Month: June 2021

Macao, 23 June 2021 – Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and coordinated by Macau Travel Agency Association, the 9th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo (referred to as the “Expo” or “MITE”) will be held at Halls A – B, Cotai Expo of the Venetian Macao from 9 to 11 July. The Expo will once again bring together cloud virtual and physical
exhibitions radiant with five major highlights, to support members of the tourism and related industries to deepen cooperation and navigate business opportunities together.

MGTO and Macau Travel Agency Association co-held a press conference today (23 June) to unveil the Expo’s program this year. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, MGTO Deputy Director Ricky Hoi, and President of Macau Travel Agency Association, Alex Lao, attended the press conference along with other personages.

In her address, Director Senna Fernandes expressed that the Expo once again features a confluence of cloud virtual and physical exhibitions to connect Macao’s travel trade and related sectors with their international counterparts. Set to radiate Macao’s unique advantages, the Expo incorporates new elements and enhances interactive exchange with five major highlights to spur tourism revival in the city. The Expo continues to strengthen concerted development between tourism and MICE, e-commerce, gastronomy, culture and creativity among other fields, with the dedication to unveil new possibilities for exchange and cooperation among the travel and related sectors, in line with the SAR Government’s endeavors to deepen cross-sector integration of “tourism +”.

Online and offline synergy to expand business opportunities
The exhibition floor covers approximately 23,000 square meters in total this year, accommodating about 710 booths. The 9th MITE features a confluence of online and offline exhibitions with five major highlights. As of 22 June, around 365 exhibitors have registered for participation including 99 local exhibitors, 243 Mainland exhibitors as well as 23 international exhibitors. There are 363 buyers including 205 hosted buyers from the Mainland
and 158 online buyers from across the world.

1. Strengthen “Cloud Series” for integration of online and offline exhibitions

The Expo will optimize its pre-scheduled appointment system by extending the “Cloud B2B” period from 2 days to a stretch of 14 days, offering ample time for exhibitors and buyers to tap into cooperation opportunities. Exhibitors and buyers who reach a consensus or confirm their intention for cooperation can sign agreements via the “Cloud Contract-signing”, reinforcing MITE’s role as an effective trade and commerce platform. Furthermore, the Expo will virtually connect the global travel trade with the on-site exhibition via online introduction of destination tourism resources and live interaction with audience in the “Cloud Live Promotion” session, to be also live streamed on MITE’s official website. Exhibitors can also promote their products and brands through live sale on “Cloud Live Broadcast” with influential streamers from the Mainland and Macao on well-known e-commerce platforms, giving full play to e-marketing.

2. Expand the scale of “Macao Street” and boost local tourism economy

The number of exhibitors in “Macao Street” increases by over 10% compared with the previous edition. Exhibitors will promote and sell a variety of preferential tourism products including local tours and hotel staycation products under the “Stay, Dine and See Macao” project as well as Macao Highlight Tours on site. Furthermore, Macao’s hotel enterprises will debut the first mega special pavilion in the “Macao Street” to promote hotel products and services. Exhibitors which are tourism enterprises from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has pre-matched with travel agencies in Macao for co-development of multi-destination travel products to attract buyers of “Macao +” Greater Bay Area travel products.

3. Promote inheritance, innovation and exchange of gastronomy via “City of Gastronomy” culinary demonstration

The 9th MITE invites famous chefs from Chengdu, Shunde, Macao and Yangzhou to demonstrate their culinary skills, share expertise and interact with spectators. The Expo will also feature the “Gastronomy Pavilion” again, where local catering businesses will offer a variety of signature local delicacies, showcasing Macao’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

4. Promote cultural tourism development through integration of “tourism + culture and creativity”

The zone of “Cultural and Creative Shops” will showcase products in creative design by pertinent exhibitors from Macao. The “MAK MAK Pavilion” will make its comeback, where local cultural and creative enterprises will promote and sell their tourism products themed after Macao Tourism Mascot “MAK MAK”, towards the goal to deepen cross-sector integration of “tourism + culture and creativity”. The “MAK MAK, your Tour Guide in Macao” Lucky Draw will await spectators in the Pavilion.

5. Promote “Distinctive Shops” and enhance brand images

The Expo will once again present the “Distinctive Shops” Pavilion. Arranged by the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, around 20 “Distinctive Shops” such as eateries, confectionaries and bakeries, souvenir shops, retailers and handicraft businesses will offer spectators a window onto their products, services and stories of their inherited skills.

The 9th MITE will stage nearly 40 seminars and conferences as well as more than 10 tourismthemed promotional activities. The Expo will also feature smart tourism exhibit booths which will let visitors experience and know more about smart tourism projects and services through on-site display. The smart tourism exhibit booths include Gaode Map, FlyZoo Hotel and Alibaba Cloud, all of which belong to Alibaba Group, covering applications for visitors before, during and after their trip experiences.

