News

The Macao Orchestra (OM, from the Portuguese acronym), under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, kicks off its 2016-17 Concert Season with the opening concert “No. 1 Piano - Yulianna Avdeeva and Macao Orchestra”. The opening ceremony was held on 3 September, at 7:40pm, at the lobby of the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium, and was officiated by the Counselor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao S.A.R., Qiu Weiwei; the President of the Chinese Musicians Association, Ye Xiaogang; the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Leung Hio Ming; the Director of the Symphony Orchestra of the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Chen Ge; the Head of the Department of Cultural Events of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao S.A.R. Government, Kent Ieong Chi Kin; and the Music Director and Principal Conductor of Macao Orchestra, Lü Jia. Through the concert season themed ‘My Time with Music’, a number of promising talents of classical music and exceptional music masters will be invited to present high quality classical concerts. In the opening concert, under the baton of the Music Director of the Macao Orchestra, Yulianna Avdeeva, first prize winner of the Chopin International Competition, will play two piano concertos by Chopin and Mendelssohn, as well as the ultimate work of the romantic period of classical music, Schumann’s Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Major. This edition of the Concert Season also features the “Music hours” outreach programme, allowing music fans to get close to a number of prominent musicians. Excellent programme “Music Hour With Yulianna Avdeeva”, held on 2 September, attracted a lot of music fans coming to see the style of musicians. Macao Orchestra’s 2016-2017 Concert Season Programme can be obtained at Macao Ticketing retail shops for free. The electronic version can be downloaded at www.icm.gov.mo/om. For details and enquiry for programmes, please call 2853 0782 during office hours. In addition, holders of BOC Multi-Currency Credit Card or BOC Card are offered 30% discount for ‘Starry Vienna – New Year Concert’ and ‘2016-2017 Season Closing Concert –Eine florentinische Tragödie’. Ticketing Hotline: 2855 5555.
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The 28th Macao International Fireworks Display Contest officially kicked off tonight (3 September) with the first round of spectacular fireworks presented by the Thailand and Portuguese teams. Jointly organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, the Fireworks Carnival 2016 is also held every fireworks evening. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, officiated the opening ceremony of the Carnival this evening. Other officiating guests include MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Assistant of the Department of Social Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Lu Yanhui and President of General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, Ng Siu Lai, and Vice President of General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau and Director of Event Organizing Committee of the General Union, Lei Cheok Kuan. The 28th Macao International Fireworks Display Contest is held above the sea in front of Macau Tower on 3rd, 10th, 15th, 24th September and 1st October. The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on 15th September, whereas on 1st October, the team from China will culminate the Contest with their fireworks display in celebration of the National Day together with all the residents in town. The Contest has pit a range of globally-acclaimed pyrotechnic companies against each other over the past editions, and without exception, features a strong line-up of competitors this year. A total of ten teams came from different countries as follows (in order of appearance in the Contest): Thailand, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, Italy, Canada, Romania and China. This is the first time for the Contest to feature a team from Romania, while the Canadian company is also making its debut in Macao. The first fireworks display starts at 9 p.m. each night, followed by the second display at 9:40 p.m. Themed nights of dazzling fireworks For the first time in the Contest, the fireworks displays are designed to bring out a special theme each of the five scheduled evenings. The themes include “Pyro Fantasia”, “Tribute to Bond”, “Mid-Autumn Harmony”, “Stars from afar” and “Celebration in the Sky”. Same as before, every fireworks display is choreographed to both music and laser light projections in the way that not only brings out its theme but also enhances the effect and level of its pyrotechnic extravaganza. Spectators can enjoy the live broadcast of the fireworks displays on TDM – Macao TV Channel with background music streaming from TDM - Radio Macao’s Chinese Channel (FM 100.7) as well each fireworks evening. Colorful side activities at lakeshore MGTO is dedicated to creating a greater synergy and enriching the content of mega events through interdepartmental efforts as well as collaboration with the private sector and local organizations so that more residents and visitors are motivated to take part in the events. The Office has been joining hands with the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau over the years to present the Fireworks Carnival which features both stage performance and signature delicacies next to Macau Tower. In addition, the Office also partners with the local trade this year to roll out the first Macao Lantern Festival which displays over 40 artistic lanterns along the waterfront promenade of One Central Macau concurrently during the Fireworks Display Contest, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the 1st October Golden Week. Residents and visitors can ride a Chinese-style boat out on the lake to enjoy both the beautiful fireworks and festive lanterns. They can also choose to watch the fireworks displays at “Anim’Arte Nam Van” as well as the artistic and cultural performances there, relishing a unique ambience and leisure experience.
