MACAO, September 27 -- A sightseeing tower higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris will open to visitors on the eve of the second anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland in December.

The new tourist attraction will push forward Macao's tourism sector, an economic pillar which contributes about 40 percent of governmental tax revenues, according to authorities from the Macao Tourism and Amusement Company (STDM), builder of the tower.

The tower stands 338 meters high, not far from the well-known Casino Lisboa.

Visitors can take one of the three elevators to reach a sightseeing floor 223 meters from the ground in just 45 seconds, to enjoy scenery within the scope of more than 50 kilometers including a few islands and the urban area of Zhuhai in neighboring Guangdong Province.

The tower also consists of a multi-functional meeting room, a rotating restaurant, a theater, an exhibition hall, an outdoor square and a garden.

The structure is expected to receive more than one million tourists in the first year.

-- source: Xinhua News Agency

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