{"id":129548,"date":"2020-03-17T01:00:06","date_gmt":"2020-03-17T08:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=129548"},"modified":"2020-03-17T08:30:13","modified_gmt":"2020-03-17T15:30:13","slug":"covid-19-hits-the-west-and-macau-finds-a-new-coronavirus-case-more-questions-arise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/covid-19-hits-the-west-and-macau-finds-a-new-coronavirus-case-more-questions-arise\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Impact as COVID-19 Hits the West and Macau Finds a New Coronavirus Case: More Questions Arise"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the impact of COVID-19 on the gaming industry (and pretty much everything else) mushrooms, we spoke to Professor Glenn McCartney MBE — associate professor of International Integrated Resort Management at the University of Macau, China — for his take on how Macau specifically will be impacted, and how that might compare to Las Vegas and other gaming hubs. McCartney is a global expert on integrated resorts (IRs), casino tourism and destination marketing and management, with more than two decades in the tourism, hospitality and gaming industry in Macau and other countries in the Asia-Pacific sphere.<\/em><\/p>\n

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President Trump’s latest 30-day ban on travel to anywhere outside the US except the UK could impact Macau. But expert Glenn McCartney says China’s internal travel issues will have more influence on the region’s comeback. (Image: Steve Parsons\/PA Images\/Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since we spoke to McCartney late last week, a new case of COVID-19<\/a> has been uncovered. A 26-year-old female Korean national —\u00a0 a non-resident worker in Macau — had traveled to Porto, Portugal with her boyfriend at the end of January. On March 13, they arrived in Hong Kong after a stopover in Dubai, and from there returned to Macau via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge <\/span>on March 14. Later that day, she developed a cough, followed by a fever, and headed to an acute care hospital in Macau. She was diagnosed with coronavirus and moved to an isolation ward. She is not considered to be critical and her boyfriend appears, so far, to be unaffected, but is being watched.<\/em><\/p>\n

This latest case<\/a> reminds us that COVID-19 is not a simple problem to solve.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Casino.org: As COVID-19 continues to spread globally \u2013 particularly across the US and Europe \u2013 how do you envision this impacting Macau and other Asia-Pacific region casinos, especially in light of Trump’s 30-day flight ban to most non-US destinations, including China?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Professor McCartney:<\/strong> Flights cancelled into China won\u2019t impact Macau, for the simple fact that Macau attracts less than two percent internationally from outside China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and a few other Asian locations. Of the total 39 million visitors to Macau in 2019, 28 million visitors (that’s 72 percent) were from China and 7.4 million (19 percent) were from Hong Kong.<\/p>\n

Half of the visitors here simply walk over the border from Guangdong, the province next to us: it’s the wealthiest province in China. Once the green light is given by the Chinese and Macau authorities that will permit tourist travel from there, this will be a significant aid to Macau\u2019s recovery<\/a>. And I speculate this will happen even before the area is declared virus-free (there are still several cases of COVID-19 in Guangdong province as well as in Hong Kong, but those from Hong Kong can access Macau via the Hong Kong-Macao-Zhuhai bridge).<\/p>\n

But this will be Macau’s discussion with China’s Beijing leaders — one on permitting Guangdong arrivals and the other on issuing visas so tourism can recommence. With increasing high-speed rail links to Guangdong from all over China, Macau’s comeback won\u2019t be based on international visitation.<\/p>\n

I’ve said previously that casino recovery will ramp up between Easter and start of summer this year. VIP and premium mass make up the bulk of Macau\u2019s gaming revenues, so this is the sector I look to as part of my recovery analysis.<\/p>\n

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Casino.org:<\/strong>\u00a0There is always a dual impact when any kind of so-called pandemic is announced: the real threat to the populace and the perceived one. What kind of information is the Macau gaming industry getting out to potential visitors to assure them that the risk is low if they return to gamble at area casinos?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Prof. McCartney: <\/strong>There are multiple government and casino venue posters throughout Cotai Strip properties alerting to COVID-19<\/a> and the importance of washing your hands and wearing masks. Properties have released images of extensive cleaning in progress, too. All casino customers and casino staff are wearing face masks.<\/p>\n

The Cotai Strip properties produced their own videos in Chinese, some feature staff singing meaningful songs, reaching out to both the communities in Macau and China at large. The West may not see much of this, as its only on Chinese social media platforms (not Facebook, Instagram, Youtube or Twitter \u2013 all blocked in China).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jackie Chan is the first celebrity singing:<\/p>\n