Social media stars get all revved up over Macao

MACAO — At the Macao Grand Prix Museum, Patrick Koellmer, a German well-known on Chinese social media, immersed himself in the VR experience of road racing.

"It's so exciting!" he acclaims. "We Germans love motor racing. This museum reminds me of the BMW Museum in Munich."

Koellmer and several other social media influencers are taking part in an event organized by media groups on the Chinese mainland to visit six major cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and experience the region's vitality and innovative charm. They recently spent a weekend in Macao.

Having lived in China for over a decade, Koellmer graduated from Xiamen University in East China's Fujian province and now works in Zhuhai, a city in South China's Guangdong province that borders Macao. He loves sharing Chinese food, scenery and culture on social media.

"I've been to Macao before, but I didn't know the motor racing culture here is so rich," he says, promising to share his interesting experiences from the trip on the internet.

Xiong Suwan, whose social media account focuses on food and culture in Hong Kong, says she was most impressed by the famous tourist sights of Macao such as the ruins of St. Paul's and local delicacies.

"It's very easy to get to Macao or Zhuhai from Hong Kong," says Xiong, who moved to Hong Kong after getting married five years ago.

"Some of my family in Hong Kong had never visited Zhuhai before. I took them there a while ago. They had a real experience of the convenience of living in the Greater Bay Area," Xiong says.

Wang Yun-ting, an internet celebrity from Taiwan who now lives in Shanghai, says she is amazed by the convenient transport between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

Wang plans to recommend to her followers a weekend trip to Hong Kong and Macao to feel the charm of the two cities, particularly the nightlife in Macao.

"Saturday in Hong Kong and Sunday in Macao, then you can return home for work on Monday," she adds.

Karyna Kovalevska, a Ukrainian who married a Chinese man in 2021 and came to live in China, describes Macao as "a well-developed city with many beautiful buildings and friendly people".

Now working together with her husband as e-commerce streamers selling fruit, Karyna says she looked forward to this trip to the Greater Bay Area and hoped to make more friends here.

"I hope my followers on the internet, particularly foreigners, can learn more about this area through my videos and better understand China's development," she adds.

Xinhua