This month, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) is announcing four new walking routes to complement the existing network of the ‘Step Out, Experience Macau’s Communities’ programme. MGTO launched the first four of its walking tour routes in September 2013 as a refreshing and interesting way of diverting visitors to various less-frequented districts of the city so that they could experience a different slant on ‘ground level’ Macau.

In addition to publishing a guidebook introducing the suggested routes and supporting facilities of the eight walking tour routes, MGTO is in the process of updating its website and tour app.

The new routes suggested will take visitors to the Parish of the Nossa Senhora de Fátima, Parish of the Santo António, in lesser-known areas of Macau Peninsula, the Parish of the Nossa Senhora do Carmo in Taipa, and the Parish of São Francisco Xavier in Coloane.

MGTO has been striving to showcase new elements to add along the tour routes while making great effort to promote the project. It conducted a community opinion poll in May and June to receive and evaluate the concerns, suggestions and feedback of citizens, visitors and businesses. The poll was conducted via a street survey, online questionnaire, social opinion, Internet search and the Leisure Café in order to gather as wide a consensus as possible regarding the proposed new tour routes.

The ‘Step Out, Experience Macau’s Communities’ App was unveiled in December 2013, complete with maps and videos of the four routes plus introductions to various tourist spots along the routes as well as transportation tips. Last June, a fun stamp collection for ‘Step Out, Experience Macau’s Communities’ was launched to encourage more visitors and citizens to explore the four walking tour routes during the Summer months.

In September, MGTO announced the result of the community opinion poll regarding the new add-on walking tour routes, in which interviewees indicated an above-average degree of support for the proposed new walking tour routes. Following in-depth analysis, MGTO settled on what it concluded to be the optimized first four walking tour routes and the four add-on routes to be launched this month.