Inside Asian Gaming

APRIL 2018 INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 37 COLUMNISTS so that they can provide more guests with better travel experience and realize higher operating efficiency. On the guest front, this would mean less time and hassle on the road, which translates to longer stays, higher frequency of visits and perhaps higher spend for each visit. Furthermore, China’s direct investments, from both private and government-driven sectors, to the countries on agriculture, forestry, fishery and sophisticated industries such as energy, information technology, machinerymanufacturing,oceanengineering and marine bio-pharmacy, are expected to establish a sizable and consistent volume of business travelers through the economic corridors. Additionally, these business activities are going to generate a substantial demand for conferences and exhibitions. International forums and exhibitions at regional and sub-regional levels are expected to be hosted by countries along the Belt and Road, allowing for potential opportunities to develop more business-oriented meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) facilities and other supportive amenities to embrace a full-range integrated resort (IR) model. WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING? In light of the initiative, a cursory review of what the Asian gaming stakeholders have been doing in the past year or two reveals some pioneering progress along the Belt and the Road. Along the Belt, in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan where the Chinese government has provided funds for construction of a new international airport, the Tengri Resort is being developed to contain hotels, residences, casinos, other leisure amenities and even educational and medical facilities, with involvement from several Asian gaming stakeholders. In Russia, other than the Tigre de Cristal Resort and the ongoing construction of a casino resort by NagaCorp Ltd in the Primorye Integrated Entertainment Zone (IEZ) near Vladivostok in the Far East region, the approved establishment of gambling zones in Crimea and Sochi remains on the radar of numerous gaming companies. As the Belt reaches into Europe, Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd has acquired a stake in the casino firm Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) that operates four casinos and several hotel properties in the Monaco principality, including Casino de Monte- Carlo. Far East Consortium International, a Hong Kong-listed public firm, recently announced that it is in the process of acquiring Trans World Corporation, a company that currently owns and operates three casinos and five hotels in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. In fact, it is a common point of view Along the Belt, in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan, the Tengri Resort is being developed which will include hotels, casinos and other leisure amenities.