Hong Kong and Macau Strengthen Tourism Ties

The Hon James Tien, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), on Monday led a delegation to Macau to discuss with officials of the enclave strengthening tourism ties between the two cities.

Among the delegates from the Hong Kong team were Mr Peter Lam, Board Member of the HKTB; and Mr Anthony Lau, Executive Director of the HKTB. The team had separate meetings with Mr Edmund Ho, Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region (Macau SAR); Dr Chui Sai On, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture; Mr João Manuel Costa Antunes, Director of the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO); and other government representatives.

Mr Tien said, “During our meeting, we touched on the aspects of setting up regular communication channels between the tourism industry of Macau and Hong Kong, launching joint initiative on multi-destination marketing and working on training industry professionals. The discussion was a constructive one and we are delighted to have achieved a consensus on these initiatives.”

Both the MGTO and the HKTB agreed to establish regular communication channels and organise quarterly marketing meetings, while the overseas offices of both organisations will strengthen joint co-ordination efforts.

On arrangements of multi-destination marketing, the two organisations will target long-haul markets and work together on the existing platform of the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau Tourism Marketing Organisation, so as to further promote the region as an international destination. For the short-haul markets, the MGTO and the HKTB will jointly launch a brand new multi-destination package themed around world heritage. The package will cover attractions such as the Historic Centre of Macau, an attraction under the UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites, the Diaolou clusters in Kaiping, Guangdong, and the Hung Shing Temple in Kau Sai Chau, Hong Kong, which was awarded the ‘Outstanding Cultural and Heritage Restoration Project’ in the 2000 UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award.

During the visit to Macau, Mr Tien also met Mr Edmund Ho, Chief Executive of the Macau SAR, and discussed on strengthening ties and co-operation between the tourism industry in the Pearl Delta Region, and nurturing more talents for the industry and for the greater benefit of the region.

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