Commemorating its 40th anniversary, the Macau Hotel Association (MHA) has played a key role in shaping Macau’s hospitality landscape, advocating for workforce development and driving industry-wide improvements.
MHA vice president Rutger Verschuren, an experienced hotelier, underscored the association’s role in ensuring a unified voice for four- and five-star hotels when engaging with the government and other institutions.
“While competition among hotels will always exist, there is also a shared responsibility to see Macau succeed as a destination. MHA helps to drive that collaboration,” explained Verschuren.
Macau’s tourism industry is shifting in line with the government’s 1+4 economic diversification plan, and Verschuren said MHA is fully backing this initiative.
“We have been helping hotels explore new business models beyond traditional hospitality, with a particular focus on sustainability, wellness and medical tourism,” said Verschuren.
“Many hotels are introducing advanced wellness retreats and longevity-focused experiences, tapping into a growing demand for health-conscious travel.”
He added that “MHA will continue to support the expansion of non-gaming attractions, including cultural tourism, adventure experiences, and deeper integration with Hengqin (in the Greater Bay Area) to attract new visitor demographics”.
He sees potential for Macau and Hengqin to become one destination, aided by hassle-free travel.
MHA is also committed to continuing to showcase Macau’s hospitality industry on the global stage. The association has been active in travel trade events like ITB Berlin, ILTM, and MITE, and collaborates with the Macao Government Tourism Office to elevate service standards through training and industry dialogues.
In fact, its collaboration with the Macau government will be a key part of tourism promotions this year. A major element in this effort is MHA’s participation in MITE 2025 last week, where it showcased the latest developments in Macau’s hospitality sector to international markets.
It is also working closely with Macao’s Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute, commonly known as IPIM, on the MICE² Macao x Hengqin initiative to further position Macau as a leading destination for business events.
Reflecting on MHA’s growth since its establishment in 1985, when there were only a handful of hotels, Verschuren said there are now 55 star-rated hotels and affiliates.
Last year, MHA welcomed Andaz Macau and Raffles at Galaxy Macau as new members. Membership will continue to grow in the coming years, thanks to Macau’s ongoing development and closer integration with Hengqin.
