The iconic annual event of Macao in the international sports scene, the 70th Macau Grand Prix, is scheduled for 11-12 November and 16-19 November. The Macau Grand Prix Organizing Committee (MGPOC) held a press conference at the Convention Hall of Macao Science Center today (19 July) to announce the race schedule, sponsors and crossover projects.
Guests attending the press conference included Pun Weng Kun, President of the Sports Bureau of the Macao SAR Government and Coordinator of MGPOC; Chong Coc Veng, Director-General of the Automobile General Association Macao-China and Coordinator of the Sporting Subcommittee of MGPOC; Allen Lau Cho Un and Christine Lam Lin Kio, Deputy Coordinators of MGPOC; Philip Cheng, Director of Galaxy Entertainment Group; Timothy Fok, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SJM Resorts, S.A.; Linda Chen, President and Vice Chairman of the Board Wynn Macau, Limited; Kenneth Feng, President of MGM China Holdings Limited; Kent Wong, Chief Advisor of Melco Resorts & Entertainment; Wilfred Wong, President and Executive Director of Sands China Limited; and members of the Sports Committee.
Introduction to races and announcement of major sponsors
The 70th Macau Grand Prix will run across two weekends in November and five races will be presented in week 1 on 11 and 12 November, including Macau Asia Formula 4, Greater Bay Area GT Cup, TCR Asia Challenge, Macau Roadsport Challenge, and one support race which is still in the process of negotiation and details will be announced later. Six races will be held in week 2 from 16 to 19 November, which are Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix – FIA Formula 3 World Cup, Macau GT Cup - FIA GT World Cup, Macau Guia Race – TCR World Tour Final, Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix – 55th Edition, Macau Touring Car Cup, and Macau 70th Anniversary Challenge.
The Macau Grand Prix provides a platform for local enterprises to increase their investment in non-gaming elements and offer more related elements and different promotional channels for this event by utilizing their resources and advantages. The 70th Macau Grand Prix has received support from the six local integrated resort operators as its major sponsors, namely Galaxy Entertainment Group, SJM Resorts, S.A., Wynn Macau, Limited, MGM China Holdings Limited, Melco Resorts & Entertainment, and Sands China Limited, with each of them providing a sponsorship of MOP 20 million. MGPOC hopes to continue using sporting events as a platform and hosting sports tourism projects with the industry operators to attract international visitors in order to practically propel the coordinated development of the integrated tourism and leisure and sports industries. A cheque presentation ceremony by the major sponsors was also held during the press conference.
Macau Grand Prix as platform to bolster growth of local industries
In addition to the generous support from the six large integrated tourism and leisure enterprises above, the 70th Macau Grand Prix has also received support from many local and world-famous brands and companies to launch crossover projects, serving as a platform to achieve the goal of jointly propelling sports and cultural and creative industries. Among the projects is the collaboration with Forward Fashion (International) Holdings Company Limited to launch the ‘70th Macau Grand Prix x BE@RBRICK Macau’ and showcase relevant art pieces at local tourist hotspots, unleashing the synergy of sports and culture through the crossover between the international sports event and the international art brand. Furthermore, MGPOC will invite a number of global artists and designers in partnership with MacauEC Creative Co. Ltd. to jointly design 70th Grand Prix-themed digital artworks and publish a digital commemorative catalogue and will launch coffee products themed around the event this year in partnership with local coffee brand Macau Coffee Company Limited, who will also provide coffee product sponsorship for the event. Macau Industrial Ltd is once again serving as the designated beverage sponsor of the Macau Grand Prix this year, sponsoring a number of beverages and promoting the event through its marketing platforms. Li Ning (China) Sports Goods Co., Ltd is joining the event’s sponsor line-up for the first time, providing work outfits for certain staff from the organizer to support the largest annual sport event in Macao.
Moreover, to realize the synergistic effect of sports tourism, MGPOC will launch a ticket partnership scheme in collaboration with local and foreign tourism associations, travel agencies, airlines or online travel platforms to launch package offers that combine Grand Prix tickets with flight tickets, ferry tickets or hotel accommodation. As the designated airline sponsor of the event this year, Air Macau Company Limited will be the first company to roll out a flight ticket and Macau Grand Prix ticket package for visitors to Macao through the aforesaid partnership scheme. Institutions and businesses interested in joining this scheme can contact MGPOC for details, and for those who enter into a partnership, the organizer will provide different ticket discounts based on the number of tickets purchased.
More partnership schemes for the 70th Macau Grand Prix are still under negotiation and details will be announced in due course. For more information about the 70th Macau Grand Prix, please visit the event’s official website at www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo, download its mobile application, or follow its Facebook page, WeChat official account and Weibo page.
