• Macao inks a Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Co-operation with São Tomé and Príncipe

Macao Inks Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Co-operation with São Tomé and Príncipe

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Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Ministry of Finance, Commerce and Blue Economy of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation in the hope of creating mutual success and harvesting a greater share of the tourism pie.

Macao signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Co-operation with São Tomé and Príncipe at the opening ceremony of the 6th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo on 27th April. Director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes and Director General of Tourism and Hospitality, Ministry of Finance, Commerce and Blue Economy of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Mírian Solange Barroso Daio, signed the Memorandum on behalf of the two parties.

For the primary purpose of cultivating talent for the tourism industry, and considering its significance to the economy of Macao and São Tomé and Príncipe, the Memorandum encompasses the following objectives: the exchange of information on formulation, definition and implementation of policies on the tourism sector; the sharing of experience regarding planning, management and certification system of tourism activities; the development of collaborative relations and partnerships between small and medium-sized tourism enterprises from both sides; assisting the tourism sector, travel agencies and hotels organize promotional activities; the exchange of information on tourism market trends as well as other technical and statistical data; assisting in establishing an incentive system for promotion of the tourism industry; tourism promotion primarily through research of the tourism image of both destinations, promotional activities, participation in travel fairs and business forums as well as other related activities; and the training and development of skills of technical professionals in the foregoing.

Of the eight Portuguese-speaking countries, MGTO has signed memoranda of understanding or co-operative agreements with tourism bodies from six of them. Specifically, MGTO signed memoranda of understanding on co-operation in tourism with Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique in 2010, with East Timor in 2013 and Angola in 2015. In addition, in 2016, the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government signed a protocol on co-operation in tourism with the Ministry of Economy of Portugal.


MGTO Launches 2018 Internship Programme for Gov't Tourism Personnel of Portuguese-speaking Countries

Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), in tandem with the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries (Macao), initiated this year's training programme, which runs from March to July. The training programme includes three sessions lasting for two weeks each, involving a total of around 30 government personnel from the tourism authorities of Portuguese-speaking countries.

The training content includes internship in several MGTO departments, two days of workshops at the Institute for Tourism Studies revolving around Managing Attractions Effectively, Consumer Behaviour and Destination Branding, while field trips are also being undertaken to understand local tourism infrastructure, the city's historical and cultural heritage and other attractions of Macao.

By conducting the training programme, MGTO hopes to enhance mutual learning and exchange between Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries in the field of tourism, while assisting these countries train tourism professionals, in line with Macao's goal to become a world centre of tourism and leisure and to serve as a commercial and trade co-operation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

MGTO has trained 130 civil servants from the tourism offices of Portuguese-speaking countries from 2012 to 2017.