How can integrated casino resorts incorporate travel agencies into their marketing?

Getting people through the door is one of the hardest parts of running a land-based business. This is why shops invest in elaborate window displays, limited-time events and a social media presence to build engagement with potential customers.  

Without footfall, there can be no chance of sales and revenue. But casinos are still very divisive for some communities, and some people have expressed that there is “no point” in visiting a casino if they have no desire to gamble. 

This is the main reason land-based casinos offer restaurants, live music and entertainment, bars and sometimes even dance classes. These work well for locals, but is there a strategy that could be introduced to capture the attention of tourists?

Can you visit a casino without gambling? 

One of the biggest hurdles for casinos trying to attract new customers is, unironically, the gambling element. If people do not want to risk their money, they are unlikely to see the merit of visiting such an establishment. But for properties in Macau, there is a new initiative to get people through the doors, or at least waiting outside the doors, while they go on an adventure.

A new tour bus route introduced features six major stops, each of these being integrated casino resorts such as Studio City, Wynn Palace and Galaxy Macau. The buses will take visitors through major tourism areas, such as the North District, San Kiu District, Sha Tau Kok Market, Hong Kong Night Market, A-Ma District and Narmen Lake in Nam Wan. 

The buses will be hourly: visitors have the perfect chance to grab a drink from one of the casino properties while they wait for the next vehicle to arrive. For veteran players, they can have a quick flutter on their travels; but for people who may have never been into a casino, this process familiarises them with the properties and establishes them as a safe, reliable and community-driven destination. 

What does this mean for international visitors? 

For people who are visiting Macau, this is a great initiative, as it makes it very clear and easy for visitors to know where they need to go to meet the tour buses. They don’t need to translate complicated directions or try to navigate unfamiliar streets to look for a bus stop. Instead, they just need to get to a well-known and easily accessible business. 

For some tourists, this may be the deciding factor that encourages them to engage more with Macau during their stay. For example, one of the largest touring agencies in Poland offers hotel front-door pick-ups for people who have booked tours for the Wieliczka Salt Mine and Auschwitz-Birkenau. 

It could even be a deciding factor for some visitors in picking their accommodation. After all, if tourism opportunities are being launched from outside these integrated resorts, would it not make sense to book a room there, rather than booking a room somewhere else and having to travel over each day?

Could integrated resorts push international travel opportunities further? 

As somebody who has never been to Asia, it seems like a very daunting experience. The alphabet, currency and etiquette are entirely different and it would be all too easy to make mistakes. But integrated resorts are trying to make it as welcoming as possible for travellers. 

Galaxy Entertainment Group has launched a “Lucky Channel” presence at the Hong Kong Port by the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge. This creates a visible signpost for people travelling to Macau, including a complimentary shuttle bus ticket to the city. Other operators, such as Inspire and MGM, offer free shuttle buses to their properties from airports to make the trip more accessible to visitors. 

Again, this may be a deciding factor in encouraging visitors to select integrated resorts as their accommodation. By identifying which factors international visitors find most daunting – such as travelling from the airport and finding the best places to eat while out there – these operators are making themselves more attractive to tourists. And tourists mean revenue.

But is this enough to encourage family holidays?

There is a growing trend in Asia that is seeing many land-based properties marketing towards the family demographic through child-friendly activities. This includes offering children’s dance classes, water parks and even learning experiences. 

Any parent will tell you that travelling with children is not easy, so providing complimentary shuttle buses to and from properties is already a great start.

Now, the new tour bus initiative makes it even easier for people staying at integrated resorts to enjoy the city to its full potential. It removes so many barriers and creates even more opportunities. 

What can we learn from this? 

Macau has always been a prime destination for high-value and VIP players but, through these recent initiatives, many integrated resorts are now appealing to tourists who may not even gamble – or at least did not intend to. 

By creating opportunities to get people into the property, either through complimentary transport or building bus tour stops just outside, an entirely new demographic has the chance to form positive connotations with the brand. At the time of writing, the tour buses have been operating for just over a week, and the “Rest” tour route has taken more than 3,000 people around the city, with over 1,000 of these getting off at community stops such as New Port, Hong Kong Temple and Three Lights.

This initiative does not just benefit travellers, but the local economy, too. After just a few days of operation, the Economic and Technological Development Bureau has noted that “the effect of linkage can be seen to revitalize the business environment in the community.” Through the tour buses, visitors get to explore parts of the city they may not have known how to get to otherwise, and this may encourage them to find dinner at the Sha Tau Kok Market rather than relying on their all-inclusive hotel.

Macau has been pushing for diversification for years. Much like this new tour bus, it's definitely getting somewhere...