Shopping choices abound in Macau, whether for the big spender or the bargain hunter. High-end luxury outlets have descended on this duty-free port, but hidden away in small alleys there are still stores with fascinating treasures often gathering dust on back shelves.
Visitor arrivals soared to nearly 10 million in the first four months of this year, up by 16.3 per cent over the same period last year. With per-capita spending by visitors also up by nearly 5 per cent, international brands have been eager to get a foothold in this market.
Shoppers from mainland China now record the highest per capita retail spending in the world, and retailers hope to see some revenue flowing their way.
Luxury shopping arcades are now a key feature in Macau's old and new hotels - especially the glitzy new outlets on the Cotai Strip joining the islands of Coloane and Taipa. The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian Macao casino stole the limelight last August when it rolled out the red carpet to reveal an overall retail space of 1 million sqft. Its 350 shops operate from 10am to 11pm (midnight on Fridays and Saturdays) and feature leading international brands.
The arcade attempts to recreate the tourist scenes of Venice with streetmosphere performers, canals and gondola rides.
Wynn Macau found its shopping arcade so popular that gaming space was cut down in its PhaseII expansion to accommodate 11 more shops which were opened last December. Wynn Esplanade (the luxurious shopping promenade at Wynn Macau) houses more than 20 exclusive luxury boutiques in about 46,000 sqft of exquisitely designed retail space. The Rolex store is the brand's second store in the world with the other outlet at Wynn Las Vegas.
'The response from retailers to Wynn Macau has been phenomenal. Many international and luxury retailers see Macau as a key growth market in the region, especially with increasing visitation numbers and an ongoing undersupply of retailers,' a hotel spokesman said. 'Therefore, we are bullish about retail development in the city.'
