FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Kowie Geldenhuys EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Paulo Coutinho www.macaudailytimes.com.mo WEDNESDAY T. 12º/ 18º Air Quality Good MOP 8.00 3688 “ THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ ” N.º 06 Jan 2021 HKD 10.00 THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MACAU STUDIO CITY ’S GGR SURGED UK PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON PINNED HAS LAUNCHED A SERIES OF ACTIVITIES TO HIS HOPES FOR A NATIONAL RECOVERY PROMOTE THE CITY’S HANDOVER ANNIVERSARY BY 146% FROM OCT TO NOV PLAN TO DELIVER 2 MILLION COVID-19 NAMELY IN THE MACANESE DIASPORA 2020 COMPARED TO Q3 VACCINATIONS A WEEK TO END LOCKDOWN P5 P2 P8 China The former head of state-owned China Huarong Asset Management Co. Ltd. was sentenced to KROON ALWIN death yesterday for bribe taking in one of the harshest punishments for economic crimes in recent years. Lai Xiaomin, 58, was also found guilty by the Second Intermediate People’s Court of Tianjin of lesser charges including corruption and bigamy. AP PHOTO ANOTHER South Korea Armed Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops stormed a South Korean tanker and forced the ship to change course and travel to Iran, the vessel’s owner TheWAY upcoming Amsterdam-Tokyo HOME and Tokyo-Macau route is said yesterday, the latest maritime seizure by Tehran amid heightened tensions expected to bring home stranded local residents in Europe with the West over its nuclear P3 program. It appeared the Islamic Republic sought to increase its leverage over Seoul ahead of negotiations over billions of dollars in Iranian assets frozen in South Korean banks amid a U.S. pressure campaign targeting Iran. AP PHOTO India Representatives of the government and protesting farmers failed again this week to reach agreement on the farmers’ demand that new agricultural reform laws be repealed. With the government refusing to revoke the legislation, the farmers pledged to continue blockading key highways linking the capital with the country’s north. The two sides agreed to meet for more talks on Friday. Afghan negotiators are to resume talks with the Taliban aimed at finding an end to decades of relentless conflict even as hopes wane and frustration and fear 30,747 TOURISTS grow over a spike in violence across Afghanistan that has combatants on both sides City ends blaming the other. Torek Farhadi, a former Afghan government advisor, said year with the government and the Taliban are “two warring record-high minorities,” with the Afghan people caught in between. arrivals More on backpage P2 page 2 www.macaudailytimes.com.mo MACAU 澳門 06.01.2021 wed MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER ther peak season for mainland ho- lidaymakers, the occupancy figures Visitor arrivals hit record registered during the New Year ho- liday still maintained a lead of 7.6%. In the wake of the reinstatement high on New Year’s Eve of travel permit issuance for all main- land residents from September 23 HONEY TSANG 23.3% and 27.4% from December, last year, the city’s tourism has gra- November and October last year, res- dually picked up. HE year of 2020, which was pectively. Considering that global trave- Tmarked by narratives of illness, The latest occupancy figure is lers have become more risk-averse unemployment and grief, had finally another testament to the city’s reco- during the pandemic, the Macao Go- turned the tide and culminated with vering tourist numbers, which have vernment Tourism Office (MGTO) a record daily number of 30,747 visi- been rising. has been pushing a new line, pro- tor arrivals to Macau on December By further breaking down the ove- moting Macau as a “safe and quali- 31 over the course of the last 11 mon- rall occupancy figure, the occupancy ty destination” to regain consumer ths, according to the official figures rates of 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotels confidence. released yesterday. were 73%, 69.9% and 67.6% respecti- Earlier, the government also The high was registered on New vely. vowed to pursue the “Tourism+MI- Year’s Eve, which proceeded the CE+Sports” approach this year. second highest number of 28,247 This is set to merge the tourism; visitors on November 20 during Macau drew an meetings, incentives, conferen- the Macau Grand Prix race prac- average daily ces, and exhibitions (MICE); and tice day; and the third highest of sports sectors to broaden the ci- 27,755 on Christmas Day, Decem- volume of 21,242 ty’s tourism appeal. ber 25. Since wellness has been at Macau drew an average daily visitor arrivals the top of the agenda since the volume of 21,242 visitor arrivals during the New outbreak, Chief Executive Ho Iat during the New Year holiday from Seng emphasized last year that December 31, 2020 to January 3, Year holiday sports tourism has great poten- 2021, representing a 13.1% impro- tial. The government is now col- vement from October. laborating with six gaming ope- Regarding the average daily arri- There was also increased buoyan- rators