Alexis Tam leads tourism delegation to St. Petersburg

Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam (second left) and Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Helena de Senna Fernandes (left)

Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam led a local delegation to the World Tourism Organization (WTO) in St. Petersburg this week to discuss issues with representatives of the tourism sector from around the world.
The Secretary joined other delegates from around the world in discussing how the tourism sector was working toward the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through education and employment.
Tam, along with the delegation, attended the plenary session and the High-Level Forum on Medical and Health Tourism, and also met with Executive Director of the WTO, Zhu Shanzhong, and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific of the WTO, Xu Jing.
During the meeting, Tam presented an array of tourism initiatives conducted in Macau in parallel with the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the progress of coordinating the Global Tourism Economy Forum.
Meanwhile, during the General Assembly, Tam met with the ministers of Brazil and Argentina, both of whom confirmed their presence at the upcoming Global Tourism Economy Forum which will be held in Macau in October.
Participating in WTO as an associate member, Macau has been actively engaging in the organization’s events and projects towards the goal of strengthening international tourism cooperation. The Global Tourism Economy Forum, hosted by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture, is a partner with the Organization’s Awards Ceremony in 2019, while the WTO is the forum’s collaborative partner this year.
The WTO convened the 23rd Session of its General Assembly in St. Petersburg, Russia. Held biennially, the WTO General Assembly is the largest and highest-level meeting for the global tourism community, attended by senior tourism officials and leaders of the private sector from around the world. This session brought together delegations from over 120 countries and regions as well as over 90 ministerial officials.
The delegation from the Macau SAR included the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Helena de Senna Fernandes, as well as advisors from the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture. DB