Macau Community Rewards Scheme: Expanded Trial From November 1 Brings Discount Vouchers to Over 1,000 Neighbourhood Shops
Five Macao SAR government bodies announced on October 28 that the "Community Rewards" spending scheme will expand its trial from November 1 to December 31, linking up with events including the Macao Food Festival and the Macau Grand Prix to draw visitors into local neighbourhoods. The discount vouchers can be used at more than 1,000 designated community merchants covering catering, retail, cultural and creative businesses and daily-life services.
The scheme is run jointly by the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, the Macao Government Tourism Office, the Sports Bureau and the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center. Its first phase was trialled during the National Day Golden Week holiday, offering discount packages to passengers on community tour buses and participants in a Macao heritage tour route, and drew a positive response.
During the expanded trial, participants in designated activities or programmes can collect a one-time redemption code from on-site staff and use a designated e-payment tool to receive a discount package worth MOP50, MOP100 or MOP150, up to twice a week per person. Eligible participants include community tour bus passengers alighting at community stops, those completing the heritage tour route, visitors to the Macau Grand Prix Museum, holders of air or ferry tickets to Macao, visitors meeting a spending threshold at the 26th Macao Food Festival, ticket holders of the 73rd Macau Grand Prix, and candidates sitting designated examinations run by the Productivity Center.
Departments will promote the scheme through their own channels. The Tourism Office will hand out activity cards to museum visitors and ticket holders from November 1 to December 31, and food festival visitors spending a cumulative MOP100 on site between November 20 and December 6 can also collect a card. The Sports Bureau will distribute cards to Grand Prix ticket holders during the November 19 to 22 race meeting, the Productivity Center will issue cards to examination candidates from November 7 to December 31, and the gaming regulator will co-ordinate with the six integrated resort operators to publicise the scheme and channel tour bus passengers into surrounding communities.
The SAR Government said it hopes the scheme will pool community resources, raise the appeal and spending vitality of local neighbourhoods, and support small and medium-sized enterprises. Details and the list of participating merchants are available on the scheme's webpage and on notices posted by participating shops.
Source: Macao SAR Government Information Bureau
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：澳门亚婆井前地，澳门历史城区社区街景。照片：Netsonfong，CC BY-SA 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: Lilau Square in the Historic Centre of Macao. Photo: Netsonfong, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
