Macao has again been awarded the right to host the Skål Asian Area Congress 2018

Executive Director Irene Va Kuan and President Costa Antunes receiving the banner to mark the hosting of the next Skål Asian Area Congress

Macao is committed to making“Priority to Conventions” the development direction of local the convention and exhibition industry. Following the successful organisationand hosting, for the first time outside Mainland China, of the 13^th China Expo Forum for International Co-operation (CEFCO 2017), another piece of good news has recently reached us: Macao has successfully attracted the organisersto hold the 47^th Skål Asian Area Congress in Macao, in 2018. Following the previous eventsheld in 1996 and 2007, this is the third time that the city has been awarded such a right. Skål Asian Area Congress is an event recognisedby the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

Executive Director of Macao Trade and Promotion Investment Institute, Irene VaKuan Lau, together with the Deputy Director of Macau Government Tourist Office, Cheng Wai Tong and the President of Skål International Macau, João M. Costa Antunesattended the 46^th Asian Area Congress, held in Bahrein, on 13 and 14 May. During the said event, Executive Director Irene VaKuan Lau briefed the guests on the strengths and development of Macao´s MICE industry.

Also during the above-mentioned Congress, it was announced that the 47^thSkål Asian Area Congress will take place in Macao, in 2018. Mrs. Lau and Mr. da Costa Antunes acceptedthebanner and welcomed participants travelling to Macao next year to attend the Congress. The President of Skål International Macau said that the organiserhas selected Macao as the venue for their next event was due to the fact that Macao SAR is presently committed to building “One Centre (World Tourism and Leisure Centre) and One Platform (Services Platform for Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries)”. He stressed that Macao has unique tourism resources, being the blending of Chinese andWestern cultures, and that the hosting of international conventions will help to enhance the international visibility of Macao´s tourism, and convention and exhibition industries. At the same time, as Macao is actively promoting itself to become a MICE destination, relevant hardware and software facilities have been developed at a fast pace, and is therefore attracting to the city more and more merchants from Asia and other parts of the world.

Skål International, headquartered in Spain, is an international organisation that brings together people from all sectors of the tourism industry. Its objective is to promote tourism and enhance business contacts and promote friendship among the tourism sector. Up to the present, members of Skål International include tourism bureaus, airlines, cruise companies, travel agencies, hotels, convention and exhibition organisers, car rental companies, theme parks and media specialisingin travel and tourism. At present, there are 400 Skål Clubs in 58 countries and regions around the world withover seventeen thousand members. Every year Skål International organisesitsannual congress in different countries, including in Guam, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand, among others. Macao Skål International hosted the 25^th and 36^thSkål Asian Area Congress, in 1996 and 2007, respectively.