Sands Cares in the Greater Bay Area: The Macao and Hengqin Study Tour for Youth

 

（Macao, May 25, 2025） – A group of Sands Cares Ambassadors and youth from the Noah Youth Growth and Development Centre and the Sheng Kung Hui Youth Leadership Development Center toured Hengqin Sunday, where they deepened their understanding of the current development status of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone and the Greater Bay Area.

Organised by Sands China and the Macau Youth Development Service Centre,Sands Cares in the Greater Bay Area: The Macao and Hengqin Study Tour for Youthtook the group of 44 to several venues, including the Exhibition Hall of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, the residential facilities at Macau New Neighbourhood, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Youth Education Office of the Constitutional and Basic Law, and the General Union of Neighbourhood Association of Macau’s Guangdong Office. The tour helped participants understand the development blueprint for the integration of Hengqin and Macao and the overall opportunities brought about by the implementation of Macao’s social service model in Hengqin. 

Dr. Wilfred Wong, executive vice chairman of Sands China Ltd., said: “Hengqin is the ‘back garden’ for Macao’s development, providing broad space for Macao’s diversified development. This study tour brought together youth from different sectors and also marked the extension of Sands China’s volunteer activities to the Greater Bay Area. Our goal was to allow this group of community volunteers and youth to gain a deep understanding of the overall development of Hengqin in terms of policy and legal frameworks, urban planning, residential environments and amenities, and social service facilities. We hope the experience will encourage young people in Macao to actively integrate into the overall development of the country, seize opportunities to participate in the development of both Macao and Hengqin, and contribute to advancing the moderate diversification of Macao’s economy.” 

As part of the tour, Sands China arranged a networking lunch with Hengqin-based entrepreneurs and professionals so that participants could exchange ideas with individuals well-versed in Hengqin’s current landscape, with an aim to increase participants’ understanding of local development and its opportunities. 

Ip Kam Po, service director of the Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Coordination Office, said: “This study tour was tailor-made for young people and the itinerary was rich. I sincerely thank Sands China for making these arrangements and inviting us and all our partners. This tour gave young people the opportunity to see the various developments in the In-depth Cooperation Zone and broaden their horizons. The conversations they had during their networking lunch helped them understand the practice of patriotism and love for Macao and the development opportunities in the Greater Bay Area, so that they can contribute to the future development of the region.” 

Chan Chi Neng, manager of the Noah Youth Growth and Development Centre, said: “Through this visit, we hope the participating youth gained an understanding of the current direction of Macao’s development in the Greater Bay Area. We hope that through the sharing of youth entrepreneurship and through their shared experiences and challenges, we can encourage young people to recognise the opportunities and space for development in the Greater Bay Area, meet their needs and put them in a stronger position for participating in development, and help them be ready for the future development of the Greater Bay Area.” 

Sands Cares in the Greater Bay Area: The Macao and Hengqin Study Tour for Youth supports Sands China’s ongoing effort to comprehensively strengthen team members’ and local community members’ knowledge of national development – empowering them to make essential contributions to the development of Macao into a world centre of tourism and leisure.