Macau, an administrative center in South East China and a former Portuguese colony, is a thriving region amid modern high rises and shanty towns. This is a densely populated part of the world, with current estimates of 47,728 people/sq mi, making it the most populated place on earth. Overpopulation is in part due to people arriving from the mainland in search of opportunity and a sizable foreign workforce. Added to this, the population enjoys longevity and a low birth rate.
Half the total gross domestic product of its economy is from tourism, hotels and the gaming industry. Macau has been called the “Monte Carlo of the Orient” with its numerous gambling casinos and dens. As well as traditional Chinese games; casinos, horse racing, and greyhound racing are the gamblers’ favorites.
Visitors are drawn to its mix of Chinese and Portuguese history and its fabulous beaches. With the increase of overseas tourists visiting each year in search of relaxation and Vegas-like excitement, there has been a need in recent years for top hotels, casino and resorts to establish themselves. Visitors can now stay in the new development on the Cotai Strip, based on the Las Vegas Strip, to enjoy Vegas-style luxury in many hotel casinos such as the MGM Grand Macau, the Sands Macau and the Venetian Macau – all as opulent as their American counterparts with state of the art hotel rooms and cutting edge amenities.
Katie Steil
