A little-noticed filing towards the end of last month said it all. Hong Kong-listed Macao Success, a HK$1bn regional tour operator formerly known as Travel Success, is changing its name again. Call it Success Universe Group, please. Association with the world's biggest gambling hub used to confer a certain glamour. Now the connotations – profligacy, over-stretch – are growing less desirable. Casino revenues across Macao, down 12 per cent in the first half, are heading for their first year-on-year loss. VIP baccarat, responsible for about two-thirds of takings, was down almost a fifth.
上月底一份鮮有人關注的文檔說明了一切。香港上市公司澳門實德(Macao Success)再次更名——這家市值10億港元的地區旅遊營運商原名實德之旅(Travel Success)。如今請稱之爲實德環球有限公司(Success Universe Group)吧!與全球最大賭博中心的聯合,曾賦予該公司某種魅力。如今,其隱含之意——恣意揮霍、緊張刺激——正日漸失去吸引力。澳門賭場收入今年上半年下降了12%,有可能首次出現收入同比下降的情況。貢獻了約三分之二營業額的VIP百家樂,收入下降了約五分之一 。