Record Participation in 43rd APAVT Congress
The National Congress of APAVT - one of the highlight congresses of the Portuguese tourism industry - was held for the fifth time in Macao
This year, the Congress attracted 650 representatives from the Portuguese tourism industry, posting record high participation
Tourism industry representatives from Mainland China, Macao and Portugal worked together on exploring opportunities arising from multi-destination tourism
Co-organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT), the 43rd National Congress of the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies ran from 23rd to 27th November in Macao. Themed 'Tourism: In the East, all new!', this year's edition of the Congress attracted some 650 Portuguese tourism professionals from a wide range of tourism activities, marking a record high in the recent history of the Congress.
This year's Congress focused on internal topics related to the Portuguese tourism industry, while looking to opportunities to tap into Macao and the Mainland China market.
The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Alexis Tam, along with the Secretary of State for Tourism of Portugal, Ana Mendes Godinho, plus APAVT President Pedro Costa Ferreira, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony on 23rd November.
Tam promotes multi-destination tourism
Alexis Tam remarked that the Congress had provided an excellent opportunity for participants to continue to deepen good relations, while boosting the offer of tourism packages and itineraries. With the opening of direct flights between Beijing and Lisbon, via Macao, an historic step has been taken that the tourism industry should take advantage of.
He also added that with the participation of Macao in the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the development of a new city cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, both projects would continue to bring more opportunities and open new horizons to Macao and its partners. The upcoming opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will become yet another key element boosting tourism in the region, mainly in the context of multi-destination tourism that the industry should also take full advantage of.
APAVT President Pedro Costa Ferreira noted Macao is a stellar example of the economic development of the Asia Pacific region, an area destined to have the greatest impact upon the world over the decades to come.
Macao a platform for China-Portugal connections
The Congress included a China-Portugal workshop on tourism and networking, bringing together Portuguese travel agencies with representatives from around fifty travel agencies from more than twenty major cities in Mainland China. Macao travel agencies also joined the session, with the three parties exploring multi-destination tourism business opportunities.
Macao and Portuguese travel agents also conducted presentations about Portugal and Guangdong Province tourism attractions, taking advantage of Macao's role as a platform to boost tourism relations between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.
The working sessions of the major Portuguese tourism debate forum focused on the internal development of the tourism industry in Portugal plus relations with Macao and nearby regions, among other topics. The Congress also enabled delegates to get first-hand experience of Macao's new tourism infrastructure, as well as affording them the opportunity to visit the Historic Centre of Macao, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, along with other attractions in Macao, Taipa and Coloane.