Global Centre for Tourism Education and Training Established in Macau
MSAR Chief Executive Chui Sai On witnesses the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Macau Government and UNTWO (Photo provided by Government Information Bureau)
The gathered assembly attending the grand opening ceremony of the Global Tourism Economic Forum - Macau 2015 held on 12th October witnessed the inking of a Memorandum of Understanding between the MSAR Government and World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for the establishment of a Global Centre for Tourism Education and Training through the auspices of the Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT). Both parties committed to working together to implement a raft of projects such as delivering training and education programmes, conducting joint tourism research projects, and offering technical placement and five internship opportunities for IFT students at UNWTO on an annual basis. The mission of the Centre is to enhance the quality of human capital and increase the competitiveness of tourism destinations in order to achieve sustainable tourism development in the long term.
Significantly, IFT's new campus on Taipa - located in the former University of Macau Taipa campus, including East Asia College, library, staff quarters building, and two laboratories - was officially put into use during the Forum, with MSAR Chief Executive Chui Sai On and the Secretary General of the UNWTO Taleb Rifai, unveiling a commemorative plaque to inaugurate it.
The President of IFT, Fanny Vong, said that new training facilities, including a training hotel, will be incorporated in the new campus for training and practice, adding that IFT's new campus on Taipa will help to fulfill the main goal of creating the Global Centre for Tourism Education and Training by the improvement of teaching space.
TOURISM 20:20 International Symposium
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Institute for Tourism Studies, IFT's Tourism Research Centre hosted TOURISM 20:20 International Symposium on 12th October at the Institute's new Taipa campus. Some 120 representatives from the academic community and industry from some 10 countries and regions attended the symposium, including Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) CEO Mario Hardy, and UNWTO Asia and the Pacific Regional Director Xu Jing, among others.
During the symposium, the UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai and IFT President Fanny Vong signed up as founding members of the Global Research Alliance (working committee) in Tourism, saying in a joint statement that members would resolve travel issues on a global level together.
IFT Tourism Research Centre Director Professor Leonardo Dioko also signed on the occasion a joint statement with leading tourism research centres and universities from Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Britain and the U.S.