The 43^rd National Congress of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT) will be held in Macao from 23^rd to 27^th November. Some 500 tourism professionals from the Portuguese market - mainly tourism operators and travel agents - will attend the event, taking this opportunity to update themselves on the new tourism offers available in Macao.

Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes noted that it is an honour to host this important Congress once again, enabling Macao to enhance its role as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure and a service platform bridging China and Portuguese-speaking countries. She also emphasised the relevance of this strategic event, simultaneously contributing as it does to the diversification of Macao's tourism industry, reinforcement of its promotional strategy and increase in international visitor arrivals.

APAVT President Pedro Costa Ferreira observed that Macao - a historical destination undergoing continuous development - possesses all the right conditions to ignite the interest of Portuguese tourism operators and travel agents, encouraging, through them, more Portuguese to travel to the city.

MGTO and APAVT can point to a long history of close relations, with Macao having hosted four Congresses of the Association, the last of which was held in 2008. In conjunction with the work developed by Macao Tourism Promotion and Information Centre in Portugal, this partnership has been crucial in ensuring Macao becomes an appealing destination for Portuguese tourism operators and visitors alike.