The temporary closure of the Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel was in order to protect the safety of tourists, said the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng.

There was a risk that Macao’s image as a tourism destination would have been harmed had the Government not acted against the hotel, Mr Tam told reporters on Sunday (24 July).

The Government has ruled that Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel must close for six months with effect from 23 July, due to what was considered serious administrative irregularities, including failures to follow essential fire safety procedures.

This was not a hasty decision, said Mr Tam. The Macao Government Tourism Office and the Fire Services Bureau had for some time been advising the hotel to improve its facilities; in particular its fire safety measures, in order to comply with Macao regulations, he added.

The temporary closure of the hotel – due to the non-compliance with required standards – was just an individual case within Macao’s hotel industry, said Mr Tam. He added that the Government paid close attention to the standards of all facilities in all of Macao’s hotels.

Mr Tam additionally gave some comment regarding the future of the site of the former Estoril Hotel. A redevelopment plan for the site would be discussed during a meeting of the Urban Planning Committee to be held today (25 July).

The Government’s idea was to turn the site into a recreational and sports centre for young people, said Mr Tam. The results of a public consultation showed a majority of those expressing opinions were not in favour of keeping the façade of the former hotel. He also said the Government would take into consideration architects’ suggestions regarding how to deal with the decorative mosaic on the old building’s exterior.