Melco Crown urges eased visa rules for China mart

MELCO Crown Philippines Resorts Corp., operator of the City of Dreams Manila casino complex along Manila Bay, said the government could do more to attract visitors to the country, which would help boost tourism and the gaming industry.

City of Dreams Manila property president Geoffry Andres told reporters Monday that easing visa requirements for Chinese tourists was a key step in achieving this.

He noted that the mainland Chinese market, for example, remained largely untapped.

“We’re just starting but I think there are a lot of opportunities for the mainland Chinese market,” Andres told reporters following the company’s annual meeting on Monday. “If we do that, I think that’s gonna raise all, not only for the gaming market but also for the tourism industry overall.”

He added that other countries have made it easier for Chinese tourists to visit, citing the easing of travel requirements for Australia, the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, among others.

City of Dreams Manila is the result of a venture between Melco Crown and taipan Henry Sy’s Belle Corp. The gaming complex was the second to open its doors in 2014 within the massive Entertainment City complex. The first was Solaire Resort and Casino of billionaire Enrique Razon Jr.

Manila Bay Resorts of Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada is opening later this year, while Resorts World Bayshore will open toward the end of 2020.

Melco Crown Philippines reported a gross revenue of P4.53 billion for three months, almost double of their gross revenue of P2.34 million for the same period last year.

The company also incurred a three-month net loss of P1.13 billion, which is smaller than their net loss of P3.09 billion in the same period last year.