MACAU, Oct. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Amap, Alibaba Group's location-based services platform, and Sands China today marked the delivery of the first batch of Tutu robot dogs at a ceremony at NBA House at The Venetian in Macau.

Tutu is taking on a new role as Sands China's Robotic Guide No. 001, after the NBA House. The robots will begin providing visitor guidance at Sands Resorts Macau.

Under the partnership, Amap will also provide resort-wide indoor navigation, drawing on spatial information about floors, walkways, shops and public facilities. Using its spatial intelligence technology, Amap will build 3D models of selected resort areas, allowing visitors to preview from different viewing angles in the Amap app before arriving.

Welcoming Guests From NBA House to the Resorts

At the ceremony, Tutu walked autonomously from the waiting area to the stage, navigating around obstacles before stopping at the center. It moved without a remote control or leash.

Dr. DeVonne Iao, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Resort Marketing at Sands China, presented Tutu with its staff badge. The robot raised a front paw for a handshake and greeted the guests: "It is an honor to become Sands China's Robotic Guide No. 001. I look forward to providing more services in the future."

"We are delighted to welcome Tutu. This is our new step to bring tourism and technology together, and we look forward to Tutu making the resort experience more convenient and welcoming for visitors," Iao said.

Amap and Sands China will explore how Tutu can serve different settings across the resorts, matching its spatial intelligence capabilities to Sands China operational needs.

Successful Navigation at NBA House

At NBA House, Tutu's duties ranged from recommending food and exchanging fist bumps with fans to guiding children to restrooms.

During one interaction, a visitor extended a handshake with Tutu. The robot raised its front paw and reciprocated. When asked to sit, it sat down. After several exchanges, the visitor asked, "Can you take me somewhere to eat?" Tutu stood up and began leading the way.

Throughout the 11-hour workday, Tutu gave way to pedestrians, completed 214 requests for directions to facilities such as restrooms and service counters, and answered 4,546 questions in Chinese and English. It maintained the context of its tasks as visitors switched between languages and asked follow-up questions. The Tutu robots traveled more than 40 kilometers throughout NBA House — equivalent to 456 laps around a basketball court.

A Starting Point for Long-Term Service

The first activation with NBA House is just the beginning of Tutu's long-term services. At NBA House, Tutu operated amid shifting crowds, background noise and frequent changes in requests, completing its assigned services. Moving from NBA House to the resorts brings a different set of challenges: longer service periods, visitor requests spread across more locations and closer coordination with existing staff workflows. All of these will require reliable equipment, effective task scheduling and coordination among multiple robots.

"Today is more than Tutu's first day on the job — it is the start of long-term service," said Zhou Haijing, Chief Financial Officer of Amap. "The true value of this partnership lies in Tutu's ability to deliver reliable service during peak periods and become an integral part of the resorts' service operations."

Amap and Sands China will continue to refine the service, combining Sands China's resort operating experience with Amap's technology. The partnership will provide further practical experience in deploying embodied AI in tourism and hospitality settings.