HATA (Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents) 35th Annual Overseas Convention kicked off today at the Venetian Macau Resort Hotel attended by a record of more than 300 members, representing around 100 travel agencies in Hong Kong and Macau. On a welcome speech to the convention, director of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) João Manuel Costa Antunes said that Macau has entered into a new era, emphasizing that to keep the current success, quality of tourism services needs to be a top priority. “Macau’s tourism industry is thriving. We have worked very hard to achieve what we are witnessing now: the diversification of our tourist product. Macau has now a product offer that justifies a few day’s visit”, Costa Antunes pointed out. But the MGTO director emphasized that, in these booming times, quality of services must be a priority of the tourism industry, in order to attract tourists to repeat their visit to Macau and to extend their length of stay. “The current success did not come overnight”, he stressed, referring to the UNESCO listing of The Historic Centre of Macau along with the development of the conventions and exhibitions industry. Regarding the plans for the development of the MICE industry, Costa Antunes noted that in April 2006, the Macau Business Tourism Centre, under MGTO, was created, to perform the functions of many conventions bureaux in other cities and countries. The chairlady of HATA, Lily Agonoy, told the convention that this is the perfect time to host the meeting of the association in Macau, due to its fast development. “We selected Macau as many of us have been witnessing Macau develop its fascinating entertainment and tourism business. The theme of our Convention ‘Macau: Friend or Foe?’ on which we want to explore collaborating business opportunities for MICE and Leisure with our Macau partners,” Lily Agonoy said, during the one day long meeting. The HATA 35th Annual Overseas Convention, which is attended by guests and speakers of Hong Kong and Macau including also MGTO Deputy Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Venetian Macau Resort Hotel President Mark Brown, Senior Vice-President for Destination Marketing Aliana Ho, Macau Tourism Development Commission member Eva Lou, Air Macau Co. Ltd CEO. David Fei, Vice Chairman of HATA Paul Leung, HATA 35th Annual Overseas Convention Chairman, Jason Shum, Federation of Hotel Owners Executive Director Michael Li JP, Swire Travel Service Ltd. Managing Director Andrew Leung, Shun Tak – China Travel Ship Management Ltd Deputy General Manager Anna Hong and Associated Tours Ltd Vice President Ken Chang. The Annual Overseas Convention features keynote speeches, product updates, workshop and panel discussion where travel agents from Hong Kong and Macau can gain updates on the development of the tourism industry while enhancing connections with their counterparts. This year is the 50th anniversary since the founding of HATA, which has chosen Macau to host its annual overseas convention to celebrate its golden jubilee. HATA has a total of 260 members, representing 70% of the travel agents in Hong Kong. Its members include outbound travel operators, inbound travel operators and ticketing agents. HATA hosted its first annual overseas convention in Macau in 1972. This press release is available on MGTO’s website: http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/en/emagazine/press.php
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