Amap on Friday launched a data-driven tourism initiative alongside what it called the world's first city-level "Flying Street View" in Macao, as the Chinese mapping giant deepens its push into AI-powered travel services.

Backed by Macao's tourism authority, the event — held at The Londoner Macao — included the signing of a strategic cooperation memorandum between Amap, Macau Pass and Sands China, underscoring a broader effort to digitalize the city's visitor economy and link it more tightly with China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Alongside the new mapping feature, Amap also introduced a curated ranking of 90 eateries and local businesses aimed at guiding visitors toward lesser-known neighborhood spots.

The list aggregates restaurants, cafés and street food outlets using what the company describes as a "vote with your feet" methodology — which analyzes large-scale navigation and foot-traffic data rather than user reviews or paid placements.

Amap said the Macao edition features food outlets across six categories, including traditional tea houses, street noodles and local-style cafés, aiming to surface authentic, street-level dining experiences.

"Macao is advancing the integration of tourism and gastronomy," said Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office. "These initiatives help visitors discover more authentic local flavors and stimulate consumption vitality."

Tourist arrivals to Macao surpassed 40 million in 2025, official data showed, hitting a record high and intensifying competition among merchants for visibility.

Unlike conventional rankings that rely heavily on subjective ratings, Amap's system builds a credibility framework based on real-world mobility data, surfacing small, often hidden shops that reflect the city's street-level culture — a move analysts say could reshape how digital platforms influence offline consumption.

Since September 2025, Amap's ranking system has directed an estimated 380 million visits to restaurants, attractions and hotels.

To capture this growing demand, Amap and Macau Pass introduced a "Macao Support Plan", offering AI-powered digital storefronts, operational tools, traffic subsidies and influencer-driven promotions aimed at helping small businesses convert online exposure into sales.

Under the newly signed agreement, Sands China will integrate Amap's digital ecosystem into its membership platform, enhancing marketing, navigation and retail digitization across its portfolio of more than 150 restaurants.

"This partnership is a concrete step in using digital technology to upgrade Macao's food industry," said Wilfred Wong, vice-chairman of Sands China, adding that the company aims to deliver a seamless experience from online discovery to offline consumption.

Amap CEO Guo Ning said the initiative reflects a broader ambition to turn real-world consumer behavior into "computable and transferable trust assets", positioning the platform as infrastructure for the next phase of smart tourism.