Month: August 2024

Sands China’s long-standing commitment to advancing local businesses is most notably headlined by the annual Sands Shopping Carnival, which offers a free platform for Macao businesses, including small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Sands retailers, to showcase their goods and services to the community.

The fifth annual Sands Shopping Carnival held July 18-21 at The Venetian® Macao’s Cotai Expo was another resounding success, drawing 120,000 visitors – the highest number since the event’s inception. Guests enjoyed a wide array of shopping opportunities, performances and activities for all ages over the four-day extravaganza.

Introduced by Sands China in 2020 to help spur business recovery during the pandemic, the Sands Shopping Carnival is the largest sales event in Macao.

The 2024 Sands Shopping Carnival offered more than 580 booths, with 325 booths dedicated to SMEs, another record for the event. Nine exhibition zones featured Sands retailers, household products, parenting and family goods and services, gourmet food and wine, a food court, green living products, Macao cultural and creative items, play and fun activities, and Macao specialties and souvenirs.

Family entertainment is a hallmark of the Sands Shopping Carnival, which this year included the popular BOC Smart Kids Presents: Little Master Chef Workshop, a food-prep and decorating activity led by Sands China’s food and beverage team. More than 530 children and parents prepared tacos, spring rolls, sushi and more. Two new additions to the event lineup – the Bank of Communications Presents – Rising Stars: 2024 Kids Talent Showdown and the ICBC ePay Presents: National Essence: Hanfu Styling Contest – attracted participants from the Greater Bay Area, adding spectacular entertainment to the carnival.

As in past carnivals, Sands China integrated community service organizations throughout the four-day event. In the carnival’s food court, four social enterprises that offer vocational training for their clients sold food and drinks. Macau’s oldest charity, Tung Sin Tong, offered herbal tea and soup packs in the gourmet food and wine zone. In addition, 10 community organizations showcased their goods and services in the Macao cultural and creative zone.

Participation in the Sands Shopping Carnival provided community service organizations with visibility, as well as created job opportunities for their service recipients.

Sands Cares Ambassadors, Sands China’s Team Member volunteer corps, accompanied beneficiaries of community service organizations to experience the event’s attractions, which included taking clients of the Caritas Macau Fountain of Love and Joy Integrated Family Service Center to enjoy go-karting and game booths. Ambassadors also facilitated the participation of parents and children from the Macau Child Development Association in the BOC Smart Kids Presents: Little Master Chef Workshop.

As was done at last year’s carnival, Sands China offered a unique opportunity for Macau Special Olympics members to role-play as news reporters and editors who conducted interviews, took photographs, captured video, and then wrote, edited and produced carnival news reports.

The Sands Shopping Carnival also promotes Sands’ focus on environmental stewardship, which was spearheaded by the Sands ECO360 team at the event. Sands Cares Accelerator member Green Future and Sands ECO360 ambassadors demonstrated effective methods for recycling cardboard, plastic and metal to exhibitors. In addition, items such as used laundry baskets and weight scales were provided as free giveaways to visitors who made purchases from local businesses at the carnival.

“Over these five years, we have maintained a steadfast partnership with the Macao SAR Government, the Macao Chamber of Commerce, and other supporting entities, providing relentless support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the Sands Shopping Carnival,” Dr. Wilfred Wong, Sands China’s executive vice chairman, said. “This year also marks the momentous 20th anniversary of Sands Macao. As a long-standing pillar of Macao’s business landscape, we have deep ties with the local community. Our commitment to supporting local SMEs is unwavering, and we embrace the philosophy of growing with SMEs.”

The 2024 Sands Shopping Carnival supports the Macao SAR government’s economic revival efforts. Sands China’s co-organizer was the Macao Chamber of Commerce, and the company received the full support of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, the Macao Government Tourism Office, and the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute. The carnival was sponsored by BOC Macau, ICBC (Macau), Bank of Communications Co., Ltd. Macau Branch, and BNU.

To learn more about Sands’ commitment to creating growth opportunities for local businesses in its host regions, read the company’s latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/.