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Organized for the first time by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the 4th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (“MITE”) held an array of seminars today (3 September) and invited distinguished speakers to present key topics such as the new trends of Free Independent Travel (FIT) in the Asia-Pacific region and smart tourism. Professionals from the tourism Industry and other related sectors actively participated in the seminars for meaningful discussions. As a new highlight presented in the Expo yesterday (2 September), the “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” successfully facilitated interchanges among tourism operators from China and Portugal, delivering Macao’s impact as a Sino-Portuguese platform. As part of the Expo highlights, an array of seminars were held including “Analysis of New Trends of FIT Travel in Asia-Pacific Region” and “Smart Tourism Development and Internet Application Seminar”, “Tourism Destinations along the High-speed Railway Seminar” and “Promotion of Hot Tourist Spots in 2016”. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, members of the Tourism Development Committee, scholars and members of the travel trade and other related sectors attended the “Analysis of New Trends of FIT Travel in Asia-Pacific Region” and “Smart Tourism Development and Internet Application Seminar” together with other participants. Professional speakers were also invited to present the topics concerned and inspire an insightful dialogue. Famous travel show hostess from Mainland China, Wang Zheng, was invited to be the facilitator for both seminars. Comprising discussion and Q&A sessions as well, the two seminars attracted over 300 participants from the tourism and other related sectors for an active exchange of perspectives. On the other hand, the “Tourism Destinations along the High-speed Railway Seminar” provided an opportunity for Mainland cities, provinces and autonomous regions along high-speed rail routes to promote their tourism attractions and connect with each other. As for the “Promotion of Hot Tourist Spots in 2016”, participants from the tourism sector were given a chance to present popular tourist spots and tourism information to the public. With its focus on the Asia-Pacific travel market, “Analysis of New Trends of FIT Travel in Asia-Pacific Region” featured presentations by three keynote speakers on the latest trends of FIT travel in Asia-Pacific and the related topics. Director-General of the Subcommittee for Handling Proposals of Shandong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Founder of tourism brand “Friendly Shandong” and member of Committee of China Tourism Think Tank, Yu Chong, presented an analysis of the new trends of FIT travel across the Asia-Pacific Region. Assistant Professor of the Institute for Tourism Studies in Macao, Dr. Ali Bavik, presented the rise of Chinese independent travelers. Member of Guangdong Provincial Committee of CPPCC and Chairman of Macau Economic Development Promotion Association, Ieong Tou Hong, gave an analysis on the prospect of tourism cooperation between Macao and the Bay Area of the Pearl River Estuary. Held as a forum, “Smart Tourism Development and Internet Application Seminar” featured discussions among keynote speakers including Director of General Office of Oriental Culture Research Institution, Development Research Center of the State Council, Dr. Zhang Xiaohuan; Managing Director of CNC Asia-Pacific Channel, Du Yushun; Vice President of tourism website “Lvmama.com”, Fang Tengfei; Director of Business Intelligence and Big Data, Oracle (China) Co., Ltd., Chen Chengyuan, and Dean of the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Macau University of Science and Technology, Dr. Xie Feifan. The speakers and delegates joined together for a meaningful discussion on relevant topics including development of smart tourism destinations in the region of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, industry-wide development of smart tourism in Macao’s tourism industry as well as application of the Internet of Things and Big Data. The “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” was held as another new program highlight yesterday (2 September) and was attended by over 90 delegates of the travel trade from various Mainland cities and provinces as well as Portugal, for a valuable opportunity to extend their business network and forge partnerships in tourism with each other. In her welcome remarks at the event, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes expressed that the Expo introduced the “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” this year in the hope that it not only facilitates interchanges among tourism operators from China and Portugal but also widens the channels of tourism cooperation with other Portuguese-speaking countries; as a result, Macao can make an impact as a Sino-Portuguese platform and demonstrate its potential to develop into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. In his speech, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Affairs on Tourism of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan of China National Tourism Administration, Wu Kefeng remarked that Macao has accumulated good