’s Church is a delicate mixture of European Renaissance and Eastern architectural styles.
The Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt was built at the location of the church, and houses collections
paintings, sculptures and ceremonial decorations from churches and abbeys.
The Chapel of Our Lady of Guia
Originally built in 1622, the Chapel of Our Lady of Guia is the oldest building on Guia Hill. A
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project to enlarge it was carried out in 1637 and was completed in 1638. The Portuguese dedicated
the church to the protector of seafarers. The interior preserves features that were common in 17th
century Portuguese abbeys.
In 1996, a mural was discovered inside the church; this is a rarity in the churches of southern
China.
St. Anthony’s Church
The oldest church in Macao, St Anthony’s Church, was built by the Society of Jesus between 1558
and 1560. Catholics regard St Anthony as the patron saint of marriage, so locals also call it the
“Wedding Church”.
St. Augustine’s Church
St Augustine’s Church was built in 1591, and is one of the oldest churches in Macao. The church
underwent considerable changes and assumed its present form when it was restored in 1874.
St Dominic’s Church
St Dominic’s Church stands on part of the former site of St Dominic’s Convent. In 1587, Spanish
friars built the original church, which was dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. It was initially
built of camphor wood, and later restructured with stucco bricks and cream-coloured stones. The
architecture is in Portuguese style, which was popular in the Orient in the 17th and 18th centuries.
In the main chapel stands a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, from which the Parade of the Virgin
commences on 13 May each year. Believers march to Penha Hill to commemorate the Virgin Mary’s
appearance in Fatima, Portugal. There is a museum of sacred art inside the chapel. The collection
includes religious items of artistic value, as well as scriptures and carved wooden representations
of saints.
Every year, the Macao Orchestra and guest orchestras from around the world choose St Dominic’s
Church as a performance venue, for mainly holding vocal and religious music shows.
St Lawrence’s Church
St Lawrence’s is one of Macao’s most famous large churches. Built in the middle of the 16th century,
it has undergone several restorations, and its present construction was completed in 1846. The
Portuguese, who were great mariners and navigators, believed that St Lawrence offered protection
and bestowed the gift of the wind.
Hermitage of Our Lady of Hope
The Hermitage of Our Lady of Hope, also called St Lazarus’s Church, is the rst cathedral built
after the establishment of the Macao Diocese. Before the present cathedral was built, whenever
a new bishop arrived in Macao to take up ofce, he rst had to come to St Lazarus’s Church to
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receive his crosier before he could exert his power. Consequently, this church is especially holy
among Catholics in Macao. The present structure of St Lazarus’s Church remains as it was in 1885.
The Cathedral
The Cathedral was built in 1576 and was originally a simple wooden structure. Between 1844 and
1850, Catholic parishioners collected donations to rebuild the church and enlarge it to its present
size. Many major events in the Church’s calendar centre on the Cathedral, especially during Easter.
In addition to the procession of Our Lord of Passion, a solemn parade takes place on Good Friday
and special masses are held on Easter Sunday.
Fortresses
Mount Fortress
Mount Fortress is one of Macao’s major tourist attractions. Work on its construction began in 1617,
during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty, and it was completed in 1626. Mount
Fortress was originally used by the Church to protect the clergymen of St Paul’s Church from pirate
attacks. It was later turned into a military installation. In the past, the fortress stood high above the
city centre of Macao, and it was regarded as an important part of its defensive fortications. It has
now become a heritage site and witness to history.
Mount Fortress occupies about 8,000 square metres. The ancient fortress tower was once an ofce
of the Society of Jesus. It was also used as the ofce of the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical
Bureau, and it has since been rebuilt as the Museum of Macao. At the entrance, a stone carving
records the fort’s military successes in defending the city against invasions.
Mong Ha Fortress
Construction of Mong Ha Fortress began in 1849. It covers an area of 650 square metres. The
fortress was once a barracks for African Portuguese soldiers stationed in Macao, and was called
“Black Ghost Fortress”. After the former Portuguese administration withdrew its Macao garrison
during the 1970s, the barracks were abandoned. In the 1980s, Mong Ha Fortress was renovated and
became the Government-owned Tourism School, now known as the Institute for Tourism Studies.
St Francis Fortress
St Francis Fortress was constructed in 1622. In 1584, Spanish clergymen built St Francis Convent
on the site behind the fortress; subsequently, the convent was converted into a barracks. In the 20th
century, after Portuguese soldiers withdrew from Macao, the barracks became the headquarters of
the security forces in charge of the Marine Police, Public Security Police and Fire Service.
