• MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes unveils work plans for 2019
  • MGTO holds its well attended Annual Press Conference
  • Macao Tourism Mascot ‘MAK MAK’ makes an appearance at the Annual Press Conference

MGTO Announces Four Major Objectives for 2019

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Over 400 representatives from the tourism industry and media attended Macao Government Tourism Office’s (MGTO) Annual Press Conference on 23rd January, during which MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes identified the four major goals the Office will pursue in 2019. MGTO’s overarching objective is to deepen Macao’s development as a Creative City of Gastronomy as it fosters Smart Tourism to progressively implement action plans mapped out by the Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan thus driving the economy and other related industries forward.

Specifically, MGTO’s four major goals for 2019 are as follows:

1. Deepen Macao’s development as a Creative City of Gastronomy, expand influence of destination marketing

The Office will foster development of the local catering industry through ‘inheritance, innovation and exchange’; strengthen inheritance and innovation of local Macanese cuisine and build a Macanese cuisine database; continue to participate in activities hosted by other Creative Cities of Gastronomy around the world whilst conducting cross-field co-operation and exchanges with other Creative Cities in Asia; host and support international gastronomic events, organise myriad activities in major source markets, launch gourmet food tour products, and maximise the promotion of Macao as a Creative City of Gastronomy.

2. Maximise unique resource advantages, participate in Greater Bay Area, develop ‘Belt and Road’ tourism

MGTO will actively develop Macao’s position as a tourism education and training base in the Greater Bay Area; support government tourism personnel of Portuguese-speaking countries visiting Macao for internship and training opportunities; conduct visitor behaviour studies and scientifically formulate appropriate promotional strategies in accordance with the operation of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

The Office will also join hands with the city cluster of the Greater Bay Area to tap into a greater diversity of source markets to promote multi-destination travel; leverage regional co-operation mechanisms including that of the Tourism Federation of Cities in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Bay Area to progress tourism development and joint promotion across the Greater Bay Area.

3. Promote Smart Tourism development, optimise quality tourism

MGTO will collect and disseminate data for the tourism information interchange platform and build a tourism Big Data database; harness Big Data to analyse visitor behaviour, providing grounds for studies on formulation of future destination marketing strategies; implement real-time monitoring of scenic spots and congested locations in order to divert visitor flows.

It will also introduce chatbot equipped with tourism information; launch a newly designed Macao tourism promotion website; meticulously revise the respective laws on operation of hotel establishments, travel agencies and tour guides; rigorously combat provision of illegal accommodation; and continue to implement the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme to enhance the quality of tourism.

4. Progress completion of Macau Grand Prix Thematic Museum, organise various mega celebrations

MGTO will proactively proceed with the remodelling project of the Macau Grand Prix Themed Museum; organise the 20th Anniversary celebrations of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region in major source markets; hold large-scale promotions in Portugal in line with the Year of China in Portugal; fully support the promotion of mega cultural tourism event ‘Art Macao’; continue to support the organisation of thematic tourism activities in various communities to foster community tourism; support and assist the travel trade in developing maritime tourism products.