Current business situation

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) provides advice for business travellers and tourists going to Macau. This is regularly updated, and should be checked before planning travel.

Country overview

Country facts

'Macau' or 'Macao'? 'Macau' is the official Portuguese spelling while 'Macao' is the traditional English spelling. While either spelling is acceptable, the Portuguese spelling is increasingly being seen in English in both official and unofficial usage.

Capital city:	None
Surface area:	28.6 sq km
Population:	531,400 (2008 estimate)
Official language(s):	Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese)
Head of State:	H.E. President Mr Hu Jintao
Head of Government:	Chief Executive Mr Edmund Ho Hau-wah
Australian exports to Macau:	A$73 million
Australian imports from Macau:	A$9 million
Macau's principal export destinations:	USA, China, Hong Kong
Macau's principal import sources:	China, Hong Kong, Japan

(Sources: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Country economic fact sheet and Macau Government geography and population fact sheet)

Economic climate

Macau’s economy has expanded rapidly since 2002 when the liberalisation of its casino sector led to significant investment in new hotels, casinos and convention facilities by developers from Hong Kong, the USA and Australia. 

Gaming and tourism are the major components of Macau’s GDP, and taxes on gaming income are a significant contributor to government revenues. Demand for labour from new construction projects and from the hospitality sector has led to the lowest unemployment rate since 1997, and GDP per capita has doubled since 2001.

Key economic indicators and statistics for 2006:

GDP – US$14.3 billion
GDP per capita – US$29,775
Real GDP growth – 16.6 per cent
Inflation – 5.2 per cent

Trade relations and statistics

Major Australian exports to Macau (2006-07):

• Toys, games & sporting goods – A$47 million
• Articles of plastics – A$2 million
• Locksmiths wares, safes, strong boxes – A$2 million
• Computers – A$2 million

Major Australian imports from Macau (2006-07):

• Clothing – A$2 million
• Equipment for distributing electricity – A$1 million
• Telecommunications equipment – A$1 million
• Rotating electric plant – A$1 million

(Source: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade – Country economic fact sheet)

Doing business

Business opportunities

As a result of the strong growth in Macau’s hospitality and casino sector, business opportunities for Australian companies exist in the following sectors:

• Food and beverage, particularly fresh meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables, dairy and wine.
• Education and vocational training, particularly in the hospitality area.
• Building and construction, including construction materials, engineering and architectural services, fit out design.
• Gaming equipment and technologies relating to the management and operation of casinos and hotels.

The Opportunities Online website may be a useful addition to your information sources. The database established by Austrade aims to deliver international sales leads ('export opportunities'), including tenders, generated by our overseas network to Australian businesses.
 

Registering is simple and once this is done you will have the option of accessing a weekly newsletter featuring the most recent opportunities uploaded onto the system in industry sectors of interest to you. Another feature is the ability to view, and also print, the complete page of opportunity details.
 

For general inquiries concerning Austrade’s services, please contact Austrade Direct on 13 28 78.

Business etiquette

Business etiquette and practices in Macau are similar to Hong Kong:

• Gifts – The exchange of gifts is not widely practised or expected in business in Macau.
• Business cards – The exchange of business cards is a must in Hong Kong so it’s advisable to carry a large number on you. Business cards should be presented and received with both hands.
• Establishing contacts and networks – The quality of your agent or representative’s contacts is crucial, and business introductions are vital, as companies do not deal with unknown or unrecommended contacts.
• Preparation and follow-up – Exporters should send as much documented information about their companies, products and services as possible in advance of their visit.  Business visitors must remember to follow up on their meetings in Macau when they return to Australia.
• Business entertainment – Dinners and lunches with local representatives and customers help to develop networks and are a normal part of doing business in Macau.
• Correspondence – Answer enquiries, proposals, correspondence and invitations as soon as possible. At the very least, immediately send an acknowledgement stating that an answer will follow shortly. If you do not show sufficient interest and speed in your correspondence, your potential customer will easily find another firm who will!
• Face – Avoid embarrassing Chinese in the presence of others. To avoid the person losing face, discuss any criticisms or disputes in private. In some cases, it may be helpful to use an intermediary to convey criticism or raise issues of concern, particularly with someone of high social status.
• Punctuality – Chinese place importance on punctuality and Australian visitors should do their best to avoid arriving late at appointments. Itineraries should take this into consideration and allow adequate time to move from one appointment to the next.
• Forms of address – Many Macau business people will have an English first name, used with a Chinese family name, eg. Peter Chan. In this case, the family name is used last, as in Australia. Normally when a Chinese name is written, the family name comes first, with the given name following, eg. Mr Chan Tai-Man would be addressed as Mr Chan. When addressing business correspondence to Macau, all names should be written in full, with titles included.

