Drop in for a towering thrill
THRILL SEEKERS will be able to leap off the top of 233-metre Macau Tower this summer when the landmark introduces Sky Jump as part of a package of new attractions.
The Sky Jump is the highest in the world - its equivalent in Auckland, New Zealand is 41 metres shorter - and the only one of its kind in Asia.
Designed and operated by two of the world's leading thrill makers, A.J. Hackett and Waitomo Adventures, it will have people leaping off the tower's outer rim for a 20-second drop, no less thrilling than the tower's popular Mast Climb and Skywalk X, which provide a rush of adrenalin at the tower's pinnacle.
The tower is fitted with three high-speed glass-fronted lifts to the observation deck and cafe, which offer panoramic views of the city, the South China Sea and the Pearl River Delta region.
The Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre, operated by Shun Tak Holdings, also plans to introduce a 200-slot machine hall and casino in the tower's lower level in the autumn to complement its existing range of facilities, including restaurants, a theatre, an entertainment centre and a medium-sized shopping mall.
Billed as clean, leisure tourist-targeted entertainment, the tower's attractions are constantly evolving.
'We want the tower to have a little of everything,' said managing director Mark Horan.
The tower is a popular destination for visitors, attracting more than a million a year.
'We constantly re-define our product to focus on service,' Mr Horan said.
This concentration on service has boosted the tower's prestige as a conference and events venue, as did a visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao in January and the Pacific Asia Travel Association conference in April, which drew 1,500 delegates from 44 countries.
More improvements to the tower are in the works.
Although only four years old, its reception area is already undergoing a facelift, and a new pub is scheduled to open later this year.
The pub will be 'a place where people can bring their kids'', Mr Horan said.
Shun Tak is forming a partnership with China National Travel Services and investing in an existing cross-border bus company to strengthen the territory's transportation network.
The Hong Kong-based conglomerate, is also involved in shipping, property and various other business enterprises.
