Macao Travel News

Review report offered for Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan

Target goals implementation rate reached 90% for short-term action plans of the Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan

The first review report examining the implementation progress of the Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan was delivered on 12 November, with new action plans outlined for the coming years.

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) commissioned a research institution at the end of 2020 to help work out amendments, updates, reorganisations, and additions to the Master Plan that will correspond with the transformations of the tourism landscape and future tourism development in Macao.

90% of short-term plans accomplished

That process has led to a report into the Master Plan and reviewed the progress made over the last five years. The report found that 68 out of 69 short-term action plans proposed by the Master Plan had unfolded and been implemented, while one was not applicable.

Target goals were accomplished for 62 short-term action plans, leading to an implementation rate of 90%. A further 22 medium- and long-term action plans are progressing as scheduled.

The Master Plan was announced in 2017 and proposed eight key objectives, 33 strategies, 29 planning proposals and 91 short-, medium- and long-term action plans, in line with the Macao SAR Government’s commitment to build Macao into a world centre of tourism and leisure.

The Master Plan has an evaluation mechanism which helps make timely adjustments to key objectives, planning proposals and action plans. The most recent review was tasked to examine and analyse the current situation of Macao’s tourism development; make a retrospective overview of the implementation progress from 2016 to 2020; assess or adjust proposed action plans and key objectives; and look in-depth at five key areas for tourism development: the contribution of the tourism sector to the economy, regional cooperation, tourism carrying capacity, diversification of visitor source markets, and smart tourism led by science and technology.

16 new action plans

Under the direction of nationwide policies and plans, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are pushing forward with the implementation of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

In addition, the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin is creating a new horizon for comprehensive cooperation between Zhuhai and Macao. At the same time, the Macao SAR Government has developed the “tourism +” concept.

These themes, coupled with the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, have caused the internal and external landscape of Macao’s tourism industry to evolve.

After the latest review, MGTO will keep the eight key objectives of the Master Plan, 33 strategies and 29 planning proposals put forward in 2017. However, in keeping up with the transformation of the tourism environment and taking into consideration the opinions of stakeholders, action plans achieved and those in progress have been revised, leading to 16 new action plans.

Six areas of focus

The Master Plan now encompasses 91 action plans overall, comprising 77 phased plans of up to five years, and 14 long-term plans to take place over more than six years.

The 91 action plans fall into six categories, or “actions in focus”: enriching the variety of tourism products and facilities, fostering quality tourism, optimising precision marketing, pushing forward urban construction, capitalising on smart technology, and expanding regional and international cooperation.

Actions in focus include maritime tours, ecological tours and high-end tour products; training programmes, enhancing quality tourism through the training base for the Greater Bay Area, optimise public-private partnerships and fostering “tourism +” development; enhancing cooperation with e-commerce companies and online media, leveraging big data analysis on precision marketing targeting high-value visitors; developing new attractions and strengthen sea, land and air connectivity; tap into application of innovative technology to upgrade visitors’ experience and business environment; and deepen tourism cooperation with Hengqin and other cities in the Greater Bay Area, and to strive for resumption of travel and people-to-people exchange with other regions.

The review report also includes a forecast of key indicators and trends for 2025 for reference. The Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan lays the foundation and future direction of Macao’s tourism industry until 2030.

The public is welcome to download the review study report (Chinese, Portuguese and English versions available) for the Macao Tourism Industry Development Master Plan from the dedicated website: https://masterplan.macaotourism.gov.mo.