New landmark, the Parisian Macao hotel, draws attention at international ad festival

The Parisian Macao, the "crowning jewel" of Sheldon G. Adelson's vision of building a strip of resorts in the southern Chinese city, came under the spotlight at the 2016 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France. The annual festival has great international influence and features celebrity speakers such as Vogue editor Anna Wintour and actress Gwyneth Paltrow as well as some of Madison Avenue's biggest names.

The Parisian Macao, as one of the highlights, drew much attention in the festival's creative market, known as the Haymarket Hive. A stylish, red mailbox was placed at the Haymarket Hive for international guests to "post" their best wishes for the project.

The introduction of the Sands Resort Cotai Strip Macao also attracted great interest during the festival, as it introduced the culture and beautiful scenery of Macao and all its resorts, highlighting the French saying, joie de vivre.

DeVonne Iao, vice-president of advertising and brand management at Sands China, told China Daily: "At Cannes Lions, we will attend the new directors showcase, which will feature up-and-coming directors and also those from the past 10 years. It is a good opportunity to identify new directors and new leads for content because content placement is very important in our strategy to bring Macao to our target customers."

Macao, which has a population of 600,000 and drew 30 million tourists last year, will have a new landmark to welcome guests from around the world. First-time visitors especially will be able to experience a lot more than just Macao, as they can have a taste of Paris and a taste of Venice, too.

"The opening of the Parisian Macao will serve as a platform to boost cultural exchanges between West and East, by bringing in French culture and architecture," Iao explains. "Paris is the No 1 destination for Chinese mainland customers. As we have brought Venice to Macao, we would like to bring Paris to Macao so that our targets in China and Southeast Asia can have an opportunity to explore and experience the lifestyle of Parisians.

"We have many sites that are authentic recreations of the landmarks of Paris, so that is something from consumer research that we know is one destination that is most sought-after by our target consumers."

A 39-story recreation of the most alluring and enchanting of Paris sights, the Eiffel Tower, will be placed in front of the Parisian Macao hotel, providing an ideal backdrop for photographers. Guests in one-third of the hotel's 3,000 rooms and suites will have a spectacular view of the Parisian landmark. From the observation deck, visitors can enjoy a view that stretches to the Chinese mainland, as well as Cotai Strip, Macao's new gaming high street. It is even possible to have a European travel experience in a day without leaving Macao.

Guests of the Parisian Macao will be able to enjoy the facilities at Sands Resorts via a linked walkway, and it is only a five-minute walk to the Venetian Macao, which is linked by an overpass. The new hotel also offers excellent experiences for family holidays, shopping trips and exhibitions.

Guests can be in Italy (the Venetian Macao) in the morning and in France (the Parisian Macao) in the afternoon. Visitors to the Parisian Macao will also have an abundance of dining options, including its Pan-Asian signature restaurant, Le Chine, which will be located in the imitation Eiffel Tower. Shoppers can indulge in more than 150 boutiques with the latest in luxury fashion designers, couture and lifestyle brands, all in a setting reminiscent of the Champs Elysees in Paris. "By then, in Sands Shops, we will have more than 850 stores," Iao adds.

No Parisian experience would be complete without a taste of its vibrant art scene. So on the street of the Parisian Macao, visitors can enjoy daily entertainment as if traveling in France: street artists and buskers, gardens and fountains, and carousals and arcades. Visitors can also enjoy world-class performances at the 1,200-seat Parisian Theater.

Iao says beyond the Eiffel Tower and the beautiful facade of the Parisian Macao, she hopes the visitors will find an overwhelming sense of joy.

"Joie de vivre is one of the key ideas behind the creative campaign. This joy of living is a classic French trait, and I hope it will be available to all visitors," she adds.

The Parisian Macao is owned by Sands China, which is the leading developer and operator of integrated resorts in Macao, including the Venetian Macao, Four Seasons Hotel Macao Cotai Strip, Sheraton and Holiday Inn.

tuoyannan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 06/24/2016 page24)