Press conference for Global Tourism Economy Forum • Macau 2015
The Global Tourism Economy Forum (“GTEF” or “the Forum”), an annual mega event for the tourism industry, will be held at the Venetian Macao from 12 to 14 October 2015 under the theme “Belt and Road Initiative: Unleashing the New Dynamics of Cultural Tourism”. The Forum will continue its role as a platform for high-level international exchange and cooperation, once again gathering ministerial officials and tourism leaders from different destinations to contribute ideas for fostering global tourism and economic development. Global Tourism Economy Forum • Macau 2015 is hosted by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). A press conference was held at the Tourism Activities Centre in Macao today (17 September), where the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Lai Ieng Kit gave a remark, followed by an announcement of program highlights and speaker lineup by the Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of GTEF, Pansy Ho. The Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, Lai Ieng Kit, remarked, “The Global Tourism Economy Forum not only offers valuable perspectives and a key direction for the global tourism and related sectors to go forward, but also helps Macao to build the city into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. We will do our best to host the Forum and keep showing Macao’s capacity of hosting mega international events as well as our destination’s function as a platform for diverse cultural exchanges. The Macao SAR Government will actively support our Country’s Belt and Road Initiative and grasp this golden opportunity for development. On one hand, we will give full play to Macao’s focal effects along the Maritime Silk Road; on the other hand, we will make an effort to boost the synergistic effects between culture and tourism, etc. as well as adequate diversification of the tourism industry in a comprehensive way.” The Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of GTEF, Pansy Ho, expressed her gratitude to all local sectors for their ardent support. “The fourth edition of GTEF once again receives enthusiastic support and feedback from international and Mainland provincial and regional governments as well as from public and private organizations worldwide. This clearly demonstrates GTEF’s influence on global tourism and related industries as well as its role as a key platform that connects the East and West. The Belt and Road Initiative advocates openness, inclusiveness and mutual learning between nations; in light of this, GTEF suggests countries along the Belt and Road to transform their unique cultural heritage into contemporary tourism resources through developing cultural tourism, such that there can be a deeper understanding as well as closer exchanges and collaboration among different countries. In consequence, the tourism industry can be infused with a sustainable energy and create even greater benefits,” she remarked. This GTEF edition has successfully lined up the Pacific Alliance countries - Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru - as the Featured Partner Countries, not only extending the Forum’s cooperative network to Latin America, but also making a timely response to the latest trends of fostering Sino-Latin American economic and trade relations. Zhejiang Province, a key strategic province along the Maritime Silk Road, will also join the Forum as the Featured Province and showcase the cultural power of the Belt and Road through the prominent Poetry and Painting of Zhejiang exhibition. The Forum will continue its collaboration with UNWTO to present the Face to Face, Ministers and Private Sector CEOs session again, gathering ministerial officials from the Pacific Alliance as well as Asian countries and regions to join in a direct dialogue with global business leaders. The Forum will also present three panel discussions on pressing global tourism issues in Understanding Chinese Consumers Behavior and Chinese Overseas Investment (presented by Bank of America Merrill Lynch), Exploring the Full Dimension of Cultural Tourism – Cultural Heritage and Creative Living Culture (presented by media partner), and Driving Cultural Awareness through Social Media (presented by Pacific Asia Travel Association & Connecting Travel). Further, the Forum is committed to supporting strategy researches for tourism and economic development. The Global Tourism Economy Research Centre and UNWTO will present their second joint research project, UNWTO/GTERC Annual Report 2015 on Asia Tourism Trends, which will once again provide an in-depth analysis of the latest development in Asia tourism trends. In addition, business matching and networking programs will be organized to provide Forum attendees with ample opportunities to discuss and forge new partnerships in tourism. Our fourth Forum edition will be graced by domestic and foreign dignitaries, industry leaders and experts. Through discussions among stakeholders and experts from tourism, investment, financial services, hotel, Internet and transportation sectors, the Forum will broaden the attendees’ vision and unveil vast opportunities for the tourism economy along the Belt and Road. GTEF aims to bring inspirational ideas and insight to attendees from worldwide, forge cross-sector, cross-regional partnerships and make long-term contributions to sustainable development of the global tourism economy.
