The Venetian set to lure tourists, shopaholics to Macao

Sun, 04/06/2008 10:45 AM  |  Travel

The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel is said to be the biggest single-structure hotel in Asia. You can't fail to spot its Venice-themed architecture only a few minutes from the region's international airport.

Home to the largest casino in the world, the Venetian is aiming to become the center of entertainment and meetings, convention and exhibition (MICE) activities in the region.

Twice the size of its predecessor in Las Vegas, it anchors the Cotai Strip, an integrated leisure center currently in the making.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS), one of the world's biggest developers and the owner of the Venetian, is spending billions to turn the reclaimed area between the islands of Taipa and Colane in Macao into heaven for tourists with interests beyond gaming.

The buildings in the area will be run by established hoteliers like Four Seasons, Shangri-La, Sheraton, Hilton and the Fairmont and Raffles hotel and resorts. Hoping to attract top retailers, the area will provide three million square feet of retail space.

The US$2.4 billion Venetian has 3,000 guest rooms, a million square feet of retail space, a concert hall with 15,000 seats and a 1.2 million square meters of MICE space all integrated in a single building.

Celine Dion is slated to perform at the Venetian Arena, and Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, Pussycat Dolls and the Police have played the venue. The hotel's public relation staff said they also hoped to use the facility for sporting events.

Of all the hotel's features, the Grand Canal Shoppes is obviously a landmark. Not only is the size overwhelming for a shopping center integrated into a hotel, the arched bridges, the winding canals, the Venice-themed architecture and the serenading gondoliers will all dizzy you into spending your money, at least for a cup of coffee in a cozy cafe.

And if you're feeling romantic, you can get on a gondola with a singing gondolier rowing you down the Grand Canal. An ensemble of classical vocalists, musicians and street performers are there to bring the ambience of Venice to life. You will forget you're actually inside a building with a beautiful handmade blue sky.

Gaming is nevertheless still the driving force for the economy in Macao. The Venetian, and all the properties on the Cotai Strip, envision the changing composition of tourists coming to the region. Singapore and Hong Kong will no longer be the only options you have to shop 'til you drop.

--Ary Hermawan

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