TRAVELLERS and traders of east and west have been meeting in Macau since the 16th century, when it was the major gateway to China and a crossroad for cultures, cuisines and commerce. This history is now a major attraction, especially as Macau is easily accessible and offers international class hotels and a wide variety of meeting facilities.

Macau also offers the advantages of good service, imaginative management and freedom from official interference. In addition, it is less expensive, less hectic, and conveniently compact. Exciting forms of sea transport are available, and Macau tour operators can make the necessary transfer arrangements.

Venues in Macau range from 7000-seat auditorium to rooms for a gathering of half a dozen or so; they can be in smart, modern hotels or in historic public buildings; they can handle classroom, theatre-style or boardroom settings most of which can convert quickly into cocktail, dinner, or banquet rooms.

Hotel Rooms

22 hotels totaling 18,000 new rooms are currently under development and will be completed between now and 2009. That will almost triple the city's current room inventory from 12,000 to 30,000 hotel rooms by 2008. In the meantime, one of the new hotels opening in 2007 will have 3,000 rooms, meaning that over 90% of all the conventions that exist in the world today could come to Macau and be accommodated under that one roof. Then, by the first quarter of 2008, there will be two 3,000 room hotels, making Macau unique and very convenient.

The location of the major new developments makes Macau a very convenient city for Business Tourism events. Most of the hotels are situated within walking distance of one of the major new convention facilities.

Convention and Exhibition Facilities

The largest new convention facility development will be the new Venetian complex on the Cotai Strip opening in the second quarter of 2007. This will feature a 15,000 fixed seat plenary hall, 25,000 SQM of meeting complex and 74,682 SQM of new exhibition space. This will make it one of the largest convention and exhibition centres in Asia. In addition, the Macau Fisherman's Wharf complex offers 2,740 SQM of exhibition space and a convention facility capable of seating 3,000 delegates. The recently expanded Macau Forum offers 7,280 SQM of exhibition space and fixed seating for 4,000. The Macau DOME has 5,772 SQM of exhibition space and fixed seating for 7,000. The Macau Tower has 1,850 SQM of exhibit space and fixed seating for 500.

Entertainment Complexes and Casinos

Macau is undergoing massive development in terms of new entertainment complexes and casinos. Total current investment in these facilities is over $25 billion USD. The Venetian complex on the Cotai Strip is close to 1 million SQM in total development. The complex's opening is expected in the second half of 2007. Other projects include:

• Wynn Macau – Opened in September 2006
• StarWorld Hotel – Opened in October 2006
• The Macau Fisherman's Wharf – Grand Opening December 23, 2006.
• Crown Macau – Opened on 12 May 2007 
• The MGM Grand Macau– Opened on 18 Dec 2007
• Ponte 16 Theme Park – Opening in the first quarter of 2008 
• Grand Lisboa Hotel - Opening in the first quarter of 2008 
• Galaxy Mega Resort – Opening in the first quarter of 2008
• The City of Dreams – Opening in the second half of 2008

Diverse Entertainment Offering

Macau is a great restaurant city, specializing in Portuguese, Chinese and Macanese, but offering cuisines from around the world. It has outstanding shopping and nightlife, and is a great walking city, featuring a UNESCO World Listed Heritage District with 25 beautiful buildings and 7 gracious squares dating from its Portuguese colonial past which spanned over 400 years.