The 4th MITE achieves expected results
Organized for the first time by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), coordinated by Macau Travel Agency Association and supported by China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), the 4th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (“MITE”) adjourned with great success on 4 September. The Expo presented the “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” as a new program highlight this year and invited keynote speakers to present major topics such as the new trends of Free Independent Travel (FIT) in the Asia-Pacific region and smart tourism. The Expo served as an effective platform for industry delegates from around the world to build connections and forge partnerships with each other. The event attracted a multitude of exhibitors, industry professionals and travel enthusiasts with expected results achieved. With its 4th edition held, MITE is a significant annual gathering for tourism professionals dedicated to offering a platform for delegates from tourism and other related sectors at home and abroad to jointly explore business opportunities and boost visitation. Held at Hall D, Cotai Expo of the Venetian Macao from 2 to 4 September, the Expo covered an area of 6,800 square meters and featured a total of 370 booths run by nearly 200 enterprises and entities from 28 countries and regions. The exhibitors came from the tourism industry in countries and regions across Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and Oceania. Tourism authorities of over 70 Mainland municipalities also took part in the Expo. The three-day Expo not only covered six key elements of the tourism industry — dining, accommodation, transportation, entertainment, sightseeing and shopping, but also featured travel-related service, travel media, tourism electronic commerce and technology in tourism among other aspects. The Expo also presented a range of highlights including the China - Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking, various seminars, a studio showing tourism videos, sales for FIT travel products, as well as folk custom and specialty shows. The Expo attracted around 32,000 visitors, a rise of 6.7% over last year, and over 300 professional buyers from major visitor source markets including the Greater China market (Hong Kong, Mainland and Taiwan), Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and India. The event also welcomed around 50 members of the press from Macao as well as across the region and the world for coverage. The exhibitors expressed their satisfaction with the flow of visitors in the Expo. Under close collaboration between the public and private sectors as well as the support of all participating entities, keynote speakers and collaborative partners, the 4th MITE created an effective platform for exchange and cooperation among industry professionals from around the world. The Expo also facilitated interchanges among members of the trade from the Mainland and Portugal while delivering Macao’s impact as a Sino-Portuguese platform. The special topic seminars gathered a range of insightful perspectives which remarkably enhanced the level of expertise in the Expo and demonstrated Macao’s comprehensive strength as an international travel destination. As a new highlight in the Expo, the “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” successfully created a platform for tourism operators from China and Portugal to explore business and cooperation opportunities together. As another highlight in the Expo, an array of seminars were held including “Analysis of New Trends of FIT Travel in Asia-Pacific Region”, “Smart Tourism Development and Internet Application Seminar”, “Tourism Destinations along the High-speed Railway Seminar” and “Promotion of Hot Tourist Spots in 2016”. Professional speakers were invited to present the topics concerned and inspire an insightful dialogue actively joined by industry delegates for an exchange of perspectives. During the Expo, MGTO met with the delegations of the following entities including the People’s Government and Tourism Administration of Shaoguan Municipality, Qingyuan Municipal Tourism Bureau, the People’s Government and Tourism Bureau of Xinhui District, Jiangmen, Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies and Portuguese trade delegates, as well as Tourism Authority of Thailand (Hong Kong Office). MGTO presented a 144-square-meter Macao pavilion in the Expo. Themed after “Experience Macao Your Own Style”, the booth showcased the destination glamour to industry professionals and visitors from around the world. The motorcycle rode by the champion of the 2003 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix, Michael Rutter, was on display along with a car-racing simulator for interactive fun, which attracted numerous spectators. This edition of MITE was organized by MGTO for the first time, coordinated by Macau Travel Agency Association and supported by CNTA. The co-organizers include the Macao Chamber of Commerce, Macao Federation of Trade Unions, the General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, the Women’s General Association of Macau, Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, Travel Industry Council of Macau and Association of Macao Tourist Agents. Teledifusão de Macau, S.A. (TDM) and Macau Asia Satellite Television Company, Limited (MASTV) are the media partners for the 4th MITE. In the future, MGTO will make continuous efforts to enhance the program of the Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo in a comprehensive way and demonstrate Macao’s dynamic strength as both an international travel destination and a platform between China and Portugal, so as to offer a wider range of opportunities for members of the tourism trade and other related sectors from across the globe. The Office looks forward to forging the Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo into Macao’s signature international tourism fair that supports the city’s development into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.