UM's Professor Davis Fong Speaks to Sands China Team Members About Macao's Economy and Gaming Industry

Seminar at The Parisian Macao part of company's ongoing professionalism education efforts

(Macao, Sept. 9, 2021) – Around 350 Sands China team members, including local youth who have participated in Sands China's various talent development programmes, learned more about Macao's economy and gaming industry Wednesday at a seminar conducted by University of Macau professor Davis Fong at The Parisian^® Macao.

Titled Professionalism Education for Sands China Team Members – The Overview of Macao's Economy and Gaming Industry, the seminar is part of Sands China's ongoing effort to promote professionalism education among its team members.

Fong, who is the director of the Institute for the Study of Commercial Gaming at the University of Macau and a professor in the university's Department of Integrated Resort and Tourism Management, covered four topics in his seminar at The Parisian Theatre: reasons for the liberalisation of the gaming sector after the 1999 handover; the development of the gaming industry over the past two decades; market behaviour and trends of Macao visitors; and the gaming industry and tourism in the post-epidemic period and the challenges for future development.

Dr. Wilfred Wong, president of Sands China Ltd., said: "We are pleased to have invited Professor Fong, an academic expert on gaming, to conduct this seminar. It has strengthened employees' comprehensive knowledge of the gaming industry and the business environment, helping us make essential contributions to the economic diversification of Macao and its development into a world centre of tourism and leisure. The seminar helped team members familiarise themselves with the integrated resort business environment, which in turn makes them well-equipped to elevate their services that suit guests' ever-changing needs. Our gratitude goes to Professor Fong and the University of Macau for this seminar and for their collaboration and support over the years."

Team members showed enthusiasm for learning more about the topics and actively participated in the seminar's Q&A session. One of those in attendance, Jacky Bai, assistant director of security, said: "We found Professor Fong's seminar very insightful for all of us who work at integrated resorts. We now have a more comprehensive understanding of Macao's economy and its tourism industry, and that will be useful as we strive for a better future for Macao amid the pandemic."

Sands China has been committed to improving the professionalism of its nearly 27,000 team members through various initiatives, including professional literacy training courses, Greater Bay Area visits, professional lectures, distinguished speaker forum series, various professional exchange activities, and film screenings. More than 30 professionalism activities have been held to date, totalling over 10,000 participants.

Photo caption: Around 350 Sands China team members, including local youth who have participated in Sands China's various talent development programmes, attend a seminar conducted by University of Macau professor Davis Fong at The Parisian Macao Wednesday, where they learned more about Macao's economy and gaming industry.