Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said during a press conference Tuesday that this year’s Travel Expo would highlight Macau’s unique position and functions in the central government’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) development, adding that the fair would also provide a “dual platform” with the aim of creating business opportunities for industry delegates from all over the world.
The press conference about the 7th Macau International Travel (Industry) Expo was hosted by MGTO in conjunction with the Macau Travel Agency Association at Macau Tower. It was attended by about 80 officials and tourism and media representatives.
The three-day expo will run from April 26 to April 28 at the Venetian in Cotai, aiming to highlight Macau’s unique position and functions with regard to its participation in the BRI and the GBA projects.
Senna Fernandes said the expo would deliver dual-platform effects to help regional and international counterparts explore business opportunities and forge partnerships.
The MGTO director said the fair would also include a sales exhibition for the local travel trade and residents, adding that last year’s expo attracted 420 companies from over 50 countries and regions.
Over 40,000 visitors and over 300 buyers from major source markets attended last year’s fair, resulting in the signing of 38 cooperation deals, she added.
Senna Fernandes said this year’s expo launched a pre-scheduled appointment system which enabled autonomous invitations and precise matching for a full day of business appointments arranged in advance, leading to more effective and quality outcomes.
Macau’s top tourism official also said that about 430 enterprises and other entities, and 450 buyers from more than 50 countries and regions have confirmed their participation in the fair this time.
According to Senna Fernandes, the size of the expo has been further expanded. The exhibition space has been doubled from 11,000 square metres last year to 22,000 square metres this time, and the number of standard booths has been increased from 550 to 800, Senna Fernandes said.
The total cost of the expo this year is about 23 million patacas, 70 percent more than last year, according to Senna Fernandes, who said that the local government would pay 15.6 million patacas, while the rest would be borne by sponsors and generated by the exhibition revenue.
Senna Fernandes said the expo is on the way to becoming Macau’s annual international travel fair brand, hoping to garner a sound reputation and professional recognition to achieve a far-reaching impact worldwide, aimed at supporting the city’s development into a world centre of tourism and leisure.
The expo will deliver seven key highlights:
A pavilion in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region;
Fostering tourism partnerships under the Belt and Road Initiative;
Developing multi-destination itineraries in the Greater Bay Area;
Highlighting the role as a service platform between China and Portuguese-Speaking countries;
Exploring gastronomy and sustainable development;
Strengthening interaction and integration of culture and tourism;
Establishing a pre-scheduled appointment system to facilitate business matching.(Macaunews)