Guia Fortress
Guia Fortress occupies about 800 square metres. Its construction began in 1622, and it was
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expanded from 1637 to 1638. It was formerly valued for military purposes, because of its position
overlooking the entire peninsula. It was therefore classied as a restricted military area until 1976,
when the Portuguese army left. It was then turned into a tourist spot, and its appearance has been
kept intact until now.
The Chapel of Our Lady of Guia was built in the fortress in 1622. Adjacent to the hermitage is
the 13-metre-high Guia Lighthouse, which was built in 1864, and is one of the oldest lighthouses in
the Far East. It resumed service in 1910 and has been guiding seamen ever since, with a visibility
of 25 nautical miles from Macao.
When a typhoon approaches, typhoon signals are hoisted on the side of the lighthouse to warn
nearby residents.
Barra Fortress
Barra Fortress, also called Pousada de S. Tiago Fortress or Sai Van Fortress, was built in 1622.
It was an important fortress for protecting Macao’s Inner Harbour. Inside the castle is the Chapel
of St James. In 1981, the castle was converted into a hotel, while retaining its old characteristics.
Three Ancient Grand Temples
Macao’s famous grand temples are the A-Ma Temple, Pou Chai Buddhist Monastery and Temple, and
Lin Fong Temple. Many visitors are attracted to these temples, because of the different generations
and backgrounds they represent, and because of the gods to whom they are dedicated.
A-MaTemple
The A-Ma Temple is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Macao and the oldest of Macao’s
three ancient grand temples.
Built in the Ming Dynasty, the A-Ma Temple was originally called the “A-Ma Pavilion” or “Tin
Hau (Heavenly Queen) Temple” by local people. The entire temple consists of four main structures:
the Stone Hall, the Main Hall, the Hong Ren Hall and the Kun Iam Pavilion. This ancient structure
is distinguished by its traditional Chinese cultural characteristics.
Between Hong Ren Hall and Kun Iam Pavilion, there are many stone inscriptions along the cliff
path written by celebrities, statesmen, poets and scholars and engraved in different calligraphic styles.
Pou Chai Buddhist Monastery and Temple
Built in the late Ming Dynasty, Pou Chai Buddhist Monastery and Temple is also called Kun Iam
Tong Temple. The Buddhist monastery is built in the ancient Chinese architectural style of Hui
Fei, resembling ancient Chinese temples on famous mountains.
The rst large hall in the monastery is dedicated to the Three Precious Buddhas, the second to
the Buddha of Longevity, and the third to Kun Iam. Besides the large halls, there are also some
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other buildings, such as the western hall, the eastern hall, the backyard garden, and so forth. Such
a large Buddhist temple complex is unusual in Macao and Hong Kong.
Many collections of paintings, items of calligraphy and antiques by famous masters are housed
in the temple. They include the works of Gao Jianfu, a famous painter of the Ling Nan (Guangdong
and Guangxi areas) school, and his student Guan Shanyue; Chen Gongyin, who ranked among
the three great poets in Ling Nan; and the famous scholar Zhang Taiyan; as well as inscriptions by
ancient celebrities such as Mi Fu, Dong Qichang, and Liu Yong. The unequal Treaty of Wanghia
between the United States of America and the Qing regime of China was signed in the temple garden.
Lin Fong Temple
Built in the Ming Dynasty, Lin Fong Temple is one of the most famous temples in Macao. Formerly
named the “Tin Fei Temple”, Lin Fong is a comparatively small monastery and temple dedicated
to Tin Hau. Since the Qing Dynasty, it has been expanded and renovated from time to time, and
has gradually been expanded to its present size.
In the middle of the 19th century, Lin Zexu, a Qing Dynasty imperial commissioner, received
Portuguese ofcials in Lin Fong Temple during his temporary residence in Macao.
As well as the three ancient grand temples, there are many other old temples in Macao, such as
the Na Tcha Temple, Hong Kung Temple, Tam Kung Temple, Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva Buddhist
Monastery (Yeok San), Chu Lam Chi Buddhist Monastery, Sam Po Temple, Po Tai Buddhist
Monastery, Lin Kai Temple, Pak Tai Temple and Tin Hau Temple.
Cybernetic Fountains
Macao has a cybernetic fountain at Nam Van Lake. The fountain comprises various spouts and
lights for fountain shows. The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau schedules two musical fountain
shows and laser fountain shows on Saturdays and Sundays. More shows are staged during special
festivals, such as New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas.
Macau Tower
The Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre, which was funded and constructed
by the Sociedade de Turismo e Diversoes de Macau, ofcially opened on 19 December 2001 as
Macao’s new signature landmark. Soaring 338 metres high, the Macau Tower was the tenth-highest
freestanding tower in the world and the eighth-highest in Asia when it was completed.
