The Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) announced thursday the proposed routes of four new walking tours in Macau, with one each in Taipa and Coloane, one in St Anthony’s Parish and one in the northern district.
Addressing a press conference, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said her office would conduct surveys with shop owners and residents in the neighbourhoods where the routes pass through from May 19 to June 19, while local citizens could submit their ideas online on the MGTO website during that period. She added that six public consultation sessions about the new routes will be held this month.
“We’ll try to officially announce the final version of the four routes on September 27, World Tourism Day, since the first four routes were announced on that day last year,” said Senna Fernandes.
“We need to sort out the opinions we get after June 19 first before we make any formal decision on the date.”
MGTO Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong said the route in Coloane would mostly cover the area around Rua dos Navegantes and Avenida de Cinco de Outubro where tourists can visit landmarks such as Tin Hau Temple, Kun lam Temple and Tarn Kung Temple. The route in Taipa covers Rua da Cunha and the Taipa-Houses Museum.
Cheng added that the route in the northern district would include the Ox Warehouse, Lin Zexu Memorial Museum and Lin Fung Temple while the one in St. Anthony’s Parish, the lon¬gest of the four proposed routes, would take in landmarks such as the Santo Antonio Church, Luis de Camões Gar¬den and the Fire Service Museum.
Asked whether the walking-tour route in the northern district could effectively revitalise the run-down neighbourhood’s economy since it largely covers the area near Avenida de Artur Tamagnini Barbosa and Avenida do Almirante Lacerda, Senna Fernandes said her office was open to further suggestions as to whether the routes should cover more areas or list specific shops.
The MGTO director also said the proposed routes were part of her office’s long-term goal to introduce different areas to visitors.(macaunews/macaupost)
