Hosted by the National Tourism Administration and organised by the Macau Special Administrative Region Government, the 8^th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting and the 45^th APEC Tourism Working Group Meeting were successfully held in Macau from 9^th to 13^th September. More than 500 attendees participated in this pivotal event, including tourism ministers and other representatives from 21 APEC member countries plus representatives from 10 international organisations such as the APEC Secretariat, Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, United Nations World Tourism Organization Pacific Asia Travel Association, and media.

The Tourism Ministerial Meeting took place in the Macau East Asian Games Dome International Conference Centre. Themed ‘Exploration of Asia Pacific Tourism Co-operation and Future Development’, the meeting focused on discussing the integration of Asia Pacific tourism markets, facilitating transformation and growth of the tourism industry, promoting intelligent tourism with modern technology and interconnecting Asia Pacific travel, while encouraging low-carbon development and co-operation between tourism operators. It concluded with an agreement to ink the ‘Macau Declaration’. In addition, the 45^th Tourism Working Group Meeting was successfully held in the Four Seasons Hotel Macau on the 10^th and 11^th September. In support of the meeting, the Macau Government Tourist Office arranged tours for participants, with itineraries including the landmarks of the World Heritage - Historic Centre of Macau in addition to tourist attractions in Taipa and Coloane.

In addition to enriching APEC economies' knowledge of Chinese and Western cultural heritage here in Macau. the Macau SAR Government believes it will help foster future co-operation and development of the Macau and APEC economies whilst generating momentum to shape Macau as a world tourism and leisure centre.

With China once again hosting the APEC Informal Leadership Meeting and its related ministerial meetings in 2014, after 13 years, it was of great significance for Macau to host the APEC TMM. The APEC meeting was the highest level multilateral economic summit hosted by China under its new leadership. This was also the first time that the APEC TMM was held in China.

In November last year, while attending the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries in Macau, Vice Premier Wang Yang announced that Macau would organise the 8^th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting. Early this year, Chief Executive Chui Sai On signed an Executive Order establishing an organising committee for the Meeting.

More information at https://www.apec-tourism.gov.mo