On behalf of Macao, China as a guest economy, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Economic and Technological Development Bureau attended the 66th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Tourism Working Group Meeting (the “Meeting”), held in Qingdao from 14 to 16 October. During the Meeting, MGTO presented an overview of Macao’s latest tourism situation and the Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan, while exchanging ideas with representatives of APEC’s member economies on the outlook of tourism, which elevated Macao’s influence and engagement with international tourism organizations.
The APEC Tourism Working Group convenes two meetings annually, which MGTO regularly attends on behalf of Macao, China as a guest economy. This year, following the Office’s participation in the 65th APEC Tourism Working Group Meeting in Korea this July, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and others attended the latest Meeting in Qingdao, Shandong Province.
International tourism meeting fosters exchange and development
The program of the Meeting included an opening ceremony, discussions on work plans, group discussions, familiarization visit and closing ceremony, among others. The meeting agenda covered the progress of implementation and practices in the four priority areas of the current Strategic Plan of the APEC Tourism Working Group: Digital Transformation, Human Capital Development, Travel Facilitation and Competitiveness, as well as Sustainable Tourism and Economic Growth. There were group discussions under the themes of “Trendy tourism sector in digital age”, “We are connected” and “Empower all, Sustain all”.
Capitalizing on the international platform brought by the Meeting, Macao delegates gained an update about the latest work of the APEC Tourism Working Group, while exchanging insights and learning from other economies’ valuable experience. Their participation furthers Macao’s engagement with international tourism organizations, builds international relations and contributes to propelling sustainable tourism development in Macao.
Share Macao’s smart tourism development in group discussion
Revolving around the theme of “Trendy tourism sector in digital age” at the group discussion session, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes presented the Office’s measures to foster smart tourism development in Macao, including the launch of “Macao Full of Fun – Smart Trip Planner”, “Macao Tourism AI Chatbot” and “smart application for visitor flows”. Besides the introduction of advanced virtual-reality and augmented-reality technology at the Macao Grand Prix Museum to elevate visitors’ experience, she shared about MGTO’s direction of advancing smart tourism in the future, and the dedication to exploring the latest means of tourism technology application. Through smart tourism application, the Office seeks to optimize visitors’ travel experience before, during and after their journey, in turn raising tourism quality and extending visitors’ length of stay in Macao.
The APEC Tourism Working Group was established in 1991 for tourism administrators of APEC’s member economies to share information and exchange views, serving as a platform that supports cooperation and development of various destinations in tourism and trade. Since Macao, China was granted the status of Guest Economy in the APEC Tourism Working Group in 2001, MGTO has been attending the Tourism Working Group meetings regularly, actively participating in international tourism meetings. Through sharing and discussions, the Office gains a more comprehensive picture of the latest trends and direction of the tourism industry development in the Asia Pacific region, which facilitates the long-term development of Macao as a world centre of tourism and leisure.
