The '2016 Annual Work Meeting of Joint Working Committee on Tourism to Support Macao's Aspirations to Build a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure' was held in Zhuhai, Guangdong on 24^th February.The agenda included new means and paths to deepen regional tourism integration and co-operation between Macao and the Mainland in 2016, the application of diverse platforms to foster development, and the joint promotion of new tour routes and products. Parties also shared the Mainland and Macao's latest tourism trends, and exchanged ideas to strengthen co-operation on tourism industry management.

China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) Vice Chairman Du Jiang and the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the MSAR Government, Alexis Tam, both delivered speeches as Conveners of the 'Joint Working Committee on Tourism to Support Macao's Aspirations to Build a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure' ('Joint Working Committee on Tourism').TheDeputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the MSAR, Yao Jian, also addressed the meeting.

Du Jiang remarked that the 13^th Five Year Plan, Belt and Road Initiative, Free Trade Zones and CEPA are among the national strategies which have rolled out advantages and golden opportunities for Macao's transformation into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. The Joint Committee is required to fully recognize that its annual task is to foster Macao's development in this respect and help fulfill and realize the country's macroscopic strategies for tourism industry development in the new era at a practical level. In order to do so, the Committee is required to incorporate the strategies into its annual task accomplishments and give full play to the function of its system. In addition, the Committee serves to propel communication and co-ordination for stronger team efforts and greater influence of its system.

Alexis Tam said that building the city into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure is a huge project at multiple levels, which not only involves collaboration between departments with different functions in the SAR Government but the concerted effort and support of all local residents. The SAR Government will increase co-ordination, and strive to deepen and widen the level of co-operation across various entities, fields and levels regarding urban transportation, accommodation, hospitality and manpower in the tourism industry in addition to promoting tourism awareness. In so doing, the SAR Government is dedicated to transforming Macao into a great city to live and work in, in addition to being a fascinating destination to visit and explore on foot with vibrant choices of fun and entertainment.

Yao Jian said that the Central Government highly regards and supports Macao's development into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. Once again, the proposals in the 13^th Five Year Plan clearly suggest supporting Macao's development into such a Centre as well as a service platform for business co-operation between China and Portugal, encouraging the appropriate diversification and sustainable development of Macao's economy. Over the years, the SAR Government has taken active measures to build the city into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure with various achievements.

In 2015, the SAR Government established the Committee for Development of the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, chaired by the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR, and announced a groundwork proposal for the Macao SAR's five-year development plan. The plan lays a key foundation for Macao to enhance its top-down design, co-ordination, planning and systematic implementation of tasks to build the city into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.

Following the remarks, CNTA's Head of the Department of Affairs on Tourism of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, Liu Kezhi, and Macao Government Tourism Office Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes - both Secretary General of the Joint Working Committee on Tourism - presented current trends in tourism and elaborated on the directions of tourism planning involving Macao in the 13^th Five Year Plan and the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the overall planning on Macao tourism development and regional co-operation in tourism before signing the meeting memorandum.