Gov’t targeting Southeast Asia and European markets

The Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is actively working to promote the city as a top travel destination, with a focus on Southeast Asia and Europe, according to director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes.

“We hope to have more than two million international tourists by the end of this year,” Fernandes said on the sidelines of an exhibition opening yesterday.

“This year’s main focus will be on Southeast Asia, as we hope the recovery of flights will be faster in the short-term market.”

The MGTO has been participating in travel exhibitions in Europe and the Middle East, and has also invited representatives from European travel agencies to visit Macau.

“The European Travel Association has listed Macau as a travel destination for 2025, and they will hold a meeting in Macau in June next year,” Fernandes explained.

Regarding the recent Macau travel exhibition in March, Fernandes announced that more than 190,000 people attended, and a significant number of discounted tickets were sold. “We are very happy to know that there are 45 flights to Macau in a week, and we hope to continue to promote Macau and bring more Thai friends to the city,” she said.

The MGTO’s efforts to promote Macau as a premier travel destination come as the city aims to capitalize on the recovery of international travel. Fernandes emphasized the importance of diversifying the city’s tourism offerings, noting that the upcoming Children’s Art Festival will be a key focus for the summer vacation period.

“We will continue to strengthen our promotion and invite various celebrities to help us,” the director said. “Just last month, a young singer came to Macau and brought his fans for sightseeing and traveling.”

As the MGTO looks to the future, Fernandes expressed excitement about the collaborations and international exchanges that are taking place.

“We hope that through our activities, we can promote international exchanges,” she said. Staff Reporter