Ahead of this year?s IIFA Awards, not many Indians could claim to know much about Macau. Nor did it rank high up as a holiday destination. Even the reverse was true ? nor did the Macanese exert themselves unduly over the Indian market.
?As many as 40,000 Indians came for IIFA, an event we bid for,? says Mark Russell, senior Vice-President (sales and marketing) of Venetian Macao, one of the world?s largest buildings at a shade under a million square metres in floor area, which also includes the world?s largest casino. And the bid came after the Venetian Macao realised that Indians made up the fifth largest number of tourists to come to the hotel ? only after mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. Given that the others are in much closer proximity, nor had the hotel really ?stimulated the Indian market in terms of marketing?, this was a surprise learning. And one the hotel plans to now fully encourage.
?We will open offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore by end of this year. The Venetian has seen a 60% growth in Indians visiting the hotel since IIFA,? he added. Along with the Macau Government Tourist Office, we will design special offers for Indian tourists during the upcoming festive season,? Russell says. Russell, who was on a tour of these Indian cities recently, has done his homework, realising that not just was the hotel a potential destination for holidayers, it made for a wedding venue as well. ?The Indian market has gone up by 20% in 2008-09,? says Russell further adding, ?Our business model is broad, and includes besides hospitality, also gaming, MICE and the leisure markets.? Though there are no dedicated Indian restaurants in this mega hotel, many serve Indian food. What is proving to be a major attraction is Qube ? a 900m2 centre for children, where ?kids tell their parents to leave them and go,? he says.
The Las Vegas-based Sands Corp owned resort is designed as ?Venice in Asia? has already hosted a few weddings, and sees that a major source of revenue from India, has a campaign called Yes, already present in China, Japan and Korea, to promote the venue. ?We allow a considerable extent of customisation,? says Russell. ?Visitors are free to bring their chefs if they want,? he says as an example of the aforementioned practice.
Russell says that while the Chinese tourists come mainly for the casinos to this former Portuguese colony, Indians are more interested in shopping ? the Venetian has a special shopping complex called the Grand Canal Shoppes ? a million square feet shopping mall, opulence, architecture and entertainment. ?Zaia (a show by the famous Montreal-based Cirque de Soleil ? its only permanent venue in Asia) has proven to be a big hit with Indians,? reveals Russell, saying even for IIFA visitors, a special ?Indians only? show was organised.
?Indians are big on value,? admits Russell. Big is probably the most apt adjective for the Venetian Macao, a 40-storey megabuilding with 3,000 suites, MICE facilities for 50,000, an indoor stadium for 15,000 ? where IIFA was held, huge shopping complexes, 35 restaurants, three canals on which 51 gondolas ply, there?s golf course on the roof? All of this is in the world?s smallest and most densely populated country ? or rather territory ? Macau is today part of China as a Specially Administered territory ? a status similar to Hongkong?s.
The Venetian also plans to work with travel and tour operators, not just in India, but also in Hong Kong. ?We realise that many tourists want to visit both Hongkong and Macau during their visit. While Hong Kong hotels are full during weekdays, our hotel has major weekend tourism.? While there are no direct flights to Macao from India, Jet and Air India have frequent flights to Hong Kong, while Kingfisher plans to start soon, says Russell. He also reveals that Viva Macao, a leading airline for the China-administered territory, is planning to start direct flights by the end of 2009. ?Though we are just an hour?s ride across the Bay (part of the Pacific Ocean separates the two Chinese territories), this should also help.
