GTEF | Brazil, Argentina, Jiangsu featured as partners this year

The Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) will be held in Macau between October 13 and 15 this year under the theme of “Tourism and Leisure: Roadmap to a Beautiful Life,” the organizers confirmed yesterday, at a pre- event press conference that served to present the event’s program.

At the event, held at the MGM Macau integrated resort, the organizers noted that the theme comes directly from the idea raised by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the contributing factors for a “Beautiful Life”, which can also come from tourism.

As previously announced, this year, the GTEF will feature Argentina and Brazil as partner countries and Jiangsu as the partner mainland province.

Continuing the collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the GTEF will also bring to the local event the finale of the “UNWTO Tourism Tech Adventure: SportsTech” as one of its features.

The event in Macau will also include the first “GTEF World Tourism Investment and Financing Conference,” as another of the novelties for this year.

In his remarks, the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ip Peng Kin noted, “Macau stands as a major hub along the Belt and Road and one of the core cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.” Ip noted that this represents added opportunities for the local tourism industry to reach new developments.

For Ip, the tourism forum, “demonstrates our city’s resolve towards sustainability.”

Pansy Ho emphasized, the “GTEF has established itself as a fixture of Macau. Through our platform, we strive to strengthen the connections between the global tourism industry and its related industries to embrace ‘China’s holistic tourism’ and tourism plus strategies to promote the sustainable development of the tourism economy.”

Under the idea of exploring the opportunities offered by sports tourism, the event will bring together ministers of sports, culture and tourism, corporate leaders and experts from across the world to discuss the latest tourism policies and trends, unveil opportunities for new growth in cultural, sports and wellness tourism, as well as explore the interplay potential between the tourism markets of China and Latin America.

Ho additionally remarked that both South American countries will be represented at a higher level, with several ministers in attendance, along with the expected participation of Brazil’s vice president António Hamilton Mourão.

Questioned on the topic, Ip noted that this year the event would see a budget increase of about 4% to MOP55.4 million as well as a 10% increase to the government’s contribution, which will reach now a total investment of around MOP29 million.