The Macau Metro Monitor. February 10th, 2010.
VISITOR ARRIVALS TO SINGAPORE HIT 9.7 MILLION LAST YEAR channelnewsasia.com
The number of visitors to Singapore declined 4.3% to 9.7MM, but still exceeded forecasts of between 9 - 9.5MM visitors. Tourism receipts between January and December were S$12.4BN, similar to 2006 levels. Singapore Tourism Board said the business travel sector is picking up for 2010.
MACAU ASIA EXPRESS SHUTS DOWN macaubusiness.com
Jornal Tribuna de Macau reported that Macau Asia Express, JV between Air Macau (51%), China National Aviation Company and Shun Tak, is preparing for dissolution. Macau Asia Express lost its sub-concession with Air Macau because it failed to start operating before an August 21, 2009 deadline, due to its inability to find new investors.
RESORTS WORLD SINGAPORE (RWS) CASINO TO OPEN THIS WEEK The Star Online
Genting Singapore might open its Universal Studios theme park at RWS on Feb 11 and the casino on Feb 12. ECM Libra Research stated “With MBS slated to open between April and June, RWS will take the lion’s share of the Singaporean gaming market which we value at S$4bil. With two to four months lead time, avid Singaporean gamblers will opt to pay the annual levy of S$2,000 rather than pay S$100 per 24 hour visit and commit themselves to gambling at RWS.”
MAINLAND CRACKS DOWN ILLEGAL GAMBLING macaubusiness.com
The Ministry of Public Security stated that Beijing will commence a crack down on online gaming and underground casinos, including illegal banks, financial institutions and websites that support illegal operations that will last through August 2010. The campaign will concentrate on investigating major and important cases of online gambling, shut down domestic and foreign groups that organize online gambling, and severely punish the criminal participants .
