IFTM opens new building for its Silver Jubilee

In the year marking its Silver Jubilee, the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) unveiled its Silver Jubilee Building in Taipa yesterday.
The building was originally built and owned by the University of Macau before it was relocated to Hengqin. When it was first launched, the building was intended to celebrate the university’s 25th anniversary.
In her speech, President of the IFTM Fanny Vong disclosed that building is not fully operational for the time being. Further refurbishment is necessary before it can be completely handed over to the IFTM. However, two floors of the building were opened yesterday.
The government previously assigned the old library building of the University of Macau before they relocated to the IFTM, who renamed it the Forward Building.
The IFTM president noted that the Taipa campus has so far enriched the institute’s overall facilities.
Furthermore, the president also disclosed that the government has assigned another land plot in the old University of Macau campus as a land reserve of the IFTM. It may be used to further expand the facilities of the institute to cope with its development.
The president expects that the new land plot will be used for an international tourism education complex. It is hoped that the prospective building will serve as an icon of the IFTM in the future.
As for the facilities to be housed under the roof of the complex, Vong foresees that there will be simulation classrooms, study rooms, cultural and artistic exhibition spaces, activity and leisure areas, as well as administrative spaces.
The IFTM president said, “The future building will help improve the institute’s quality of teaching, in turn nurture more professional talents for the local tourism industry.”
Before the launch ceremony of the new IFTM building, an opening ceremony was held at the IFTM’s STDM Auditorium for a culture and tourism development training course covering the Greater Bay Area.
In her opening speech, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Elsie Ao Ieong U, pointed out that the course is a “top-notch project to actualize the Greater Bay Area Tourism Education Training Base.”
The course will focus on the current state of the tourism industry, future development trends, the characteristics of Macau’s tourism industry, as well as the integration of culture and tourism. The secretary hopes that students will be inspired by the course. AL