David Beckham (left) and Dr Wilfred Wong (right) at the press launch of The Londoner Macao in 2019.
The opening of The Londoner Macao has been postponed until visitor numbers into Macau start increasing, according to Sands China president Dr Wilfred Wong.
Speaking at the opening of the Sands Shopping Carnival at Cotai Expo earlier this summer, Dr Wong admitted that the soft opening of the integrated resort, which was previously slated for September this year, would instead be determined by the resumption of the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS).
Through the scheme, neighbouring Guangdong Province removed mandatory quarantine on visitors returning from Macau from July 15. However, according to Wong, visitor numbers have increased only slightly and hotel occupancy in Macau remains low.
The ‘third wave’ of infections in Hong Kong over the summer also delayed the recovery of the Macau tourism industry as entry restrictions on Hong Kongers entering Macau have remained in place.
The Londoner Macao is Sands China’s US$2.2 billion transformation of Sands Cotai Central. Construction has continued throughout the pandemic and the first phase was on-track to be completed by this month.
The ambitious resort will feature a 6,000-seat arena, British-themed boutiques at Shoppes at The Londoner retail mall replicating the UK capital’s most famous shopping streets, including Bond Street, Mayfair and Savile Row, and a number of restaurants, including a British-style restaurant called Churchill’s Table and a Gordon Ramsay gastropub. It is intended for the theatre, part of the hotel’s MICE offerings, to eventually host West End shows.
David Beckham was brought in to help open the hotel and he personally designed the 12 top-floor suites.
The main external facade of The Londoner Macao is due to be completed in 2021 and will replicate London's Houses of Parliament and the Elizabeth Tower which houses the world-famous Big Ben clock.