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23 Sept 2026
Sizzling fandom turns Rua do Cunha shops into supply stations
A wave of idolisation has swept across Rua do Cunha as Taipa’s pulsating heartland lies covered in celebrity posters ahead of a forecast Golden Week tourism influx from the Chinese mainland.
According to a Wednesday on‑site observation by the MNA, life‑size posters of idols appear splashed across the shopfronts, featuring their porcelain skin and rose‑red lips.
The sight, as the MNA learnt from some shop managers, is the result of burgeoning partnerships with fan clubs.
Jason Jiang, a store manager of a business selling Portuguese imports to mainland Chinese travellers, told the MNA that most snack shops had relied on such collaborations to boost their sales.
‘The way I see it, these partnerships work better for fast‑moving consumer products, such as food and drinks,’ he shared. ‘For instance, buns, drinks, or ice creams. Those products are probably more suitable.’
The business Jiang managed had previously dabbled in partnerships of this kind, hoping to reap returns from the growing fandom.
However, the plan did not unfold as envisaged. He continued, ‘For us as a souvenir seller, it is a bit different.’
‘Most of these fans are still rather young, and their spending power isn’t really there yet,’ said Jiang.
Concerts by pop stars are nowadays a vital profit driver for Macau, which is striving to burnish its reputation as a ‘hub of performances’ under the government’s latest all‑inclusive five‑year plan.
In response to that call, casino operators have been churning out star‑studded shows to cater to every age bracket.
Recent ticketing information from Galaxy Macau, one of the city’s six principal players in the gaming sector, shows that at least 20 concerts have been pencilled in, spanning Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and South Korean languages.
Where there is demand, there is supply.
‘These support groups are usually headed by a leader or organiser,’ Jiang added. ‘They would come, talk to us, and suggest: “Our idol is having a concert soon. Would you like to support it?”’
Under the partnerships, the fan groups consider these business premises to be a supply depot, where fans descend and retrieve their community re
In return, business owners offer fans discounts and deals during their visits.
‘Look around Rua do Cunha these days, there are snack shops everywhere selling things like beef offal, milk tea, and ice cream,’ the Loja Das Conservas manager noted.
‘These items are affordable to fans, who would want food and drinks as they come.’
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