Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, joined by the China Ambassador in Portugal, Cai Run, the Secretary of State for Tourism of Portugal, Ana Mendes Godinho, and MGTO Director, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, at the kick-off of the “Experience Macao – Portugal” mega tourism promotion
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR) Government, Alexis Tam, presided over the kick off of the “Experience Macao – Portugal” mega promotion launched with a spectacular Macao-themed video mapping show at the iconic Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, on Tuesday evening (March 12, Lisbon time).
The video mapping show at Lisbon’s main square was unveiled prior to a welcome dinner hosted by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, which included among the guests the China Ambassador to Portugal, Cai Run, the Secretary of State for Tourism of Portugal, Ana Mendes Godinho, the Secretary of State for Tax Affairs of Portugal, António Mendonça Mendes, the President of Portugal Tourism Board, Luís Araújo, along with Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, the President of Institute for Tourism Studies, Fanny Vong, Portuguese travel trade and media, among others.
During the dinner, Alexis Tam, highlighted the mega promotion as a significant opportunity for Macao and Portugal to enhance their strong friendship relations while boosting tourism relations at this special year, remarking: “The choice of Macao as this year’s Lisbon Travel Market International Guest Destination; coupled with Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies’ selection of Macao as its Preferred Destination 2019; in the year of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region; and the year of the 40 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Portugal, with visit exchanges at the highest level among our countries taking place, created the perfect constellation leading to the initiatives we are holding this week.”
“Moments like this evening and the activities we have aligned for Lisbon and Porto, help to keep our long friendship alive, showcasing Macao in a lively way to the Portuguese, while updating tourism travel trade in Portugal about our city. Given the central role of the tourism industry for the economy and projection of both Portugal and Macao, tourism is naturally one of the areas where our official, trade and visitor exchanges have kept dynamic in recent years,” he added.
At the welcome dinner, former Macao wushu world champion, Jia Rui, also entertained guests with a presentation of his signature Poetic Kungfu in a multi-media performance.
Titled “Macao, a Legendary Journey”, the video mapping show digitally painted the façades of Praça do Comércio in a creative depicting of the history and stories of Macao, from its old legends to the first contacts with the Portuguese, the development of the city until the vibrant destination it is nowadays, in a high impact display to showcase Macao to the public in Lisbon, giving an immersive experience of the city in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Macao Special Administrative Region. The around 12 minutes-long video mapping show will be projected at Praça do Comércio, located in Lisbon’s historical centre, for five consecutive nights until March 16, with three sessions each night (at 20:00, 21:00 and 22:00), in a organization of MGTO in collaboration with Lisbon City Hall.
The “Experience Macao – Portugal” mega promotion kicked off on the eve of the opening of Lisbon Travel Market, with the string of Macao-themed activities conducted this week in Lisbon and Porto to capitalize on the bigger exposure at Portugal’s largest tourism to promote the city, including visiting Macanese chefs cooking demonstrations on television, at the Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies, and the School of Hospitality and Tourism of Porto, along with arts exhibitions in Lisbon and Porto, performances in pedestrian streets and plazas of the Portuguese capital by Macao street dance groups, among others.
