Economy chief pinpoints sustainability at GTEF closing address
Sustainable development to revive the tourism industry should be promoted, Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong said as part of his closing address of the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF), which concluded Saturday.
Lei, who is also the executive chairman of the GTEF, stated in his closing remarks that the Forum featured dedicated sessions in collaboration with different organizations zeroing in on the sustainable and high-quality development of the tourism industry, as well as tourism growth and innovation through the application of technology.
He added that in response to the goals set by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Forum values “thinking beyond tourism” with the aim of fostering innovative tourism collaboration.
Graced by the presence of personages and entities from different sectors, he added, GTEF 2023 culminated in success as an internationally renowned convention in Macau and a seminal annual event for the global tourism industry, garnering great recognition from across the global tourism industry and manifesting Macau’s capabilities and advantages in Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).
GTEF Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Pansy Ho expressed in her concluding remarks, “China advocates building a community with a shared future for mankind and sharing China’s opportunities with the rest of the world. In the past decade, we have attracted tourism industry practitioners across the globe to this international forum originating in China.”
“We will take it to the international stage in the next decade, bringing GTEF to other parts of the world, raising both the voice and influence of China’s tourism industry internationally. We will continue to provide an equal and inclusive platform for stakeholders worldwide and inspire the global tourism industry with innovative ideas,” Ho added.
The final day of the Forum saw a series of discussions held prior to the closing ceremony. There were sessions about reshaping tourism in Europe and redefining city tourism in the next decade, among other topics.
Harry Hwang, director of the Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), proposed that UNWTO members in the region should reinforce investment in tourism infrastructure, strengthen institutional and legal frameworks, and create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship, jobs, communities, and education.
He noted that product development and diversification, reduction of seasonality, niche products and new destinations are among other top priorities for the region’s tourism development.
CE discusses promoting Macau with UNWTO
The Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng has discussed enhancing Macau’s tourism industry and expanding its sources of international tourists with the Secretary-General of the UNWTO Zurab Pololikashvili.
Ho said that the GTEF2023 had attracted culture and tourism ministers and industry leaders from a number of countries to Macau to participate in the event.
Pololikashvili also said that UNWTO had plans to strengthen cooperation with higher education institutions in Macau, to offer courses in tourism, communications, marketing, and other major subjects, in a bid to help build Macau into an educational hub for tourism talent training.
