Year: 2019

Source: United Airlines Newsroom

“Macao Light Festival 2019 – Explore the Light” is set to dazzle different places in Macao from 1st to 31st December, manifesting the sound development of the Macao Special Administrative Region since its establishment 20 years ago through the splendour of light artistry. Staged for the fifth year, Macao Light Festival will illuminate the city’s northern district for the first time, and once again feature participation of non-local teams just as last year. Four teams coming from Spain, Portugal, Japan and Shenzhen will join two Macao teams to present an array of projection mapping shows.

Held for the fifth year, the Macao Light Festival will be staged from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. On the night of 31st December 2019, the light installations at Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre, Anim’Arte Nam Van and the white canopy at Nam Van will be illuminated until 0:10 midnight on 1st January 2020. Themed as “Explore the Light” this year, the Festival will once again present an extravaganza of projection mapping shows, light installations, interactive games and more, covering 15 locations across four districts including the newly-featured northern district, enabling residents and visitors to experience the unique charm of each community. Audiences can appreciate the light artistry while sharing their dazzling journey to “explore the light” in the city with selfie and check-in opportunities en route. Macao Tourism Mascot “MAK MAK” will join local and visiting spectators to explore four glittery routes and Macao’s evolving cityscape over the last two decades through different angles in the art of light. The adventure will be reminiscent of stories and memories belonging to the people of Macao, and evoke the joy brought by celebrations of the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao SAR.

1.“Light of Age” in the northern district will connect different places including Leisure Area in Rua do General Ivens Ferraz, Leisure Area at Baía Norte do Patane on Rua Norte do Patane and Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome. Various spots will be festooned along the route to sparkle like a star-studded sky. Spectators can get lost in the beauty of “Eight Planets” at Leisure Area in Rua do General Ivens Ferraz, hop onto a future spaceship for an experience of “Space Travel”, or enjoy a walk down the memory lane through different decades in Macao with the mapping show “Memory of Macau Canidrome” at Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome.

2.“Light of Memory” in the central district and St. Lazarus’ Parish will connect Leisure Area at Largo da Sé, Ruins of St. Paul’s, Rua dos Ervanários, Largo do Pagode do Bazar and Calçada da Igreja de S. Lázaro. Spectators can experience the fun of “Swinging Cascade” and “AR Magic Sandbox” at Largo do Pagode do Bazar. “Homey Lamp” at Calçada da Igreja de S. Lázaro, will project different home lightings commonly used in different ages, which will mirror the changes in people’s life in Macao.

3.“Light of Colors” in Nam Van and Sai Van Districts will cover Anim’Arte Nam Van, Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre, the white canopy at Nam Van as well as St. Joseph’s Seminary Church. The route will feature a cascade projection titled “Floating Wonder”, a mega light installation “Glistening Lotus” and more, besides an encounter with “Big Mak”, a huge 12-meter-tall balloon “MAK MAK” at Anim’Arte Nam Van. Audiences can enjoy “Flow of Melody”, a piano performance paired with light installation, or shop for local signature delicacies and cultural and creative products in “Anim’Arte Market”.

4.“Light of Harmony” at Our Lady of Carmel Parish will cover the Taipa Houses, Largo dos Bombeiros and the square in front of Pak Tai Temple. “Tide of Love” will project light effects resembling ocean tides at Taipa Houses, creating harmonious scenery imbued with romantic aroma. A mapping show named “Carnival” will be staged at Largo dos Bombeiros to showcase the cultural gems and culinary delights from Portugal, bringing to life the creative dynamic of Macao as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

Mapping Shows in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao SAR
A total of six teams will present projection mapping shows this year, including the teams from Spain, Portugal, Japan and Shenzhen as well as two local teams. Themed in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao SAR, the shows will be staged at two
attractions in the World Heritage Site – “The Historic Centre of Macao”, namely the Ruins of St. Paul’s and St. Joseph’s Seminary Church (the last mapping show will start at 9:50 p.m. every night).

The following mapping shows will be staged at the Ruins of St. Paul’s:
Created by a Spanish team, the mapping show titled “Bloom” will highlight the quaint beauty of the architectural design of the Ruins of St. Paul’s and Macao’s unique cultural legacy. Portraying the incessant growth of different elements in nature, the show will celebrate birth and prosperity. Its background music will be a blend of modern tunes and traditional instrumental music from China and Portugal, emitting festive and colorful vibes. “The Adventures of Snow”, created by a team from Shenzhen as a city in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, will unfold the adventures of a snowflake which will float past attractive delicacies, enjoy the thrill of motorsport and visit a magnificent church. Surprises will be discovered along the journey, paying tribute to Macao with dreamlike imagination brought to life. A local production “The Time of Joy” will weave colorful lively patterns and lines, paired with the vigorous rhythm of its original music, into the story of Macao as a fishing village in the old days, the cityscape in cultural harmony and the joyful celebrations of the 20th anniversary.

