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Macau Taps into Influencer Marketing to Attract Thai Tourists

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Macau influencer marketing

Macau is one of the Asian territories that heavily rely on tourism as an income source. Reports show that around 50% of its GDP was generated by direct travel and tourism in 2019, the highest percentage worldwide. The all-time high visitors’ number was reached in December 2019 when no less than 3,2 million people travelled to Macau. However, the COVID-19 crisis began soon after this spike, and the numbers dropped. As the rest of the world is moving forward, Macau is still battling to recover and grow tourist numbers. As a result, the local government has devised a new approach to help the region reclaim its previous glory: influencer marketing. Will this strategy be successful? Which countries are they aiming for?

Special Focus on Thai Tourists

It’s not the first time a country has used influencers to promote its tourism and attract more visitors. However, what’s interesting about Macau’s recent move is that they specifically target Thailand as the source for more travellers.

To achieve this, Macau‘s Government Tourism Office (MGTO) invited a group of 20 people to tour the country earlier in March. Among the participants were five gourmet and travel opinion leaders (heavily-followed influencers) and personalities from Thailand’s mainstream television channels.

It’s the first such “delegation” to visit Macau since the pandemic, and it highlights the country’s efforts to revamp this vital component of its economy. With a combined following of 31 million, the target is to reach more Thai tourists through the voices of the influencers. Furthermore, there’s been talk about an official travel trade delegation that will also come to Macau for business networking and inspection.

MGTO also added that through the several visits of delegations from different Thai sectors, the authorities want to boost Thailanders’ interest in the country as a tourist destination. The influencers spent 4 days in Macau and the Macau Grand Prix Museum, Maritime Museum, Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, and the MinM Plaza. It’s no wonder that Macau started this influencer marketing strategy by focusing on Thailand. In 2019 there were over 150,000 monthly visitors from this country, and Thailand was the 10th biggest contributor to Macau’s tourism.

Games and Entertainment Tourism Opportunities in Macau

The nation’s integrated resorts were also part of the major tourist attractions that Macau has to offer. Since Thailand is still working on the legislative framework to allow more gambling forms, many citizens would take the opportunity of a Macau trip to enjoy some casino games.

 Currently, Thai casino enthusiasts can only play casino games at offshore operators, and the activity doesn’t come without risks. Even so, there are plenty of players that rely on Thaicasinocenter.org for reviews and information about trustworthy casinos, games, or industry news. Therefore, Macau’s wide range of casinos, such as the Venetian, Wynn Palace, and Sands, have the potential to massively contribute to the overall number of tourists visiting the country.

Thanks to these huge integrated resorts, visitors do not have to travel from one place to another for various activities. Shopping centres, hotels, restaurants, kids attractions, and other entertainment venues are available at the location.

Carriers Resume Flights to Macau

Besides the bold move of using influencer marketing to attract visitors from Thailand, Macau’s efforts are sustained by the increasing number of flights and ferry lines that have resumed activity. For example, AirAsia restarted Macau-Bangkok flights in February and links with the Philippines also started operating early in March.

The biggest local airline, Air Macau, is planning to increase flight connections as well as frequency to numerous destinations. Mainly focusing on East and Southeast Asia, the carrier does everything it takes to revamp the flight capacity registered before the pandemic. In addition to air travel, there has also been a resumption of ferry services connecting Macau to neighbouring regions like Hong Kong and Zhuhai. These ferry services have been popular among tourists and will also play a role in getting the country where it was in terms of visitors.

What to Expect in the Future

With the collective efforts of local authorities, airline companies, and various industries in the country, there is a promising opportunity to revive Macau’s tourism success. However, perfect coordination is crucial to regain visitors’ trust after years of pandemic-related struggles. Despite these challenges, the use of influencers to increase Macau’s appeal among Thai tourists is a strategic move that demonstrates openness to modern methods that can make a difference in achieving this ambitious goal.

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

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Travel/Tourism

Honeywell Group Acquires 14.12% Stake in Ikeja Hotel

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Ikeja Hotel

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

About 14.12 per cent stake in Ikeja Hotel Plc has been acquired by Honeywell Group Limited, a notice on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited has revealed.

Honeywell Group took up the part of the hospitality firm through one of its affiliates known as HGL Real Estate Limited.

Ikeja Hotel, in the disclosure filed with the NGX on July 2, 2026, said the stake comprised 305,323,525 units of its equities.