experience in advancing region-wide tourism development, which is great for both destinations to learn from each other. In addition, as the Mainland is currently putting its Belt and Road Initiative into effect, he hopes that Macao can function as a major hub and keep abreast with the era of mass tourism in the Mainland; giving play to its competitive edges, Macao can forge ahead to build a platform for tourism exchange and cooperation between the Mainland and Macao as well as between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and join hands with the Mainland to expand their Portuguese-speaking tourism markets and develop multi-destination tourism products. President of Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies, Pedro Costa Ferreira, stated that Macao is historically an important destination for the Portuguese tourism market and has recently brought new and extraordinary opportunities that open up through the relationship with China, both as a source market and as a tourist destination. He added that the networking event witnessed the presence of two significant delegations from Portugal and China, which will be the engine that stimulates business development of both destinations. MITE is a significant annual gathering for tourism professionals, dedicated to offering a platform for participants from tourism and other related sectors at home and abroad to connect with each other and jointly boost their visitation. This edition of MITE is organized by MGTO for the first time, coordinated by Macau Travel Agency Association and supported by China National Tourism Administration. The co-organizers include the Macao Chamber of Commerce, Macao Federation of Trade Unions, the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, the Women’s General Association of Macau, Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, Travel Industry Council of Macau and Association of Macao Tourist Agents. Teledifusão de Macau, S.A. (TDM) and Macau Asia Satellite Television Company, Limited (MASTV) are the media partners for the 4th MITE. Held at Hall D, Cotai Expo of the Venetian Macao, the 4th MITE is open to the public from 11:00 to 19:00 on 2 – 3 September and from 11:00 to 18:00 on 4 September. Free admission tickets are distributed on-site.
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Given the ongoing Zika virus situation in Singapore, the Embassy of China in Singapore issued a security alert to Chinese citizens. The following is the translated version of the full text: "Considering that since August of this year there has been ongoing transmission of the Zika virus in Singapore, the Health Authorities of Singapore has informed the World Health Organization that it is to be considered as the 58th country locally spreading the Zika virus, while it has also included the virus onto its list of transmittable diseases that are to be reported to the Health Authorities. As of noon of the 1st of September, the number of Zika infections in Singapore reached 151, including 23 chinese citizens. The Zika virus is known to be transmitted through the Aedes Albopictus mosquito. The symptoms include, among others, fever, headache, skin rashes, joint or muscle pain and conjunctivitis. Studies revealed that pregnant women, if infected by the Zika virus, will risk microcephaly and affect newborns. The Embassy of China in Singapore advises chinese citizens in that country to be aware of the Zika virus, especially pregnant women who should take strict precautions in avoiding mosquito bites. In case the aforementioned symptoms are suspected or observed, immediate medical assistance should be sought. Chinese citizens planning to travel to Singapore are also advised to bring medication and mosquito repellent for prevention of the Zika virus. Singapore emergency contact: 995 Embassy of China in Singapore for Consular Protection and Assistance: +65-92971517 Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China: +86-10-12308 or +86-10-59913991 (This alert is valid until the 30th of September, 2016)" The Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) alerts Macao residents who plan to go to Singapore to maintain alerted on the recommendations issued by the Health Authorities, avoid mosquito bites and beware of the Zika virus. If necessary, Macao residents can call the 24-hour Tourism Hotline: (853) 2833 3000, the Embassy of China in Singapore or the Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24-hour hotline: +86 10 12308 for assistance.
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Consumer Council conducted its specific price survey on moon cakes from 29-31 August for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Result of the mentioned survey has been uploaded to the Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo). For inquiry, please call the Council’s hotline: 8988 9315.
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The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) will initiate restoration works in the roof of the main pavilion of the Bazaar Temple, located at Rua de Cinco de Outubro, from Thursday, 8th of September, estimating its completion in around 90 days. During the restoration period, the temple will be closed. For enquiries, please call IC through tel. no. 8399 6699, during office hours.