The main observation level is 223 metres above the ground, and consists of four oors. Two
oors accommodate an indoor viewing deck, cafe, revolving restaurant and outdoor viewing deck.
The indoor viewing deck provides visitors with panoramic views of up to 55 kilometres.
The multifunction convention and entertainment centre integrated with the tower also has four
oors containing exhibition and conference facilities.
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A-MaStatue
Located at the top of the Alto de Coloane, the A-Ma Statue is the tallest white marble statue of this
goddess in the world. Constructed from 120 white marble boulders and completed on 28 October
1998, it is 19.99 metres in height. The face is carved from a single white marble boulder, and the
statue weighs 500 tonnes.
International Sports and Cultural Events
Macao hosts a variety of international sports and cultural events throughout the year. These play
an important role in promoting Macao, enhancing its international prole and attracting tourists
and visitors.
Macau Grand Prix
The Macau Grand Prix began in 1954, and was originally an amateur sports event for Macao motor
racing fans. Today, it has become a major event for the world’s leading racing teams.
Every year in late November, world-class drivers and thousands of visitors ock to Macao to join
the world’s only street track event that includes both a formula touring car race and a motorcycle race.
The Formula Three race of the Macau Grand Prix is the premier event, drawing national
championship racers from throughout the world to compete for the honour of rst prize. Grand Prix
street track riders and motorcycle superstars such as Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, David
Coulthard, Jenson Button, Kevin Schwantz, Carl Fogarty, Didier de Radigues and Ron Haslam
have competed at the Guia Circuit.
Macao International Marathon
The Macao International Marathon seeks to foster sports development, enhance international
friendship and promote Macao’s sports and tourism industry to the world.
The Macao International Marathon is held every December and is the largest track-and-eld
event in Macao. The route circles the Macao peninsula and crosses to Taipa and Coloane islands,
and has a total length of 42.195 kilometres. Marathon competitors come from all over the world, and
include athletes from Macao and Hong Kong as well as famous international track-and-eld stars.
Macao International Fireworks Display Contest
The Macao International Fireworks Display Contest is recognised throughout the world. It attracts
numerous prominent reworks companies and is attended each year by large numbers of tourists
and Macao residents. The contest provides an opportunity for Macao to showcase its tourism
industry and reputation.
The rst Macao International Fireworks Display Contest was held in 1989, and was contested
by just ve teams. The contest has gradually become a major annual tourism event, attracting high
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standard reworks companies from countries and regions such as mainland China, the Philippines,
Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France,
Germany, Portugal and Spain. The Macao International Fireworks Display Contest is usually held
between September and October each year, on the seafront near the Macau Tower.
Other major sports events and cultural activities held in Macao include the FIVB World Grand
Prix, the Macao Open (Golf Tournament), the annual Macao International Dragon Boat Races,
the Macao Arts Festival in March, the Macao International Music Festival in October, and Macau
Food Festival.
Culinary Delights
Since Chinese and Western cultures coexist in Macao, it offers food that blends culinary inuences
from around the world. Different cuisines can be sampled throughout the area, and tourists may
taste the regional dishes of Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, Guangdong and Taiwan to their heart’s
content. They can also enjoy authentic cuisines from Portugal, Italy, France, Japan, India, Vietnam,
Korea, Brazil and Thailand.
Regarded as one of the world’s unique cuisines, Macanese cuisine is actually a distillation of
the culinary arts of Portugal, Africa, India, Malaysia and mainland China’s Guangdong Province.
Bacalao balls, African chicken, spicy prawns, Portuguese chicken, stewed duck with herbs, stewed
knuckle with red beans, stuffed crab shells, and grilled sardines are celebrated delicacies in Macao.
Macao specialties also include almond cakes, egg rolls, crackers, peanut candy, chicken-shaped
pastries, dried preserved fruits and various dried meats. Tourists love to buy these snacks as gifts
for relatives and friends, or for their own enjoyment. Pastry houses and snack shops cluster along
Almeida Ribeiro Avenue to the Auto Novo Alley, Sao Paulo Road and around the old district on
Taipa island.
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Macao Light Festival
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Macao Light Festival is held from 6 to 31
December 2015, and features 3D mapping shows
and lighting installations at the world heritage
tourist spots in the Central District of the Macao
peninsula. These spots are linked by a two-
kilometre passageway.
The 3D mapping show is a dynamic lighting
performance that makes use of light projection to
create patterns. Decorative lighting installations
are arranged in various places, to create a romantic
and vibrant environment.
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