MACAO GOVERNMENT TOURIST OFFICE AND SINGAPORE AIRLINES RENEW COMMITMENT TO BOOST TOURISM TRAFFIC INTO MACAO

The Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and Singapore Airlines (SIA) signed an agreement today to extend their commitment to co-operate and jointly promote tourism to Macao.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between MGTO and SIA in August 2000, both parties agreed to undertake joint promotion activities for one year to boost visitor arrivals to Macao.

Since the signing of the MOU last year, Macao had enjoyed traffic growth from Singapore (+32.8%), Malaysia (+29%) and Indonesia (+90%). Southeast Asia as a whole represents the second major source of visitors to Macao after East Asia. Passenger traffic on the Singapore – Macao route has also increased by 3.4 percentage points.

The renewal of the MOU for another year from 1 September 2001 was signed by Mr. Joao Antunes, Director of MGTO and Mr. Tan Chik Quee, Senior Vice President (Marketing) of SIA.

“SIA is pleased to continue our support of MGTO’s efforts to develop tourism from Singapore and Southeast Asia to Macao,” said Mr Tan.

Under the renewed MOU, SIA’s support continues in the forms of tickets, rebated cargo and excess baggage. It will be allocated for tourism promotion programs, including travel trade fairs, educational and familiarization trips, sales missions, consumer promotions and other special activities.

MGTO will contribute funds for joint advertising and promotions in overseas markets and provide ground arrangements for agreed joint activities. Such activities target the trade, consumer, media, travel agents and travel writers, in an attempt to generate greater awareness of the tourism products of Macao and further enhance tourism flow to the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) from Singapore, Indonesia and the rest of Southeast Asia.

“Singapore Airlines is one of the earliest airline companies flying into Macao International Airport. The renewal of this MOU demonstrates the strong commitment of the MGTO to Singapore and Southeast Asia, as well as to our partner SIA. We look forward to more visitors from South East Asia travelling on SIA to Macao; while more Macao residents and visitors from Mainland China will travel through Macao with SIA to Singapore and other destinations served by their extensive route network, promoting two-way tourism,” said Mr. Antunes.

As one of the world’s leading airlines, SIA operates one of the most modern fleets in the industry and its Group network extends to 90 destinations in 40 countries. SIA flies to Macao twice weekly.

MGTO is the official tourism body of the MSAR, with the responsibilities of implementing the tourism policies of MSAR, encouraging improvements in service quality among industry operators, preserving existing tourism resources and developing new tourism products in a sustainable manner, organizing activities relevant to the tourism sector, and promoting tourism to the MSAR in overseas markets. It is also the official licensing and regulatory body of establishments related to tourism in the MSAR.