Uber on! Ride-hailing firm performs U-turn and decides to stay in Macau
Company thanks the hundreds who took to the streets against the government’s crackdown on the operator and the thousands who backed signature campaign
Ride-hailing firm Uber has taken a U-turn over its decision to quit Macau and announced on Friday that it will keep operating in the casino enclave.
The change of heart came after more than 300 supporters of the taxi-like service took to the streets last Sunday to protest against the government’s crackdown on the company. They called for the Macau government to legalise ride-hailing businesses and accused the authorities of protecting the vested interests of the taxi trade.
Uber had earlier announced it would pull out of Macau on Friday, blaming heavy penalties imposed on its drivers, harassment of passengers and the authorities’ reluctance to regulate the car-sharing industry.
However, in a statement entitled “Thank you, Macau. Uber on!” issued by the Uber Macau team, it said they were grateful for the overwhelming support they had received in the past few weeks, including over 23,000 signatures backing their operation.
“We’ve heard every single one of you, and we could not be more grateful,” the statement said. “So, after much deliberation, Uber will continue to serve the riders and drivers of Macau.”
The city has a dire shortage of regular taxis and many drivers refuse to take locals, so there is great demand for Uber’s ride-hailing service. At present, there are over 1,300 taxis in Macau, which has a population of about 650,000 and an annual average of more than 30 million tourists.
