Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) paid a visit to the Macao Borderless Youth Association on 9 August to share about the development of community tourism, cultural tourism and the Macao Awareness Campaign, besides discussing with senior staff of the association about how to diversify tourism products and hearing local youths’ perspectives on involvement in tourism development across the Greater Bay Area.
MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Deputy Director Ricky Hoi, Head of Tourism Product and Events Department of MGTO, Jennifer Si Tou, Head of Tourism Product Division of MGTO, Michelle Ip, and their team met with 13 senior staffers of the Macao Borderless Youth Association for a meaningful exchange of perspectives. Senna Fernandes presented projects for community tourism, cultural tourism and the Macao Awareness Campaign. Chairman of Macao Borderless Youth Association, Chio Song Hou, shared about the development course, major annual events and future activity plans of the association. The two parties discussed different issues including development of local tourism resources and youths’ participation in the Greater Bay Area’s tourism development.
Senna Fernandes expressed that the Macao Borderless Youth Association actively pushes forward Macao’s cultural and creative development and has organized different activities for community tourism and the Macao Awareness Campaign in recent years, such as “Explore Macao with Fun” and a series of activities under a promotional scheme to enhance public awareness about the destination. Blended with tourism and cultural elements, the activities promote local cultural tourism and enable residents and visitors to experience the city from different angles. Through the visit, MGTO hopes to learn more about youths’ opinions and suggestions on the tourism development in Macao and the Greater Bay Area, and join them for a discussion about how to capitalize on tourism resources and develop a wider diversity of tourism products.
The Macao Borderless Youth Association launched the first edition of “Macao Tourism Culture Carnival” in 2017 in tandem with two activities under “The City” themed series – “Picture of the City” World Heritage photo contest and coloring contest, and “Music of the City” album of original songs by local talent, to raise higher attention and interest on local tourism cultural activities among residents and visitors. This year, the association launched an activity named “Explore Macao with Fun” to provide guiding service at designated locations, interactive games and DIY craft experience, encouraging participants to explore the charm of different local communities.
To hear young people’s ideas and enhance mutual communication, MGTO has organized an array of dialogue sessions between MGTO Director and youths since last year, inviting local tertiary students and youth organizations to express and share their points of view on local tourism development. MGTO Director also paid a visit to Junior Chamber International Macao, China last year and the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management of the Macau University of Science and Technology this year, hoping to hear more suggestions from the new generation and join hands with them to steer the tourism industry towards sustainability.