“Ikeja Hotel hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the general public that it has received notification from HGL Real Estate Limited, an affiliate of Honeywell Group Limited, that it has acquired 305,323,525 units of Ikeja Hotel Plc’s shares, representing 14.12 per cent shareholding in the company,” the notice stated.

Ikeja Hotel is one of Nigeria’s leading hospitality investment and hotel management companies with premium hospitality assets.

It operates two leading hospitality organisations in Lagos, the Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Balmoral Convention Centre.

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Travel/Tourism

Lagos Shuts Down 10 Hotels, Restaurants for Environmental Violations

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LASEPA seals hotels restaurants

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

About 10 hospitality establishments, including hotels and restaurants, were sealed on Wednesday by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

The affected businesses are located in different locations in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the metropolis, Business Post learned from a statement from the agency.

It was stated that they were sealed by LASEPA for persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and several opportunities to comply with the agency’s directives.

According to the notice, the enforcement exercise was carried out in line with the directives of the Lagos State government to ensure strict compliance with environmental laws and to safeguard public health.

The affected facilities were said to have breached various environmental regulations, including noise pollution, air pollution, unlawful discharge of untreated effluent, obstruction of official duties, among others.

LASEPA closed the premises of Granduer Meridian at Obasa Akiniyi Street, Oluwaga, Ipaja for non-compliance with the agency’s directives; Lasola (Spazio Bar), located on Ipaja Road, Fatolu Bus Stop, Ipaja, was sealed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives; Millennium Restaurant, located at Gate Bus Stop, Ipaja, Ayobo, was shut down for non-compliance with directives; O2 Exquisite Suites & Tower on Jimoh Akinremi Street, Jimoh Bus Stop, Akowonjo, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; and Chirozz Hotel & Suites, located on Samuel Street, Akowonjo, by Vulcanizer Bus Stop, Egbeda, was closed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives.

In addition, House 7 Hotel, located at Remi Akande Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with LASEPA’s directives; House 48 on Isiba Oluwo Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; Exclusive Hotel, located at Ishan Kimishe, Akesan Bus Stop, was shut down by non-compliance with directives; Sabola Ventures Limited, Iocated at Km 11, LASU–Isheri Road, Igando, was shut down for operating without evidence of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), and discharging untreated effluent into public drains; and City Int’l Motel, located at Chief Olu-Adegbite Street, off Oladun Street, Council Bus Stop, Idimu, was sealed for non-compliance with directives.

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Travel/Tourism

Emirates Deploys Boeing 777-300ERSF

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Boeing 777-300ERSF

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Emirates has become the first airline cargo carrier to deploy the Boeing 777-300ERSF passenger-to-freighter converted aircraft.

The aircraft (A6-EBK) will enter commercial service with a flight from Hong Kong to Dubai carrying over 100 tonnes of cargo, a statement from the airline operator stated.

The converted Emirates Boeing 777-300ERSF offers 100 tonnes of payload capacity and 811 m³ of cargo volume, representing a 25 per cent increase in cargo volume over the Boeing 777-F production freighter.

At 47 pallet positions, the converted aircraft also accommodates 10 additional pallet positions when compared with the Boeing 777-F production freighter, making it ideal for transporting volumetric cargo such as e-commerce goods, which currently constitute around 20 per cent of global air cargo tonnage with further growth projected in the next few years.

The converted Boeing 777-300ERSF is the sixth new freighter, following five Boeing 777-F production freighters, to join Emirates SkyCargo’s fleet since March 2026.

As part of its ambitious expansion strategy, Emirates SkyCargo will also be taking delivery of five additional Boeing 777-F aircraft as well as one additional converted Boeing 777-300ERSF by December 2026.

Emirates SkyCargo will also be introducing three additional converted Boeing 777-ERSFs into its fleet in 2027.

“The induction of the first converted Emirates Boeing 777-300ERSF into operational service represents the next step in the expansion of our fleet and operational agility.

“We are optimising our fleet assets by converting older Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft to meet the growing demand for air cargo capacity to transport goods rapidly across the world,” Emirates SkyCargo’s Divisional Senior Vice President, Badr Abbas, commented.

“Combined with our growing fleet of Boeing 777-F production freighters, we have already been able to scale our global freighter network from just over 40 destinations in February this year to 62 destinations currently and growing.

“We are providing our global customers with scalable cargo capacity and ultimate flexibility and connectivity when moving cargo to and through our hub in Dubai,” Abbas added.

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