The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) continues to leverage its decades-long partnership with PATA to cement the city’s role as a global tourism hub.
Since 1958, this collaboration has been instrumental in boosting Macau’s visibility and fostering its professional development.
MGTO’s director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes explained that hosting PATA’s flagship events has been a key strategy.
“With tourism at the forefront of Macau’s economy, the destination’s visibility has benefited immensely over the decades from hosting some of the association’s flagship events, which have helped to expand its international reach,” she said.
The city has hosted major PATA gatherings, including the PATA Travel Mart in 2010 and 2017, and most recently, the PATA Annual Summit in 2024.
This partnership provided crucial support during the pandemic, allowing the city to stay connected to the global tourism industry.
“The collaboration opportunities with PATA have been diverse, contributing in multiple aspects to the professional development of Macau’s tourism sector,” Fernandes noted.
“A good example was the platform and network provided to help navigate the challenges during the pandemic. During this period, MGTO continued to engage with PATA meetings and events conducted online, which offered a valuable digital platform to maintain the visibility of the destination.”
Beyond visibility, PATA has provided tailored guidance to shape Macau’s tourism development over the years. This included task forces offering recommendations on the balance between preservation and tourism, the development of a business events destination, and the establishment of overseas representation offices.
The PATA Annual Summit 2024, which drew around 450 delegates from 30 countries, was the first major post-lockdown PATA event in Macau. It served as a showcase for the city’s latest developments as a Tourism + MICE destination, and proved its role as a key platform between China and the rest of the world.
Fernandes highlighted how the summit also provided professional development opportunities for local stakeholders and students.
“It was the turn of one of Macau’s integrated resort enterprises, MGM, to partner with PATA this time to conduct a capacity-building programme targeting MICE sector professionals, along with a special session for tourism and events university students and MGM staff,” she said.
In line with its long-term vision, Macau will continue to work with PATA to develop a sustainable and diverse tourism industry.
“Sustainability in tourism is an area where MGTO and other Macau tourism stakeholders’ engagement with PATA is expected to continue benefiting the destination, given the association’s leadership in raising awareness, creating educational resources, training, and guidelines,” Fernandes added. She also noted the potential to explore new source markets, such as the UAE, through PATA’s network.
