How Lawrence Ho is weaving dreams for the integrated resort of the future

The shift reflects something deeper, too – a fundamental change in how people spend. “The way people are consuming and spending has changed,” Ho says. “No longer do people want the luxury brand with a huge logo on it. Instead, they’re into experiences. So, part of the ‘Be A Dreamer’ campaign is about how we market a lifestyle.”

Melco’s portfolio tells the story. The first City of Dreams opened in Macau in 2009; its Manila location followed in 2015 with a focus primarily on visitors from South Korea and South Asia. City of Dreams Mediterranean in Cyprus was conceived with the Israeli and European markets in mind, while the newest complex in Colombo, Sri Lanka – which opened last summer – targets the Indian market. Crucially, Ho notes, each of these destinations sits along China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a global infrastructure and economic development strategy aimed at deepening the nation’s international connectivity.

“China wants its home-grown companies and brands to go global,” Ho says. “Every market is different and we’ve done things that are new for every market; each one has to push boundaries, but within City of Dreams’ DNA. It is always a learning process for us and for our patrons as well.”

Nowhere is Melco’s appetite for boundary-pushing more visible than in its architecture and attractions. Ho singles out Morpheus at City of Dreams – designed by architect Zaha Hadid and described as the world’s first free-form, exoskeleton-bound high-rise – as a defining example. He also points to House of Dancing Water, the “once-in-a-lifetime” aquatic spectacle featuring aerial acrobatics in a 2,000-seat, purpose-built theatre, which was reimagined for its reopening last year. The new show celebrates its first anniversary this month, and expects to reach the milestone of 1 million visitors this summer. “When we first built it, people were saying it was insane and way too expensive – but it took time,” Ho says. “It’s part of something greater; we do things that offer a point of differentiation, and we want to offer exceptional experiences that people can only encounter at our resorts.”

Medical tourism is the latest initiative. Studio City’s iRad Hospital – billed as the world’s first private hospital within an integrated resort – launched in October, adding another dimension to Melco’s offerings.

Demographically, the company is changing, too. “Traditionally, Macau was a market that focused on the 40-to-60-year-old demographic,” Ho says. “However, the industry evolved during Covid, and I was concerned that people were no longer going to care for live experiences. We have not seen that happen. In fact, we are seeing lots of visitors in their 30s now.”

The shift aligns with Macau’s broader “1+4” development strategy, which seeks to reduce the territory’s reliance on gaming revenue by diversifying its economy. Ho sees City of Dreams as both a beneficiary and driver of that transformation. “Macau has transformed itself from a sleepy fishing town into the integrated resort capital of the world,” he says. “But consumer preferences are changing and they’re looking for more experiences.”

For Melco, the dream is very much still in strategic progress. In the second half of this year, City of Dreams Macau will unveil REM – a so-called unique luxury hotel that Ho says will be “unlike anything else in Greater China”.

In the longer term, Ho hopes the “Be A Dreamer” campaign will be remembered as the moment Melco unified its global resorts under a single, powerful vision.

“When people think of dreams,” Ho says, “I hope they will think of being the dreamer – and then they will think about how we create innovative, fun and exciting lifestyle experiences.”