Macau’s participation in the 2025 National Games offers several advantages but also presents a challenge, providing a crucial opportunity to demonstrate its organising efficiency
Macau Business | June 2024 | Special Report | One year to the National Games
“National sports events are beneficial for Macau’s tourism image because they allow many mainland tourists to gain a better understanding of Macau’s diversity. Macau can host or participate in some national sports competitions,” says Jose Weng-Chou Wong from the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST).
The Assistant Dean and Associate at MUST’s Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management adds that if Macau leverages national sports competitions for international promotion, “it can also serve as a great connection.” “On one hand, we need to introduce national competitions, but on the other hand, during that period, we should also actively promote our hosted national competitions in Southeast Asia or even further regions, acting as a bridge,” explains Professor Wong to Macau Business.
“The upcoming hosting of the 2025 National Games presents Macau with a crucial opportunity to demonstrate its proficiency in organising large-scale sports events,” adds Jin Quan Zhou, Faculty of Business from the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU). “While the city’s hardware facilities and environmental assets provide a solid foundation, the success of such endeavours largely depends on effective software management. This encompasses many elements, including meticulous planning, flawless execution, and comprehensive event evaluation,” explains the Programme Coordinator of Business Administration in Marketing at MPU.
“Through meticulous planning and stringent oversight, Macau is poised to affirm its capability to host prestigious sports events with precision and excellence, reinforcing its status as a leading destination for sports tourism,” concluded Professor Zhou to Macau Business.
Another Macau-based researcher who is excited about the prospect of Macau hosting the National Games in 2025 is Ubaldino Couto, Assistant Professor at Macao University of Tourism. In a recent interview with Macau Business, the researcher stated that “The upcoming National Games in 2025 is a collaboration between cities in Guangdong province. This is an invaluable opportunity for us to see the mechanisms of making this happen so that we can make similar events a reality. Likewise, it is a good opportunity to test our capabilities and see how we can improve, such as investments in infrastructure and training on talents.”
As Kevin Ho, a Macau deputy to the National People’s Congress and member of the Sports Council and the Sports (the Macau government’s sports advisory body), there are not only gains in terms of image and tourist reputation. “I think it will further enhance Macau as a key city within the GBA region. Having some of the games hosted in Macau will not only increase tourism for Macau, but also improve Macanese athletes’ competitiveness amongst other competitors from the mainland and, as a whole, increase awareness of sports among the general population,” Kevin Ho explained to Macau Business.
“A tremendous opportunity”
“Co-hosting the 15th National Games in 2025 with Guangdong and Hong Kong offers a tremendous opportunity for Macau to showcase its potential and appeal as a ‘tourism + sports’ destination,” according to the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
“An event of the scale and impact of the National Games will attract many sports fans to Macao to watch the games, as well as strengthen the image of the city as an ideal destination to host high-profile sports competitions,” the Tourism Bureau clarifies, “in line with the current efforts to attract more major regional and international sports events, able to create synergies between sports, tourism, and related sectors as part of the SAR Government’s ‘1+4’ development strategy for adequate diversification.”
The MGTO integrates the Macau Zone Organizing Committee of the National Games and is collaborating in the preparations, including the tourism promotion of the event.
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