Sands China Announces Sands Shopping Carnival

Family-friendly carnival Aug. 7-9 at Cotai Expo provides free business platform for local SMEs in support of Macao’s economic revival

(Macao, June 29, 2020) – The Venetian^® Macao is hosting a three-day Sands Shopping Carnival Aug. 7-9 at Cotai Expo. The carnival is the largest shopping event of its kind in Macao, and provides a free business platform for local SMEs and retailers amid the pandemic period, while creating a new weekend destination for local residents and tourists.

Featuring nearly 500 booths, the Sands Shopping Carnival reinforces the company's long-term commitment to promote the growth of local SMEs. It supports the Consume for the Economy initiative of the Macao SAR government by opening up free booths for local SMEs and Sands retailers to register for – offering a large-scale business platform to help expand their business opportunities.

The shopping event aims to give back to the community by offering the best deals to Macao residents and tourists in order to stimulate domestic consumption and help boost the economy. The free-admission three-day carnival Aug. 7-9 is an ideal shopping and leisure destination for families.

The Sands Shopping Carnival is organised by Sands China Ltd., co-organised by the Macao Chamber of Commerce, supported by the Macao Economic Bureau, the Macao Government Tourism Office and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), and is sponsored by Bank of China Macau Branch, ICBC (Macau), Luso International Banking Ltd., and BNU Macau.

Sands China Ltd. made the announcement Monday at a press conference at The Venetian Macao, where the company also announced the opening of registration for exhibitors, targeted at Macao retailers, including local micro-small-and-medium enterprises.

Registration is free and available online until July 10 at the company’s official website at https://en.sandsresortsmacao.com/shopping/sands-shopping-carnival-2020.html. For exhibitor enquiries, please call +853 2855 5000 or email info@macexpo.com.mo.

Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd., said: “Sands China remains unwavering in our commitment to support the development of local SMEs. Especially in times of need, we have not forgotten our roots and have launched a series of relief measures to help local SMEs navigate through the current pandemic. With this three-day large-scale sale event, we hope to provide a free business platform for local SMEs and Sands retailers to gain more business opportunities. I am convinced that by bringing together international retail brands and local SMEs in the same venue, we can create huge synergistic effects that will help foster domestic consumption, thereby contributing to the gradual recovery of Macao’s economy.”

Chui Yuk Lum, vice president of the Macao Chamber of Commerce, said: “Since the beginning of this pandemic, local SMEs have been experiencing extreme financial difficulties. The Macao Chamber of Commerce is therefore very pleased to partner with Sands China again to provide SMEs with a free and direct business platform. This platform is aimed at promoting more business opportunities and broadening their customer base – in response to the SAR government's Consume for the Economy initiative. We are appreciative of Sands China's efforts to organise such a large-scale carnival in support of local enterprises. The Macao Chamber of Commerce has always been committed to promoting the development of local SMEs, and we are convinced that this event will greatly benefit SMEs affected by the current pandemic.”

In addition to shopping, some of the features of the family-friendly Sands Shopping Carnival include an international-cuisine food area, shows, lucky draws, MOP 1 products, deals up to 80 per cent off, and activities and games for children.

More information about the carnival and its attractions – including sneak peeks of activities like a karaoke competition open to the public and a little master chef workshop – will be announced in due course.

In order to safeguard public health at the carnival and put attendees’ and exhibitors’ minds at ease, Sands China is implementing a series of strict sanitisation and safety measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. These include, among others: temperature checks upon entry; monitoring of crowd size to ensure a safe number of participants, via headcounts at venue entrances and by requesting carnival-goers to make use of an online registration system; mandatory wearing of face masks; and disinfectants and hand sanitisers at all booths and at all carnival entry and exit points.

Guests of honour at Monday’s press conference were: Zhang Jianhua, assistant director general of the economic affairs department of the Central People’s Government Liaison Office in Macau; Chan Hon Sang, deputy director of the Macao Economic Bureau; Ricky Hoi, deputy director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Sam C.S. Lei, executive director of IPIM; Chui Yuk Lum, vice president of the Macao Chamber of Commerce; Stephen Ieong, managing director of Bank of China Macau Branch; Huang Xianjun, deputy chief executive officer of ICBC (Macau); Wu Siliang, deputy general manager of Luso International Banking Ltd.; Sam Tou, executive director of BNU Macau; Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd.; Grant Chum, chief operating officer of Sands China Ltd.; and Dave Sun, senior vice president and chief financial officer of Sands China Ltd.

Sands China upholds the concept of prioritising local procurement and actively supports the development of local SMEs. The company first announced the launch of its Local Supplier Support Programme with the Macao Chamber of Commerce in July 2015. The programme is in line with the Macao SAR government’s initiative to “buy local” and demonstrates Sands China’s commitment to supporting local enterprises as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts.

Photo caption: President of Sands China Ltd. Dr. Wilfred Wong speaks at a press conference Monday at The Venetian Macao to announce the Sands Shopping Carnival. Taking place Aug.7-9 at Cotai Expo, the family-friendly festival is part of the company’s efforts to help support the revival of the Macao economy and provide a new weekend destination for local residents and tourists amid the pandemic period.

Photo caption: Guests of honour attend Monday’s press conference at The Venetian Macao announcing the Aug. 7-9 Sands Shopping Carnival.

Second from left to right: Dave Sun, senior vice president and chief financial officer of Sands China Ltd.; Sam Tou, executive director of BNU Macau; Huang Xianjun, deputy chief executive officer of ICBC (Macau); Chui Yuk Lum, vice president of the Macao Chamber of Commerce; Chan Hon Sang, deputy director of the Macao Economic Bureau; Zhang Jianhua, assistant director general of the economic affairs department of the Central People’s Government Liaison Office in Macau; Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd.; Ricky Hoi, deputy director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Sam C.S. Lei, executive director of IPIM; Stephen Ieong, managing director of Bank of China Macau Branch; Wu Siliang, deputy general manager of Luso International Banking Ltd.; and Grant Chum, chief operating officer of Sands China Ltd.

Photo caption: The Venetian Macao is hosting a three-day Sands Shopping Carnival Aug. 7-9 at Cotai Expo. Exhibitor registration is free and available online from June 29 until July 10, targeted at Macao retailers, including local micro-small-and-medium enterprises.