The 10^th Global Tourism Economy Forum · Macao 2023 (GTEF or the “Forum”), an annual seminal event for the global tourism industry, will be held at the Galaxy International Convention Center in Macao from 20 to 23 September. The Forum will bring together ministers of culture and tourism, industry leaders, decision-makers, scholars and stakeholders from different sectors of the tourism industry for an insightful dialogue around the theme “Destination 2030: Unlocking the Power of Tourism for Business and Development”.

In the context of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Forum will navigate opportunities for steering the global tourism economy towards revival by “thinking beyond tourism”. It will lead in-depth discussions on how to construct a resilient, high-quality and people-oriented environment for the tourism industry in the new normal through innovative and sustainable international cooperation.

2^nd GTEF • Investment and Financing Conference will convene in advance

The 2^nd GTEF • Investment and Financing Conference (the “Conference”) will lift curtains upon the 10^th GTEF, which will be held for four consecutive days, the longest edition since its inception. The Conference is organized by the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC) in collaboration with Ivy Alliance Tourism Consulting Co. Ltd on 20 and 21 September. Around the topic of “Innovation and High-Quality Development, Tourism Investment and Cooperation for the Next Decade”, senior Chinese and overseas tourism officials, CEOs and leaders from international financial institutions, leading investment platforms, renowned cultural and tourism investment groups, investment funds, tourism think tanks and tourism operators will share insightful perspectives at the Conference. Participants will zero in on high-quality tourism development in China and examine key trends and emerging opportunities for tourism project development. By taking a close look at Macao, they will also explore how the city can create a favorable environment for greater investment and expedite modern financial development.

The Forum will grandly open on Thursday (21 September) with diverse program and agenda

To grandly commence in the morning of 21 September, GTEF 2023 will be graced by the presence of Italy as the Partner Country and Shanghai as the Featured Chinese City, which will unleash the potential of mutual cooperation between China and other countries as travel markets. In addition to discussions and keynote speeches, the program will feature special interviews, case studies and casual fireside dialogues as a new highlight, with the aim to inject new ideas and momentum into the robust development of the global tourism economy, so that different destinations around the world can gain value from new opportunities and create better lives. In addition, the integrated resort enterprises in Macao are invited to be the Forum’s leading partners in celebration of the 10^th anniversary.

The four-day Forum program is replete with diverse activities including about 14 discussion sessions. Topics on the agenda include “Towards Destination 2030: Investing in People, Planet, and Prosperity”, “Leading the Way: Industry-Driven Innovations for High-quality Development”, “Unlocking the Potential of the Greater Bay Area with Special Focus on Macao-Hengqin Integration”, “Sustainability in Focus: Navigating the Future of Tourism in Asia”, “Redefining City Tourism for the Next Decade”, “A Renewed Vision: Reshaping Tourism in Europe” and “Tourism Makes People’s Lives Better”. Participants will gain a comprehensive picture of new trends and embrace rising opportunities.

Cloud online and offline exchange for advanced development

GTEF 2023 will be live broadcast throughout the event. Replays will be available for European and US time zones so that participants around the world will be able to replay the brilliant remarks by various ministerial officials, leaders in business and cultural tourism sectors, experts and scholars, through cross-sector platforms that transcend geographical and temporal boundaries. It will also expand coverage and enhance participation among target audiences.

Online business matching sessions for tourism enterprises to “go global”

Serving as a major component of GTEF and an efficient platform for business development, business matching sessions have for years engaged hundreds of tourism-related enterprises and brands from Macao and around the globe. The entities have leveraged the platform to expand their resources, foster industry exchange and facilitate fruitful corporate collaborations, in turn boosting the local economy. On 20 and 21 September, GTEF will collaborate with Tencent Cloud, the cloud business under Tencent. Through providing online business matching sessions, GTEF will enable various enterprises to bring together business resources across the world more effectively and create business opportunities through the power of internet.

Dedication to becoming a “Davos” for the global tourism industry in celebration of the 10^th anniversary

The Forum is organized by the Secretariat for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and coordinated by the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre. Since its inception in Macao in 2012, GTEF has leveraged the institutional advantages of “One Country, Two Systems” and built a diverse and multifunctional platform for international tourism exchange and cooperation, committed to promoting the innovative and sustainable development of the tourism economy. GTEF offers timely insights into the major topics in the tourism industry and promptly navigates the possibilities unlocked by the latest tourism and economic policies adopted by Macau and the Country. The past nine editions of the Forum have fully manifested the spirit of openness, cooperation and exploration, and garnered great recognition from across the worldwide cultural tourism industry. Carrying on its achievements with continued development over the years, GTEF strives to contribute as a “Davos” for the global tourism industry, engage more stakeholders and reinforce the foundation for the sustainable development of the global tourism economy.

For more information about GTEF’s program and renowned speakers, please visit www.gte-forum.comand follow its official social media channels for the latest news.