Inside Asian Gaming

February 2013 | INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 35 FEATURES River estuary has served it well. Macau is within a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong and Shenzhen and a two hour bus ride from Guangzhou, a city of 19 million people. Likewise, Singapore’s casinos are located in the heart of that city, convenient not only to the local population but to Malays living across the Johora Strait. In contrast, the only casino in South Korea where residents are allowed to gamble is a four-hour drive from Seoul, forcing players to endure an unpleasant and at times dangerous commute for the privilege of gambling in a legal venue. While the casino is busy, its location will limit its ability to maximize its potential. A government mandate that forces a casino to be developed in a remote location, whether intended to protect its citizenry from the temptation of gambling or to encourage economic development in a particularly depressed region, severely limits the gaming venue’s ability to maximize its economic impact. The reality is that all casino markets, be they Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Macau or Singapore, are first and foremost regional destinations, dependent on fairly frequent levels of visitation from markets that find those casinos convenient to get to. The further a casino venue is from regional population centers and the harder it is for gamers to get to that venue, the less chance it has of achieving its full economic potential. 2. Transportation Infrastructure In addition to a location that is convenient for both local and tourist visitors, casino venues also need to be serviced by sound, integrated transportation networks. This has been demonstrated in successful Beijing and Guangzhou, cutting the duration of that rail journey from 21 hours to eight. Finally, an ambitious highway, rail and bridge network is set to link Hong Kong to Macau over the coming years. Visitation is expected to increase dramatically because of these enhancements to the transportation network. Conversely, gaming venues that are difficult to reach, whether by road, rail or air, can never attract a broad base of tourists. Capacity-constrained airports and inadequate modes of surface transportation will doom even the grandest of casino developments. 3. Convenient Border Crossing and Entry Visa Process Once they get to the border entry points, visitors need to be able to cross over to their destination quickly and efficiently. The border crossing from Zhuhai to Macau is one of the busiest in the world and is capable of processing tens of thousands of people a day—yet still, it is near capacity and expansion works are in progress. Singapore’s entry points are models of efficiency and hospitality. In contrast, one need only enter the United States through the International Arrivals Terminal at the Los Angeles International Airport, where visitors and citizens alike are treated with suspicion and malevolence, to appreciate how efficiently and well-managed border crossings like those in Singapore or Macau can contribute to tourism growth and an overall sense of hospitality. Working in concert with efficient border crossings are sane and reasonable policies regarding visas. Tourists who are eager to spend their money in casinos, hotels, jurisdictions throughout the world. The success of Las Vegas depends in large part on an airport capable of delivering over 20 million visitors a year, along with a regional highway network connecting the city to the population centers of Southern California and Arizona. The casinos at Singapore’s integrated resorts were able to grow tourism by double digits after they opened with the help of a modern international airport located within a 20-minute drive from the city’s center. In addition, the city-state’s rail and bus system can quickly and efficiently transport visitors and residents to both resorts. Those mass transit systems continue to evolve, with a new MRT [Mass Rapid Transit, Singapore’s underground railway system] station opening directly beneath the Marina Bay Sands project just ahead of Chinese New Year 2012. Macau has an equally efficient transportation infrastructure that is being tested by the massive visitor influx, but is continually evolving to keep up. High- speed ferries bring patrons to Macau from a number of regional population centers. Once they disembark, an efficient road and bridge network, coupled with casino- sponsored shuttle buses, quickly bring visitors to properties throughout the city. In addition, Macau is moving forward with development of a light-rail system that will connect the city’s various border crossings with casinos in both central Macau and the Cotai Strip. The Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity Railway commenced operation on the first day of 2013, delivering passengers to the mainland city of Zhuhai, now the primary entry point for visitors into Macau. Meanwhile, in December, a regular express train service began operating between Hindered by location—Kangwon Land, the only casino in South Korea where residents are allowed to gamble, is a four-hour drive from Seoul. Critical link—the Bayfront MRT station started delivering visitors directly to Marina Bay Sands from 14th Jauary, 2012. Ferrying them in—a Turbojet destined for Macau leaves the Hong Kong terminal.