A launch ceremony for MGTO’s Official Flagship Store on Ctrip App and a workshop about e-commerce platform skills offered by Trip.com will be held on site on 9 July, the Expo’s opening day. In addition, the “Incubation plan for Macao’s KOL in tourism” will open for applications starting from tomorrow (24 June). Organized by MGTO and co-organized by Macau Live Streaming Association, the Program aims to encourage Macao residents and trade
to leverage social networks to promote Macao’s image as a destination with diverse travel experiences to offer. An activation ceremony for the Program will also be held at the Expo.

Preventive measures against the pandemic
Online appointment system for admission in staggered periods

The 9th MITE will be held at Halls A – B, Cotai Expo of the Venetian Macao from 9 – 11 July with free admission for the public. The Expo will once again adopt a series of preventive measures against the pandemic, including implementation of crowd management by setting up the only entrance and exit at Halls A and B respectively, as well as the requirement for visitors
to present Macao Health Code and have their temperature checked upon admission, as well as to wear mask and maintain one-meter social distance. Venue disinfection, staggered admission hours and other measures related to public catering will be carried out as well. Once again, the Expo will offer the online appointment system to implement the requirement of “admission quota, advance appointment, staggered periods”. The public can now log into MITE’s official website (www.mitexpo.mo) to schedule an appointment for visit to the Expo, while public without appointment can line up at the venue for admission according to the on-site status. Preregistered visitors will be given a “Checkpoint Map” and rewarded a souvenir upon completion of check-in at all specified spots in the exhibition halls.

During the Expo, free shuttle bus service along four routes will be provided between the venue and various points in Macao and Taipa. Free parking will be available to residents at Halls D and E, Cotai Expo of the Venetian Macao.

The 9th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, organized by Macao Government Tourism Office and coordinated by Macau Travel Agency Association. The co-organizers of the Expo include Cultural Affairs Bureau, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Macao Chamber of Commerce, General Union of Neighbors Association of Macau, Macao Federation of Trade Unions, Women’s General Association of Macau, Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau, Association of Macao Tourist Agents, Travel Industry Council of Macau and Macau Hotel Association.

For more information about the 9th MITE, please visit MITE’s official website: www.mitexpo.mo, WeChat ID and Facebook page.

Polokwane is the capital city of Limpopo, and has a vibrant mix of people and culture. Polokwane has great restaurants, art galleries,museums, jazz clubs and shopping centres. It's also called the gateway city because it's a stepping stone to a diversity of natural attractions from mountains to wilderness areas.

Macao, 18 June 2021 – As a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, Macao is once again joining the rest of the world to celebrate today (June 18) the Sustainable Gastronomy Day. This year, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is marking the date with the dissemination of a video to raise public awareness about what sustainable gastronomy entails, particularly in relation to preserving Macanese cuisine, part of Macao’s unique gastronomic cultural heritage.

Titled “Sustainable Gastronomy Day 2021 – Preserving Macanese Cuisine”, the video features MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Chef of Macao Institute for Tourism Studies Educational Restaurant Hans Lee Rasmussen, Macanese Chefs Florita Alves and Otilia Novo, as well as students aspiring to become chefs, who share their views on sustainable gastronomy and their take on how to maintain Macanese cuisine relevant for future generations. Produced by MGTO in partnership with Macao News, the video is being disseminated on the websites of both entities, along with their official accounts on social media platforms and other channels, including at: www.macaotourism.gov.mo . The video presented today is the culmination of a work that also includes two related videos and articles released by Macao News since the end of May to gear up for this year’s Sustainable Gastronomy Day.

With its blend over the centuries of Chinese and Portuguese cuisines, incorporating flavors from Africa, India and Southeast Asia, Macanese food reflects Macao’s unique history. Ensuring the preservation of Macanese cuisine as part of the cultural identity of the city, has been one of the main tasks of Macao’s action plan to develop as a Creative City of Gastronomy. A relevant work conducted to preserve this over 400 years of heritage is a Macanese Cuisine Database launched in November last year with a collection of recipes, manuscripts, related books and publications. Macanese gastronomy is inscribed on the List of Macao’s Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2012 and last week was added to the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Following a UN General Assembly resolution in December 2016, Sustainable Gastronomy Day has been an international observance marked every year on June 18, to raise public awareness about the role sustainable gastronomy can play to help achieve the implementation of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Macao has been marking the Sustainable Gastronomy Day each year following its designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy on 31 October 2017.

For the young and young at heart.

Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) is the National Tourism promotion body mandated to carry out the marketing and promotions of Maldives as a tourist destination. During the last two months MMPRC carried out over 58 marketing activities. This includes in-person participation at international tourism fairs, major marketing campaigns, a variety of virtual events and smaller campaigns targeting B2B and B2C segments in 22 key markets across the globe. The activities were designed and executed with the primary aim of maintaining brand strength, promoting Maldives as a safe haven for travelers, and ultimately increasing arrival figures to pre-pandemic levels.

MMPRC’s goal is to sustain and enhance the destination’s idyllic image and it’s positioning as one of the most desired destinations in the world. At the same time, the key objective is to reassure travelers that Maldives remains one of the safest destinations to travel to during these unprecedented times. The campaigns conducted during the period, presented the Maldives as a ‘safe haven’ for holidaymakers. The safety and natural isolation offered to
holidaymakers due to the country’s unique geography and its one-island-one-resort concept, and the stringent health and safety measures in place have been the key themes in all our marketing communications during the period. The content also focused on active updates of the arrival and departure guidelines, with the dual purpose of ensuring clarity and informing guests of the procedures in place, along with impressing upon them the reliability and comprehensiveness of the measures that are in place.

MMPRC, together with industry stakeholders and partners, has continued to work to ensure Maldives remain at the top of the mind of potential travelers and to keep them dreaming about the destination. The 58 marketing activities carried out in the last two months include six fairs (virtual and physical), global marketing campaigns (with Skyscanner, Trip advisor and Expedia), several webinars in different markets, two familiarization trips, two roadshows (Dubai in-person roadshow and South Korea online roadshow), an outdoor campaign in South Korea, several digital media campaigns on Visit Maldives official social media accounts and
other smaller marketing campaigns on various platforms.

With the gradual increase in in-person fairs around the world, MMPRC is ensuring that Maldives takes full advantage of these events, with a strong presence and ensuring maximum exposure and visibility. As always, MMPRC opened up the opportunity for participation for all trade partners, to connect with the travel trade community and showcase their unique products and experiences. Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the leading international travel and tourism event for the Middle Eastern market was one of the major fairs in which MMPRC participated during the period. Over 69 partners representing 37 tourism establishments from across various sectors of the Maldives Tourism industry participated at the event.

This year’s ATM ran as a hybrid event with the live event taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 16-19 May 2021 and a virtual event including webinars and video meetings taking place from 24-26 May 2021. On the sidelines of the fair, MMPRC hosted two events “The Maldives Media Meet” and “Connect with Maldives, your safe haven” for the Middle Eastern Media and the Travel Trade respectively.

During the last two months, MMPRC also participated in Luxury Travel Mart Moscow, BIT Virtual, World Travel Market Africa Virtual, FITUR International Tourism Fair in Spain with the aim of sharing the latest updates of the destination in those markets. Positive response and feedback were received from industry partners for the immense success achieved at these prominent travel trade fairs, roadshows, and other physical events.

MMPRC has also launched a virtual event management platform during April 2021. This virtual platform, “My Virtual Maldives” is aimed to amplify audience engagement and networking by connecting attendees from across the globe through hosted online events ranging from virtual exhibitions, roadshows, webinars to training and live marketing events targeting travel trade and consumers alike. So far, MMPRC has carried out two webinars for
the French market and hosted a virtual fair & roadshow for the South Korean market on this platform. Furthermore, MMPRC has opened up the platforms for local industry partners to host their own events.

The "I'm Vaccinated" campaign conducted jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and MMPRC was also launched recently in order to offer further confidence to travelers, with the positive message regarding vaccination of staff working in the tourism sector, along with promoting the initiatives undertaken to ensure the Maldives remains one of the safest destinations in the world for travelers. The ultimate target is to make Maldives the destination with the first fully vaccinated tourism sector in the world.

MMPRC will continue its strong and persistent marketing efforts in the coming months by targeting B2B and B2C on online as well as offline platforms and by continuously adapting to the changing market situation. It is our strategy to maintain destination presence, increase brand visibility and promote Maldives as the most preferred tourist destination in the world. These activities are also conducted in source markets that are closed at present, to ensure that Maldives is the top of the mind destination to travel, once their borders are open and travel restrictions are eased.

The main focus of MMPRC’s marketing effort would be on raising arrival numbers to prepandemic levels, re-orient the perception of Maldives solely as a honeymoon and a luxury destination, increasing the benefits of tourism to the community through greater emphasis on experiential tourism and maintaining tourism sustainability. Planned marketing activities include digital marketing activities, joint campaigns with trade partners, brand visibility
campaigns, familiarization trips, and participation at key international trade fairs.