Melco Resorts hopes to bring more Korean travelers to Macau

Studio City Macau, a Melco Entertainment and Resorts property [MELCO ENTERTAINMENT & RESORT] Korean travelers to Macau are a top priority for Melco Resorts and Entertainment, the Chinese integrated resort operator said Wednesday. “Korea is actually one of the top five international tourist markets for Macau, and now, the flights between the two [locations] have normalized to around four to five per day, so we expect the number [of Korean travelers] to grow even more," Jennifer Lai, director of public relations at Melco, told the press at Josun Palace in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. Jennifer Lai, director of public relations at Melco, speaks to the Korean press at Josun Palace in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Wednesday. [MELCO ENTERTAINMENT & RESORT] Related ArticleMarriott's The Link Seoul, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel opens in Guro District Signiel Busan named Leading Beach Hotel in Asia by 2024 World Travel AwardsThe Rakkojae Hanok Hotel in Andong is a luxurious blast from the past Korean tourists to Macau surpassed 190,000 arrivals by the first half of 2024, according to the Macao Government Tourism Office. Korea also made the top three for highest visitor spending per capita in Macau last year, with 3,634 Macanese pataca, or $450. Melco will be focusing on retaining high-income families and luxury travelers looking to shop and rest, jumping on the recent travel trends that show Koreans prefer to stay in hotels rather than explore local sites. A recent Marriott survey found that 54 percent wanted to spend time in their hotel or resort rather than explore local attractions or engage with the locals. Melco has three properties on the Macau's Taipa Island. City of Dreams Macau is the company's most high-end resort, with four hotels and a slew of modern art and Michelin-star dining venues, like Alain Ducasse at Morpheus and Jade Dragon. Two Michelin star dining venue Alain Ducasse at Melco's City of Dreams [MELCO ENTERTAINMENT & RESORT] Studio City Macau is a family-friendly property with various water attractions that run throughout the year. It also houses an eight-shaped Ferris wheel, dubbed “Golden Reel,” and the high-tech Study City Cinema. In the upcoming Christmas season, it plans to collaborate with brands that will appeal to children and adults alike. Altira Macau is the smallest of the three properties but offers a panoramic river view. At night, the occasional fireworks displays can be seen from all of its rooms. The property is also known for its spa, which received five stars from Forbes. Altira Macau, a Melco Entertainment and Resorts property [MELCO ENTERTAINMENT & RESORT] Starting next year, Melco is slated to resume its water show, “House of Dancing Water,” whose performances have paused since the Covid-19 outbreak. It is also set to open a new skate park and host the global action sports festival “FISE: Battle of the Champions 2025.” Melco Resorts and Entertainment develops, owns and operates integrated resort facilities in Asia and Europe. BY LEE JIAN [lee,jian@joongang.co.kr]