Tourism official introduces Macau to Zhejiang

Ridley Hoi (center)

Deputy director Ricky Hoi of the local tourism board has highlighted Macau’s potential as a destination for study tours to a symposium in Zhejiang Province.

The tourism official recently made a trip to Shaoxing City to attend the symposium, which was held to discuss the findings of a report on the conditions of Zhejiang’s study tours. Similar to academic field trips, study tours are conducted by students, academics or researchers who wish to engage in hands-on education, research and observation.

At the symposium, the tourism official said that talent cultivation, product research and development, and heightening industries’ awareness are key to Macau’s study tours.

Hoi also exchanged views with leaders from various Chinese cities.

The Chief Executive made particular mention of Macau’s efforts to develop its study tours in his Policy Address this year. Of note to the tourism board was the fact that the first draft of research on Macau’s study tour prospects commissioned to the China Tourism Academy is now ready. Further steps to improve Macau’s study tours will be made based on this first draft, the tourism board added.

Last year, the tourism board operated the “Stay, Dine and See Macao” local tour initiative, which aimed to support the tourism industry amid Covid-19 travel restrictions. As part of this, the option of study tours was added at a later stage of the initiative. Each local student was sponsored with MOP280, while non-local students were eligible for the tours but not the sponsorship.

Meanwhile, a local entity called Macau International Research and Study Travel Association was established on Jan. 13, 2022, as announced by the Public Notary Office. The entity’s charter states that the association’s purpose is to “provide services for the industry and members through communication, consultation, coordination, training, public service platform and other forms around the export of Macau’s culture.”