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Organized for the first time by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), coordinated by Macau Travel Agency Association and supported by China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), the 4th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (“MITE”) was unveiled at Hall D, Cotai Expo of the Venetian Macao this morning (2 September). The Expo presents “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” as a new program highlight this year. Distinguished speakers are also invited to present special topics such as the new trends of Free Independent Travel (FIT) in the Asia-Pacific region and smart tourism. The opening ceremony was officiated by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Dr. Alexis Tam, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Yao Jian, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Cai Siping, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Affairs on Tourism of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan of CNTA, Wu Kefeng, Acting Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Wai Cheng Iong, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, President of the Alliance of Macau Tourism Industry, David Chow Kam Fai, and President of Macau Travel Agency Association, the coordinating entity of the Expo, Lao Nga Wong, as well as representatives of the event co-organizers and media partners. The co-organizers include the Macao Chamber of Commerce, Macao Federation of Trade Unions, the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, the Women’s General Association of Macau, Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, Association of Macao Tourist Agents and Travel Industry Council of Macau. The media partners include Teledifusão de Macau, S.A. (TDM) and Macau Asia Satellite Television Company, Limited (MASTV). In his speech, Secretary Tam expressed that this year the Expo is organized by the Macao Government Tourism Office for the first time and coordinated by Macau Travel Agency Association. He believes that through the SAR Government’s guidance and involvement as well as close collaboration with industry partners, the Expo is set to achieve greater effectiveness and contribution to the industry. In the days ahead, the SAR Government will continue to uphold the principle of openness and sharing, to strengthen partnership between the public and private sectors, as well as foster coordinated development in parallel with the Mainland as well as other regional and international destinations, as all parties join hands to expand tourism markets for a broader and brighter tourism prospect. He also expressed confidence in MITE’s transformation into Macao’s signature international tourism fair which propels Macao’s development into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. Coming to its 4th edition, MITE is a significant annual gathering for tourism professionals, dedicated to offering a platform for participants from tourism and other related sectors at home and abroad to jointly explore business opportunities and boost visitation. Held at Hall D, Cotai Expo of the Venetian Macao from 2 to 4 September, the Expo covers an area of 6,800 square meters and features a total of 370 booths run by over 200 enterprises and entities from 28 countries and regions. The exhibitors came from the tourism industry in countries and regions across Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and Oceania. Tourism authorities of over 70 Mainland municipalities also take part in the Expo, which is expected to attract over 30,000 visitors. The three-day Expo not only covers six key elements of the tourism industry — dining, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, sightseeing and shopping, but also features travel-related service, travel media, tourism electronic commerce and technology in tourism among other aspects. Offering a platform for exchange and product sale, the Expo not only updates exhibitors and industry professionals with local and overseas industry trends but also provides useful travel tips for travel enthusiasts. The 4th MITE program features a range of highlights among which the China - Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking was held this afternoon (2 September) as a new session that brought out Macao’s impact as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Following that, an array of seminars will be held tomorrow (3 September) to cover various topics including an analysis of new trends of FIT in the Asia-Pacific region, smart tourism development and internet application, tourism destinations along the high-speed railway as well as promotion of hot tourist spots in 2016. Distinguished speakers are invited to share their knowledge and foresight on the topics concerned and familiarize participants with the latest tourism information and prospects of various destinations. The Expo also features a studio showing tourism videos, sales for FIT travel products, as well as folk custom and specialty shows. MGTO presents a 144-square-meter Macao pavilion in the Expo. Themed after “Experience Macao Your Own Style”, the booth presents the World Heritage Site “The Historic Centre of Macao”, events and festivals as well as a wide range of local tourism products to industry professionals and visitors from around the world. The motorcycle rode by the champion of the 2003 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, Michael Rutter, is on display along with a car-racing simulator for interactive fun. The 4th MITE is open to the public from 11:00 to 19:00 on 2 – 3 September and from 11:00 to 18:00 on 4 September. Free admission tickets are distributed on-site. In the future, MGTO will keep enhancing its collaboration with the travel trade and other related sectors to promote the destination through a variety of local, regional and international events. Moreover, the Office will strive to radiate Macao’s impact as a platform, attract diverse market segments and raise the city’s international profile, in line with Macao’s goal to become a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. Official website of the 4th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo: www.cmitc.com This press release is available at: http://industry.macaotourism.gov.mo/en/pressroom/