The following mapping shows will be staged at St. Joseph’s Seminary Church: “Macao’s Light Journey” presented by a Portuguese team will lead spectators to revisit Macao’s historic moments. With the art of projection mapping, the vibrant, colorful and festive show will
manifest the East-meets-West cultures, World Heritage, gastronomy and diversity of events and festivals in Macao. Coming from Japan, the show “Prism” will depict Macao’s historic stories. Combining the light effects made possible with 20 new-model programmable LED lights, the show paints the city’s budding harmony highlighted by the exquisite architectural style of St. Joseph’s Seminary Church, expressing best wishes for Macao’s continuous progress in harmony. Another local production “Let’s ‘20’ Together!” will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao SAR through diverse and colorful projections. Images of sprout, lotus, festive carnival and other elements will be incorporated into the show to embody Macao’s flourishing development in the last two decades and visualize the city’s future brimming with dreams andhopes.

Interactive light installations bestow blessings upon Macao

“Macao Light Festival 2019 – Explore the Light” will feature interactive light installations in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao SAR. Beneath the white canopy at Nam Van, “Joy to the World” will allow residents and visitors to send their best wishes for Macao onto the huge screen on-site via the mobile app for Macao Light Festival 2019. Another interactive light installation known as “Memory in Time” at Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre will offer audiences a window into Macao’s journey over the last 20 years from 1999 to 2019, highlighting the momentous times since the Macao SAR was established 20 years ago.

Redeem gifts via sharing on Light Festival mobile app or social platforms

The mobile app for Macao Light Festival 2019 (with content available in Traditional/Simplified Chinese and English) offers event information, route navigation as well as features for commenting and gift redemption. The mobile app can be downloaded for free on App Store or Google Play as the Light Festival arrives. The public can complete different activities for gift redemption via the mobile app or social media platforms according to instructions. Gifts of Macao Light Festival 2019 can be redeemed at designated information stations located at Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre, Anim’Arte Nam Van, Largo do Pagode do Bazar, Leisure Area at Baía Norte do Patane and the Taipa Houses.

Opening Ceremony on 1st December
Macao Light Festival 2019 will be unveiled with an opening ceremony at Anim’Arte Nam Van in the evening of 1st December, inviting residents and visitors to “Explore the Light” in Macao. For more information about Macao Light Festival 2019, please stay tuned on MGTO’s website (www.macaotourism.gov.mo), MGTO’s WeChat ID (“mgtoweixin”) and themed pages on Facebook (2019 Macao Light Festival) and Instagram (macaolightfestival2019). The public can also download the mobile app for Macao Light Festival 2019.

Media inquiries:
Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Representative in Malaysia
Tel: +603 2144 2500
Email: mgto@pacificworld.travel
Facebook & Instagram Page: Macao Tourism Malaysia
YouTube: MYMacao TV

Aeroflot ranks first by punctuality in October 2019 among world’s top 20 airlines, according to OAG, UK’s major provider of global travel data and insight.

As revealed by monthly OAG On-Time Performance Report, in October 2019, Aeroflot operated 89.8% of its flights on schedule. This result makes the Russian airline the punctuality leader among Europe’s carriers operating over 30 thousand flights monthly. Aeroflot outperformed its key competitors improving its September OTP result by 0.6 p.p.

Earlier, Aeroflot received five-star punctuality rating from OAG, becoming the only Russian and the largest European airline by passenger traffic to receive the highest score. Aeroflot made it to the only 10% of On-Time Performance Star Ratings to receive the highest five-star rating.

Aeroflot has been constantly improving its punctuality result through a host of effective measures. These included strict implementation of boarding regulations. Future plans include innovations based on the latest digital technologies, such as biometric controls, that will significantly accelerate pre-flight airport procedures for passengers.

Source: Aeroflot News

Holland America Line celebrated the keel laying of its new 2,668-passenger Ryndam Nov. 21, 2019, at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy. A 505-ton block, about 14 by 34 meters, was lowered by crane into the yard’s building dock, marking the official beginning of construction. The Pinnacle Class ship is scheduled for delivery in May 2021.

The event was attended by Keith Taylor, Holland America Group’s executive vice president, fleet operations, and Jan Koller, Holland America Line’s project manager, newbuilds. The block laid was one of 85 blocks in total that will make up the ship. 

“The keel laying is an important construction milestone because it marks the moment when we can really start to watch the ship take shape and progress toward its launch in 18 months,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “Adding Ryndam to our fleet will provide a new canvas for us to share our brand and enable us to show the world to even more cruisers.”

As the third in the series, Ryndam will feature the highly successful Pinnacle Class amenities and innovations including the 270-degree surround screen World Stage, Rudi’s Sel de Mer, Grand Dutch Cafe, Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club and Rolling Stone Rock Room. The ship’s design will be created by leading hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany and designer and architect Bjørn Storbraaten.

This is the 17th ship constructed for Holland America Line by Italian shipyard Fincantieri, which most recently built Pinnacle sister ship Nieuw Statendam. The cruise line began its relationship with Fincantieri in 1992 with the building of Statendam.

The first Ryndam was part of the Holland America Line fleet from 1901 to 1929, starting as Rijndam before receiving the English spelling in 1923. In 1927 Ryndam I became the first Holland America Line ship to sail a world cruise, although it was chartered as a floating school at sea for that voyage. The second Ryndam served from 1951 to 1973, and the third sailed in the fleet from 1993 through 2015, when it was transferred to sister brand P&O Australia and now cruises as Pacific Aria.