Macao received a record of four Grand and Gold Awards for its exceptional achievements in different areas of the tourism industry at this year’s Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards presentation, announced today (September 24), in an online live ceremony. Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) received two Gold Awards, Macao Institute for Tourism Studies one, and MGM China was among this year’s PATA Grand Awards winners.
The awards presentation ceremony is one of the high points of the program of PATA Travel Mart, this year held in a virtual format, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MGTO is participating in PATA Travel Mart (PTM) with a virtual booth, hosting over 20 Macao travel trade for destination promotion, business to business meetings and networking. Virtual PTM opened yesterday (September 23) and runs until Sunday.
MGTO, IFTM and MGM among this year’s winners
MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes joined PATA Chief Executive Officer Mario Hardy to reveal the list of this year’s awardees at the online ceremony. Twenty Gold Awards and three Grand Awards were presented to organizations and individuals for their innovation and excellence showcased in the different areas of marketing, sustainability and human capital development in tourism. The three Gold Awards and one Grand Award given to Macao were the most in a year collected by the city’s tourism stakeholders.
MGTO received a Gold Award for Digital Marketing Campaign with its “Sustainable Gastronomy - The Great Green Food Journey, Macao. Celebrating Creativity, Sustainability and Culture”. Conducted in partnership with National Geographic, the project shared stories in video and articles of the growing trend to change the food industry into something more sustainable, positioning the city as a destination for sustainable food in Asia and inspiring better practices, in line with Macao’s commitments as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.
“Macao's Mobile Cafe 2019”, by MGTO USA representative office, received a Gold Award in the category of Marketing Campaign (National – Asia). The initiative was a success, captivating the San Francisco market with a Macao themed truck featuring Macanese food samples, travel deals, cultural performances, and more on site, which was integrated with a broader broadcast and social media campaign, events such as cooking classes, among others, helping to raise the destination’s profile in the US market.
The initiative of Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM), “Tourism Education Student Summit (TEd Summit) Event” was recognized with a PATA Gold Award in Human Capital Development Initiative. The TEd Summit is an important tool on IFTM mission to groom talent for the tourism and hospitality industry. The annual event provides a platform for Bachelor of Science students in their final year of study to present research findings of their thesis or projects examining the operation of the industry, to key industry stakeholders.
MGM China received one of the coveted Grand Awards in the category of Human Capital Development, with the project “Unleashing Greatness – MGM’s Human Capital Development Initiative”. Riding on the belief that effective human capital development and success in business are closely intertwined, MGM China’s talent development strategy includes initiatives ranging from continuous education for its staff, to internship opportunities for local students, along with community outreach programs, like online sign language lessons.
PATA Gold Awards 2020 received a total of 121 entries from 62 organizations and individuals worldwide, including 14 entries from Macao. The winners were selected by an independent judging committee of 16 personalities from various destinations. The awards aim to set standards for excellence and innovation in the tourism industry across the Asia-Pacific. MGTO supports the awards since 1995, as a contribution to help foster a sustainable tourism industry in the region.
Macao participates in Virtual PATA Travel Mart
MGTO is taking part in PATA Travel Mart with a Macao virtual booth. Over 20 local travel agencies, hotels and tourism facilities are joining MGTO’s booth at Virtual PTM 2020, to attend pre-matched appointment sessions until Friday and join the two trade visitor days on the weekend, for virtual networking with travel trade from the Asia-Pacific to explore new opportunities.
Other highlights of Virtual PTM 2020 include PTM forums offering insights on travel recovery post COVID-19, via live presentations and discussion panels. Initially scheduled to be held in Leshan, Sichuan province, China, PTM 2020 in a virtual format is supported by the Leshan Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, and is running alongside the Sichuan International Travel Expo. Virtual PTM is the second major online event organized by PATA to stimulate the industry after the pandemic, following PATA Dream to Travel Festival, which MGTO also joined. For decades, PATA has been a significant platform for Macao to connect with the global travel trade and raise its destination profile in the world.
