Macau to host major Europe travel conference in 2025

The European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA) announced late last week that Macau will host its 2025 annual summit and be designated the organization’s preferred destination for 2025.

The announcements were made at the 12th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo, presenting a significant opportunity for the city to promote its tourism industry to key European travel professionals.

ECTAA’s 2025 Macau Summit will take place next year and gather the heads of national travel agencies and tour operators from its 30 member countries across Europe.

The event will provide a platform for Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes to highlight the city’s growth into a world center for tourism and leisure.

She said hosting the summit offers a “unique opportunity” to raise awareness of Macau in key European source markets.

The MGTO’s partnership with the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT) aims to boost visitors from Portugal, Spain and Europe once pandemic restrictions ease.

Through APAVT’s involvement with ECTAA, MGTO saw hosting the 2025 summit as a chance to showcase Macau’s diverse offerings to the organization’s 80,000 European travel professionals.

ECTAA vice president Heli Mäki-Fränti believes this will encourage agents to consider Macau as an “exceptional choice” for their clients.

APAVT president Pedro Costa Ferreira called the summit the “biggest opportunity” in recent years to connect Europe—a priority source market—with Macau and expand to mainland China.

Throughout 2025, ECTAA will actively promote Macau on its website and social media platforms, targeting travel media, agents and operators across the continent.

In collaboration with APAVT and ECTAA, the MGTO has invited 30 European travel trade and media representatives to attend this year’s expo.

Along with business networking, the delegation will experience Macau’s culture, cuisine and entertainment.

This follows MGTO’s continued promotional efforts this year in Portugal and Spain’s largest travel fairs.

Hosting major events like the 2025 ECTAA summit and APAVT’s 2025 national conference in Macau will be pivotal in tapping further into European markets and diversifying the city’s tourism economy for sustained growth.

Staff Reporter