Participants pose for a group photo at the seminar.
Establishing a joint working committee with the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) would help the work of transforming Macao into a world centre for tourism and leisure. The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, told CNTA Chairman Mr Li Jinzao this when they met at Government Headquarters in Macao on 2 June. On the same day, representatives of CNTA and the Macao Government signed an agreement to set up a joint working committee to foster Macao becoming such a centre, a strategic positioning laid down by the Central Government. Following the signing ceremony, a seminar that explored strategies to facilitate Macao achieve its goal under the emerging opportunities was held where the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Tam Chon Weng, and Mr Li Jinzao spoke. Developing tourism along with new industries such as MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions), commerce, and cultural and creative, was the direction to follow in tourism development, said Mr Tam. Regional integration also favoured achieving the goal, especially in co-operation with Guangdong, which would help Macao reach more cities in Western China. In his speech, Mr Li outlined four highlights in Macao’s tourism development that included acquiring views from tourists, residents and other government departments; developing with Macao’s own features; studying the integration with Hong Kong and Zhuhai, especially strengthening ties with Zhuhai; and review the city’s capacity amid a growing number of visitors. After the seminar, Mr Tam told reporters that the Government would make policies not only to offer a pleasant journey for visitors but to ensure that it would not affect the people’s livelihood. The Government had been working on promoting temples and religious culture that could help Macao become a more favourable destination. The agreement just signed is aimed promoting Macao as a world centre for tourism and leisure, with the formation of the joint working committee in tourism, make regulations and plans for promotion, arrange Mainland-Macao exchanges, manage the sector and conduct researches on regional co-operation.
