On 1^st April, Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for co-operation in tourism with the Office of International Exchange, Ministry of Hotels and Tourism of the Republic of Angola in order to strengthen collaborative relations for mutual benefit.

The officials who attended and witnessed the signing ceremony were Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macau SAR Government Alexis Tam; Liaison Officer and Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Angola for Asia and Oceania André Panzo; Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macau) Chang Hexi; Angolan Ambassador to China João Garcia Bires; Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macau SAR Government Lai Ieng Kit; Deputy Secretary-General, representing Portuguese-speaking countries, of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum Vicente de Jesus Manuel; Deputy Secretary-General, representing the Macau SAR Government, of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum and Co-ordinator of its Supporting Office Echo Chan; Representative of Angola from the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum Belarmino Paredes Vieira Barbosa, and MGTO Deputy Directors Cecilia Tse and Cheng Wai Tong.

Director of MGTO, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, and Director of the Office of International Exchange, Ministry of Hotels and Tourism of the Republic of Angola Rosa António Gomes Cruz signed the MOU for co-operation in tourism.

Considering the friendly and collaborative relation between Macau and Angola, both parties agreed to sign the MOU in order to begin and promote their multifaceted co-operation in tourism.

For the primary purpose of training talent in the tourism industry while considering its significance to the economy of Macau and Angola, the MOU pursues eight objectives: exchange of information on formulation, definition and implementation of policies in the tourism sector; sharing experience regarding planning, management and certification system of tourism activities; developing collaborative relations and partnerships between small and medium-sized tourism enterprises of Macau and Angola; assisting the tourism sector, travel agencies and hotels in organising promotional activities; exchanging information on tourism market trends as well as other technical and statistical data; assisting in establishing an incentive system for promotion of the tourism industry; tourism promotion primarily through studies on the tourism image of both destinations, promotional activities, participation in travel fairs and business forums as well as other related activities; training and skill development of technical talent in the foregoing.

Macau and Angola collaborate with each other through a variety of ways including familiarisation visits, information and document exchange, technical assistance, and by offering suggestions and training.

Macau and Angola signed the MOU for co-operation in tourism while the 10^th General Meeting of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Macau) took place in Macau.

MGTO also signed Memoranda of Understanding for co-operation in tourism with Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique in 2010, and with East Timor in 2013. In order to reinforce mutual learning and exchange, hence contributing to training tourism professionals for these Portuguese-speaking countries, MGTO has already welcomed a total of 57 tourism government trainees from these countries between 2012 and 2014.