Superstar celebrity events shine global spotlight on Cotai Strip Resorts Macao

MACAO - At only 30 square kilometres, Macao's land area may be small, but global attention is increasingly focusing on the tiny special administrative region on China's southern coast. Helping fuel the ever-increasing interest of both visitors and media is the steady stream of celebrity activity at Sands China Ltd.'s dynamic Cotai Strip Resorts Macao -- an integrated resort city that pulsates with life night and day, featuring three interconnected properties boasting a breath-taking diversity of choices in accommodations, dining, Luxury Duty-free shopping, MICE events and entertainment.

Most recently, stars from both Hollywood and Asia descended upon Cotai Strip Resorts Macao's The Venetian® Macao for the Huading Awards, known as China's version of the Oscars, hosted in Macao for the first time Oct. 7, having previously been held in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Over 80 international celebrities of cinema, television, theatre and music attended, including Quentin Tarantino, Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman,  Jeremy Irons, Matthew Perry, Sam Worthington, Avril Lavigne, Jackie Chan, Anthony Wong, Joey Yung, Nick Cheung, Jessica Jung of Girls Generation, Chinese opera singer Chang Dong, and Ono Lisa.

Recent superstar concerts have included multiple performances by contestants of China's hit reality TV series, "The Voice of China," and two sold-out shows by global sensation Rihanna, who performed to her legion of fans in September. Justin Bieber takes the stage Oct. 12 to thrill his Asian 'Beliebers,' and Alicia Keys is bringing her powerful voice to the Venetian Theatre in November. Other exciting performances from the likes of Eason Chan, Ekin Cheng, Grasshopper and many more have rocked the arena.

And as it did last year, The Venetian Macao is title sponsoring the prestigious Venetian Macau Open, which brings again to Macao some of the world's best golfers, like multiple major winner Ernie Els, as they try to topple last year's reigning champion Gaganjeet Bhullar.

These and other star-studded events have been achieving great success for Cotai Strip Resorts Macao's parent company, Sands China Ltd., in implementing its multi-tiered entertainment strategy, bringing a wide variety of superstar entertainment to the city, hosting the biggest names in film, television, music and sport at its Cotai Arena and Venetian Theatre.

The benefits to Macao have been numerous and profound. Visitors continue to flock in droves, resulting in sold-out shows and full house audiences. The events themselves are often broadcast to reach an even wider audience: in China, throughout Asia, the United States, and online. In addition, increased press coverage by both traditional and online media outlets means more people around the world are being introducing to Macao, which has positioned itself as a world centre of tourism and leisure.

The result is that global awareness of Macao and the Cotai Strip Resorts Macao brand are being raised to a new level. Iconic properties like The Venetian Macao are increasingly becoming the choice of film and television producers, providing an attractive venue for on-location shoots while offering the benefits and conveniences of an integrated resort setup. Recent examples include Zhang Ziyi's latest romantic comedy, "My Lucky Star," which features the Italian-themed resort prominently in its storyline, and the Star Plus telefilm series "Teri Meri Love Stories."

Sands China Ltd. President and Chief Executive Officer Edward Tracy is confident about the direction the company is taking: "Sands China is very clear and extremely focused on its entertainment strategy -- we want Macao to be the region's number one place to be for first-rate superstar entertainment. What we are witnessing in Macao is a transformation of the tourism industry; the integrated resort model is a key factor in that shift, with a diversity of entertainment choices an instrumental part of the mix."

The big upcoming event on everyone's mind at the moment is the return to the ring of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. His Nov. 24 showdown with Brandon Rios -- PACQUIAO VS. RIOS: The Clash in Cotai -- is one of the sport's most anticipated matchups of the year, and has been receiving a great deal of attention from global press. It follows the Cotai Arena's hosting of two successful Fists of Gold events, which featured the professional debut of China's hottest boxer, Zou Shiming, who along with Hong Kong favourite Rex Tso returns again for The Clash in Cotai.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship also made its greater China debut at the Cotai Arena last November, and a multi-year partnership with UFC includes Sands China being the presenting sponsor of the new reality TV competition "The Ultimate Fighter China," currently underway, with a live season finale event coming to the Cotai Arena in March 2014.

With Cotai Strip Resorts Macao placing superstar entertainment front and centre, Macao's reputation as a world-class destination is noticeably benefiting.

Photo caption: Superstars Zhang Ziyi (right) and Wang Leehom (left) walk the red carpet at The Venetian Macao Sept. 12, for a gala premiere of their new romantic comedy, "My Lucky Star."

Sourced: TravelDailyNews