Pauline Leung (the fourth from right) promotes Macau tour in Taiwan

Over the last fifteen years since return to the Motherland, Macau has gone through dramatic changes as a city with its booming economy. On this small land, one will not only find modern skyscrapers and dazzling casinos but also quaint world heritage in the same quarter. Growing up in Macau, Pauline Leung excels at promoting the destination in her job as the Chief Consultant of Public Relations in Taiwan, China appointed by Macau Government Tourist Office

A city of modernity and antiquity
Born in Hong Kong but raised in Macau, Leung moved to Taiwan with her husband later on in her life. Though not exactly a local, Leung fell in love with Macau and its beauty since young. Her fondness for this city was rooted through those years of childhood memories. Witnessing the city’s transformation, she hopes that Macau will make a continuous effort to preserve its historical monuments and cultural roots, to stand as a city brimming with both modern and antique charm. 

A city of culinary delights
Nostalgic for the past, she recalled the old days in Macau when neighborhoods were bustled with street vendors selling lip-smacking delicacies like rice noodles with beef brisket, steamed rice rolls and waffles. There were peddlers shouldering a pole with baskets and hawking bread through streets and alleys. Since those days, Macau has been a city with enticing delicacies. Today, Leung is dedicated to promoting the city’s gourmet delights as one of her missions in destination marketing.

Connected with the city from afar
Settling in Taiwan with her husband, Leung remains emotionally attached to Macau. With her own effort, she opened a public relations company and was then appointed the Chief Consultant of Public Relations in Taiwan by Macau Government Tourist Office to promote Macau and its beauty to people there.

Thrilled at this job opportunity tailor-made for her, Leung is excited to be part of every marketing function and share her passion for Macau. She has also become locally known for her thorough knowledge about this charming destination. 

History and traditions preserved
Turning from a backwater fishing village into a famous tourist city today, Macau has become a better place in Leung’s eyes. Nevertheless, she sees a great need to preserve the city’s quaint aroma, because those ancient monuments and cultural gems carry people’s collective memories and prove the same roots they share. It is also this sense of belonging that draws people together in Macau, something visitors would come to appreciate in the journey.   

Revitalization of nostalgic lane
In recent years, glamorous new tourism facilities have sprung up around town. Despite so, the Historic Centre of Macau remains an important tourism asset of the city. MGTO is making a great effort to promote community tourism and encourage visitors to stroll along various designed routes around the lesser-known parts of the city. Leung suggests the Government to revitalize Travessa do Auto Novo into a quarter of creative culture or a bazaar of traditional delicacies.

A place with stories to tell
Leung shared that Taiwanese people are especially fond of places with stories to tell because the cultural essence of a place precisely lies in these stories. Coming through a long history over four and a half centuries, Macau is filled with interesting and touching stories that give life to this city. Grasping these stories and cultural treasures to tell, Leung and her marketing team have creatively presented Macau to Taiwanese people since 1992 and successfully attracted many to visit Macau and come back again.

Leung and her team have gotten their creative juices flowing in the fun names they created for different travel packages. In one of them, a nighttime tour around the world heritage site was recommended to visitors, making it more romantic to appreciate the quaint architecture at night. Another travel package highlighted Macau as a wedding destination and encouraged visitors to take pre-wedding photos at the picturesque monuments and lanes. Their innovative marketing strategies are going hand-in-hand with the continuous diversification of tourism products Macau offers. 

Over the past fifteen years, the city is rapidly developing with its tourism and gaming industry. Nevertheless, when slowing down to walk amid the older districts, one can discover the true hidden gems of Macau.