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Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the “Artworks of the Winners of New Talent Prize of the XXXI Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists - Chan Chong Hei, Un Lok I and Cheong Kit Pan” will be inaugurated on Tuesday, 6th September, at 6pm, at the Sir Ho Yin Gallery of the Clube Militar de Macau for the general public, featuring 33 works by the three New Talent Prize winners. Chan Chong Hei started learning Chinese painting at the age of nine. Encouraged by his instructor, he participated in the Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists with the work “Hard work on Painting”. This awarded work will be showcased along with ten of his newly created landscape paintings in the exhibition. Un Lok I, the New Talent Prize winner in the Western Painting category, is keen on technical pen drawing. She loves reading books about muscle structure, and her paintings are largely about the human body and fantasised patterns of different types, demonstrating her high sensibility and creative imagination. Cheong Kit Pan has been learning Chinese Calligraphy for 13 years and is always diligent in perfecting his techniques by imitating different styles of handwriting. He won the New Talent Prize in Chinese Calligraphy twice. His works will be again showcased in this exhibition. “Artworks of the Winners of New Talent Prize of the XXXI Collective Exhibition of Macao Artists - Chan Chong Hei, Un Lok I and Cheong Kit Pan” will be held from 7th to 28th September at the Sir Ho Yin Gallery at the Clube Militar de Macau, located at No. 975, Avenida da Praia Grande, and is open from 11 am to 7pm (including public holidays). Admission is free. For enquiries, please call IC through tel. no. 8988 4100 during office hours.
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Heroes of China’s national Olympic Team showed the Macao public their impressive sporting skills today (Wednesday) while joining young local athletes in several friendly contests. Athletes who represented the country at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games took part in demonstrations of, respectively, badminton, volleyball and table tennis. The fun-filled event – held at Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion – was attended by approximately 2,500 spectators. Earlier in the morning, the 64-member Rio Olympics Mainland Olympians Delegation divided into groups in order to visit a total of six local community centres and social services centres. Activities of the guests included: assisting senior citizens as they measured their blood pressure; playing table tennis with local people; engaging in Tai Chi; joining a workshop on how to make balloon sculptures; working with children to make paintings; playing interactive games; and enjoying performance activities by local people. The Delegation will leave Macao tomorrow morning (Thursday), bound for Beijing, after a four-day visit.
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On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Macao International Music Festival, the Cultural Affairs Bureau will host the “Macao International Music Festival Forum” themed “Music and Arts Festival as Drivers of a City’s Cultural Development” on 30 September and 1 October at the Macao Cultural Centre Conference Room, in which various renowned guests from cultural sectors from both overseas and the nearby regions will participate, in order to explore how international arts festivals and events contribute to the sustainable development of a city. Admission to the forum is free and all are welcome to register. Seats are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The two-day “Macao International Music Festival Forum” will feature a number of sessions covering a wide range of themes, from city branding, programming, audience development, cultural tourism and Internet marketing, to explore the influence between music and arts festivals and the urban cultural development in various regions. Several prominent practitioners from overseas and nearby regions were invited to conduct the talks in the Forum, including the Managing Director of the Barbican Centre, Sir Nicholas Kenyon; the Founder and Executive Director of the Verbier Festival, Martin Engstroem; the CEO of Arts House Limited, Singapore, Lee Chor Lin; the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Tisa Ho; the Co-founder and Artistic Director of Clockenflap, Hong Kong’s Music and Arts Festival, Jay Forster; the Digital Strategist of Clockenflap, Hong Kong’s Music and Arts Festival, Simon Bratt; the Dean of the School of Music of Shanghai University, Wang Yong; the Director of the Shanghai Culture Square, Zhang Jie; and the General Manager of Wu Promotions, Wu Jiatong, among others. Industry practitioners and members of the public are welcome to register for the Forum through the MIMF website (www.icm.gov.mo/fimm), or submit the completed Application Form, available at the Cultural Affairs Bureau and its public libraries, by mail or in person during office hours at the Cultural Affairs Bureau Building located at Tap Siac Square, by 28 September. For enquiries, please call IC through tel. no. 83996699, during office hours.
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