Supported by China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and co-ordinated by Macau Travel Agency Association, the 5^th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (Expo) was held from 7^th to 9^th July.

The Expo leveraged Macao's role as a Sino-Portuguese platform and highlighted the city's unique advantages in line with the SAR Government's participation in the country's 'Belt and Road' initiative and the planning of a city cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Greater in scale compared to last year, the Expo occupied more exhibition space, provided booths, and attracted exhibitors from a greater number of countries and regions. The Expo admitted around 36,000 visitors this year, with 31 co-operative agreements signed during the event. The Expo achieved the expected results.

Six featured exhibition zones and sessions

This year, the exhibition floor was expanded to 10,000 square metres. There were 473 booths in total, while 303 enterprises and units from 45 countries and regions across Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa and Oceania participated. Of these countries and jurisdictions, 19 were on the Belt and Road, while 20 exhibitor units were tourism departments from various Mainland provinces or cities.

The Expo addressed six key elements of the tourism industry - dining, lodging, transportation, entertainment, sightseeing and shopping. It also gathered professionals and operators from tourism and other related sectors worldwide, including travel agencies, hotels, scenic spots and attractions, transportation as well as other travel-related services. This year marked the fifth anniversary of the Expo.

A total of six featured exhibition zones and sessions were presented; namely, China's Maritime Silk Road Exhibition Zone, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area exhibition zone, the Tourism Commodity Fair, China - Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking, Macao Street Exhibition Zone and Nostalgic Creative Zone. In addition, a series of tourism presentations were held at the Expo to promote various travel destinations and scenic spots, etc.

Visitors increase 12.5 per cent

The three-day Expo attracted around 36,000 visitors in all, an increase of 12.5 per cent from last year, with over 300 industry buyers from different major visitor markets including Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, the United States as well as the Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan region attending. Over 50 members of the press attended and covered the event.

Various exhibitor units leveraged the Expo to expand their network and build new partnerships with their counterparts. They also showcased their tourism resources and products to visitors at the bustling event; and exhibitors expressed their satisfaction with the result this year, remarking that the number of visitors had increased since last year.

With close collaboration between the public and private sectors as well as the support of various participating entities and collaborative partners, this edition of the Expo strengthened its role as a bridge for exchange and co-operation and forged an effective networking and promotional platform for exhibitors and industry buyers worldwide.

It also fully reflected Macao's unique competitive edge and demonstrated the city's strengths in organizing professional travel fairs. Launched last year, China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking once again shone as a featured highlight of the Expo, offering an exchange platform for industry delegates from China and Portugal as well as other countries and regions to enhance tourism co-operation with their counterparts.

31 agreements inked

During the Expo, a series of co-operative agreements were signed between enterprises from the tourism and relevant industries in eight different categories; namely, Belt and Road countries, featured tours, tourism co-operation, 'Internet+' and smart tourism, a city cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, tourism commodities, tourism co-operation with Portuguese-speaking countries and memorandum of co-operation on tourism with Pakistan. A total of 31 agreements were signed to foster business co-operation among industry operators from Macao and other countries and regions.

Meanwhile, MGTO met with Tianjin Municipal Tourism Administration and tourism enterprises from the city, as well as a delegation of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT), among others. MGTO Deputy Director Cecilia Tse attended and addressed the Themed Presentation of Zhuhai Tourism during the event.

The 6^th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo is scheduled for April 2018, a timely arrangement for exhibitors to promote their tourism products for the peak Summer period. In the future, MGTO hopes to attract more overseas exhibitors to the event, especially those from countries along the Belt and Road as it strives to forge the Expo into a signature international tourism exhibition of Macao, in line with the city's goal to become a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.

For more information about the 5^th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo, please visit:
www.cmitc.com