Please also note: Bribery of foreign public officials is a crime. Australian individuals and companies can be prosecuted in Australia for bribing foreign officials when overseas. For more information, go to the Attorney General's Department on foreign bribery.

Visiting this country

Security and health

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) provides advice for business travellers and tourists going to Macau. This is regularly updated, and should be checked before planning travel.

Travel tips and facts

Viva Macau operates three direct flights a week between Sydney and Macau. Flights from Sydney depart on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and return flights depart from Macau on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Regular high-speed ferry services operate between Macau, Hong Kong and nearby Chinese port cities. The ferry trip from Hong Kong to Macau takes one hour, with departures roughly every 15 minutes.

Although Macau is quite compact, travel within Macau itself can be time-consuming because of traffic congestion and a shortage of taxis and public transport. A light rail system is planned to relieve congestion but this is not scheduled for completion until at least 2012, and construction work could lead to greater disruption in the interim. Visitors should therefore allow plenty of time between appointments for travel.

For further travel information please visit Lonely Planet.

Time

Macau is two hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time.

To find out the current time in Macau, view the World Clock.

Dialling codes

Macau's country code is 853.
For calls to Macau from Australia dial: 0011 + 853 + area code + telephone number
For calls from Macau to Australia dial: 00 + 61 + area code + telephone number

For further information (eg. area codes) please visit the White Pages - international dialling codes.

Electricity

Macau’s power supply is 220 volts, 50Hz 1, 3 phases, 2, 4 wires. The square three-pin plugs are the most common.

Weather

For weather details in Macau, please visit the World Meteorological Organization.

Currency

Oanda currency converter

The currency is the Pataca (MOP) linked to the Hong Kong dollar. Hong Kong dollars are readily accepted in Macau but change will generally be given in Patacas.

Public holidays

January 1 – New Year's Day
February 7-9 – Lunar New Year
April 8 – Ching Ming Festival
March 21 – Good Friday
March 24 – Easter Monday
May 1 – Labour Day
May 12 – Buddhas' Birthday
June 15 – Tuen Ng Festival (Dragon Boat Festival)
16th day of 8th month (Lunar) – Day following the Mid-Autumn Festival
October 1-2 – National Day of the People's Republic of China
October 30 – Chung Yeung Festival
November 2 – All Souls Day
December 8 – Feast of the Immaculate Conception
December 20 – Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
December 22 – Winter Solstice
December 24 – Christmas Eve
December 25 – Christmas Day

Useful websites and resources

Government, business and trade

Macau SAR Government Portal – www.gov.mo/egi/Portal/index.jsp
Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute – www.ipim.gov.mo 

News and media

Macau Daily – www.macaodaily.com

Travel and tourism

Macau Government Tourist Office – www.macautourism.gov.mo/index_en.htm

Please note: this list of websites and resources is not definitive. Inclusion in this list does not imply endorsement by Austrade. The information provided is a guide only.

Contact details

Austrade offices

The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) is the Federal Government agency that helps Australian companies win overseas business for their products and services by reducing the time, cost and risk involved in selecting, entering and developing international markets.

Austrade offers practical advice, market intelligence and ongoing support (including financial) to Australian businesses looking to develop international markets. Austrade also provides advice and guidance on overseas investment and joint venture opportunities, and helps put Australian businesses in contact with potential overseas investors.

Austrade has an office in Macau, which reports to the Austrade office in Hong Kong. A list of Austrade offices (in alphabetical order of country) is available.

For further information please contact Austrade on 13 28 78 or email info@austrade.gov.au

Australian Embassy

Australian Embassy in Beijing
21 Dongzhimenwai Dajie
Beijing 100600
People's Republic of China
Tel: +86 10 5140 4111
Fax: +86 10 5140 4230
Email: pubaff.beijing@dfat.gov.au

Consular matters in Macau are handled by the Australian Consulate-General in Hong Kong

Australian Consulate-General, Hong Kong
23rd Floor, Harbour Centre
25 Harbour Road
Wanchai, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2827 8881

(Last updated: 21 Jul 2008)