MGTO officials welcome the mega Hong Kong delegation at the ferry terminal
Following the familiarization and exchange visit of Hong Kong’s tourism industry leaders to Macao in mid-January, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) again invited a mega delegation of over 100 members representing Hong Kong’s governmental tourism offices, tourism sector and media to Macao for a full two-day familiarization program. The delegation arrived in Macao today (10 February) for a first-hand experience of Macao’s “tourism +” elements. Their visit enhances tourism cooperation and exchange between Hong Kong and Macao with new business opportunities unveiled, contributing to robust tourism rebound in both cities.
The 105 delegates reached Macao by ferry this morning, welcomed by MGTO Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong at the Taipa Ferry Terminal. The delegation consists of 11 Hong Kong tourism officials from Tourism Commission, Hong Kong Tourism Board and Travel Industry Authority, 63 delegates of travel agencies and Hong Kong-Macao cross-border transportation operators, 31 members of the media including journalists from travel magazines and newspapers, representatives of travel social networks and online media, bloggers and KOLs. The two-day program encompasses a work meeting, the Macao & Hengqin destination presentation session, the Hong Kong & Macao travel trade networking seminar and an inspection visit to tourist attractions, hotels, tourism facilities and so forth. For the first time, MGTO hosted its spring luncheon in Macao, an occasion normally held in Hong Kong over the years.
Secretary Lei Wai Nong encourages Hong Kong and Macao travel trade to join forces in building a bright future
Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government, Lei Wai Nong, welcomed the delegation at the Spring Luncheon & Exchange Session for Hong Kong & Macao Travel Trade. He highlighted in his address that the full reinstatement of mutual visits between the Mainland and Hong Kong & Macao from 6 February is a significantly great news for Hong Kong’s and Macao’s tourism sectors.
He added that the mega delegation visit to Macao reflects the strong resolution embraced by Hong Kong and Macao’s governments and travel trade to deepen cooperation, boost mutual visits, and reach for shared benefits and progress. He expressed his hopes that Hong Kong and Macao can tap into new possibilities, discuss practical affairs and unlock business opportunities to promote tourism cooperation between Hong Kong and Macao as well as multi-destination tourism cooperation across the Greater Bay Area, supporting the tourism sectors of both cities to build a better future together.
Hong Kong & Macao tourism authorities meet for exchange
The tourism authorities of Hong Kong and Macao convened a work meeting this afternoon (10 February). The attendees include MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, MGTO Deputy Directors Cheng Wai Tong and Ricky Hoi, and others from Macao; Commissioner for Tourism of Tourism Commission of the Hong Kong SAR, Vivian Sum, Executive Director of Hong Kong Tourism Board, Dane Cheng, and Executive Director of Travel Industry Authority of the Hong Kong SAR, Annie Fonda, along with other officials from Hong Kong. Both parties delivered an overview of their cities’ tourism situation and policies, marketing plans, industry regulation, scope of duties and so forth. They exchanged perspectives on the direction of future cooperation between both cities, sharing the same hope of joining forces to promote tourism development in Hong Kong and Macao.
Introduce Macao’s and Hengqin’s latest tourism development
The Macao & Hengqin destination presentation seminar ensued in the afternoon. MGTO Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong delivered remarks at the seminar. Offering an informative update to Hong Kong’s travel trade and media, MGTO presented Macao’s latest tourism development, whereas Head of Division of Culture, Tourism, MICE, Trade and Commerce of Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Vic Lam, delivered an overview of the cultural tourism and MICE development in the In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
Keen exploration of business opportunities
MGTO capitalized on the mega group visit to organize a Hong Kong-Macao travel trade networking seminar after the presentation session, rebuilding a platform for face-to-face exchange and discussion between industry operators from Hong Kong and Macao. Over 80 industry delegates from Macao’s hotels, travel agencies, integrated tourism and leisure enterprises as well as tourism-related facilities were invited to join the seminar along with officials of MGTO and the Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, to discuss and explore business opportunities with over 60 industry operators from Hong Kong. The seminar contributed to tourism revival in both cities.
Hong Kong has been the second largest visitor source market for Macao. As the pandemic border restrictions eased between both cities in January, MGTO immediately activated its advance marketing plan for Hong Kong to unfold a wide array of promotional initiatives and special offers, including the launch of transportation offers, organizing familiarization group visits to Macao for exchange and networking, as well as inviting KOLs to Macao for destination promotion and check-in on social media. Vigorous endeavors are made to welcome Hong Kong visitors and keep attracting Hong Kong residents to Macao for travel and spending.
Visitor arrivals in Macao totaled 451,000 throughout the latest Spring Festival Golden Week (21 – 27 January 2023) of the Mainland and included 165,000 visitors from Hong Kong. Average daily visitor arrivals over the Spring Festival Golden Week reached 64,000, a year-on-year rise of 297.0%. The average daily volume of Hong Kong visitors surged considerably by 2,601.8%.
