UN Tourism convened the 36th Joint Meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for East Asia and the Pacific & the UN Tourism Commission for South Asia (36th CAP-CSA) and the First UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific in Cebu, the Philippines from 26 – 28 June. Director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, attended the Joint Meeting, the Forum and related activities. She was also invited to participate in a panel session at the Forum.
Raise Macao’s profile by participation in Joint Meeting
The 36th Joint Meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for East Asia and the Pacific & the UN Tourism Commission for South Asia was held in Cebu, the Philippines. President of the Philippines, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Governor of the Province of Cebu of the Philippines, Gwendolyn F. Garcia, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Zurab Pololikashvili, and Secretary of Department of Tourism of the Philippines, Christina Garcia Frasco, addressed the opening ceremony. Macao attended the Joint Meeting as an Associate Member of UN Tourism. Chairperson and Co-Chairperson of the Joint Meeting, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Director for Asia and the Pacific of UN Tourism as well as the representatives of some Member States of UN Tourism delivered reports or expressed opinions on topics under discussion. The progress of preparations for the World Tourism Day 2024 was also on the agenda.
1st Regional Forum zeros in on gastronomy
The 1st UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific was jointly held by UN Tourism, Basque Culinary Center and the Government of the Philippines. The program encompassed an Opening Ceremony, Keynote, speakers’ presentations, panel sessions and so forth. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes engaged in one of the panel sessions for exchange of ideas with other guests. She shared about the history of Macanese cuisine, highlighting that Macao’s delicacies have become one of the major reasons why visitors come to Macao. She continued that Macao’s development as a Creative City of Gastronomy revolves around three core elements – preservation, innovation and exchange. At present, the Macao SAR Government is dedicated to collaborating with entities in different sectors, marshalling a concerted effort to propel Macao’s progress as a City of Gastronomy.
Becoming an Associate Member of UN Tourism (formerly named the World Tourism Organization, UNWTO) in 1981, Macao has built a solid foundation for cooperation with the organization. Throughout the years, Macao has been actively supporting and engaging in the events and projects organized by UN Tourism. Through participation in the Joint Meeting and Forum, MGTO hopes to connect more deeply with different Member States of UN Tourism from worldwide and strengthen international tourism cooperation, raising Macao’s profile and engagement with the international tourism organization.