to mount 12 sports events in vals, 19,629 were mainland visitors. cy in the hotel market. This was bor- 2021 — one event per month. Hong Kong, Taiwan and internatio- ne out by the city’s higher average Since the pandemic, the MGTO nal markets contributed 1,368, 242 room rate at MOP1,128 during the has stepped up promotional efforts and 3 visitors, respectively. holiday period, showing a hike of to win over mainland travelers, in- Meanwhile, the occupancy rate 21.7% from December. cluding launching special offers, so- of hotels stood at 67.2% during the When compared to October, whi- cial media advertising, and promo- 4-day New Year holiday, up 15.1%, ch marked the Golden Week, ano- tional videos. GAMING Studio City’s GGR up 146% in Oct-Nov, pursues senior notes HONEY TSANG or restrictions, visa restric- – which will be due in Fe- tions and quarantine and bruary 2024. HE aggregate gross ga- social distancing require- The money will be used Tming revenue (GGR) of BLOOMBERG ments.” to partially fund “remaining Studio City’s casino from That same day, the Stu- projects for Studio City” and October to November 2020 dio City Finance Limited, a for “general corporate pur- surged by 146% when com- wholly owned subsidiary of poses,” the filing stated. pared to the third quarter of SCIHL, published another This latest offering of last year, according to a re- filing to propose conduc- senior notes comes after port released by Studio City ting an international offe- the SCIHL received $500 International Holdings Ltd ring of senior notes to fund million through a series of (SCIHL) on January 4. the Phase 2 development of private offers of its shares in The property’s gaming Studio City. August 2020. This ramped receipt is gradually turning According to the filing, up the stake of its largest the corner during the health the interest rate and other shareholder Melco Resorts crisis, as the group affirmed terms of the senior notes and Entertainment Ltd in in the filing that it expects to will be determined at the the SCIHL from 54.1% to “achieve break-even” in ad- time of pricing for the notes 54.7%. justed earnings before inte- offering. In 2020, Melco disclosed rest, taxation, depreciation tributes the promising fo- a cost reduction scheme In addition, the memo It also launched a condi- that the construction pro- and amortization (EBITDA) recast to the “mitigating to minimize cash outflow stated that Covid-19 is ex- tional cash tender offer for ject of Phase 2 of Studio City, by reaching around 30-35% measures” it implemented of non-essential items and pected to continue to nega- “any and all” of its outstan- hindered by the pandemic, of its historical GGR run-ra- to weather the economic rationalizing the capital ex- tively affect Macau’s GGR, ding 7.250% senior notes — would be unlikely to meet te. impact of the pandemic. penditure program with de- when taking into account which musters a principal its previously scheduled The conglomerate at- These measures included ferrals and reductions. “the significant travel bans amount of USD600 million deadline of May 31, 2022. www.macaudailytimes.com.mo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (DIRECTOR)_Paulo Coutinho [email protected] A MACAU TIMES PUBLICATIONS LTD PUBLICATION ASSISTANT EDITOR_Lynzy Valles SENIOR WRITER_Honey Tsang CONTRIBUTING EDITORS_Leanda Lee, Severo Portela, Sheyla Zandonai ADMINISTRATOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Kowie Geldenhuys [email protected] NEWSROOM AND CONTRIBUTORS_Albano Martins, Annabel Jackson, Anthony Lam, Daniel Beitler, Emilie Tran, OFFICE MANAGER Juliana Cheang [email protected] REACHING OUT! Irene Sam, Ivo Carneiro de Sousa, Jacky I.F. Cheong, Jenny Lao-Phillips, João Palla Martins, Joseph Cheung, Julie ADDRESS Av. da Praia Grande, 599, Edif. Comercial Rodrigues, 12 Floor C, Zhu, Juliet Risdon, Linda Kennedy, Paulo Cordeiro de Sousa, Renato Marques, Richard Whitfield, Viviana Seguí MACAU SAR Telephones: +853 287 160 81/2 Fax: +853 287 160 84 DESIGNERS_Eva Bucho, Miguel Bandeira | ASSOCIATE CONTRIBUTORS_JML Property, MdME Lawyers, Advertisement [email protected] +20,000 PokerStars, Ruan Du Toit Bester | NEWS AGENCIES_ Associated Press, Bloomberg, MacauHub, MacauNews, Xinhua For subscription and general issues: [email protected] | Printed at Welfare Printing Ltd Like us on facebook.com/mdtimes SECRETARY_Yang Dongxiao [email protected] SEND NEWSWORTHY INFORMATION AND PRESS RELEASES TO: [email protected] WEBSITE: WWW.MACAUDAILYTIMES.COM.MO www.macaudailytimes.com.mo page 3 wed 06.01.2021 澳門 MACAU MACAU’S LEADING NEWSPAPER Amsterdam-Tokyo flight opens way for SAR residents in Europe to return LYNZY VALLES Lisbon to the Netherlands’ capi- tal. flight to Macau from On Monday, health authori- Tokyo via Air Macau KROON ALWIN ties said that the 37 requests the is set to transpire on GGCT has currently received do January 21, making it not suffice to negotiate with nei- possibleA to accommodate stran- ghboring regions to open corri- ded residents in Europe who dors to accommodate them.