The 10th Global Tourism Economy Forum • Macao 2023 (GTEF) “culminated in success” on Friday, during which a closing ceremony was held at the Galaxy International Convention Centre (GICC) in Cotai, the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance said in a statement.
This year’s forum, the statement noted, was themed “Destination 2030: Unlocking the Power of Tourism for Business and Development”, which is based on the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It gathered over 100 ministers of culture and tourism, industry leaders, decision-makers, scholars and stakeholders from different tourism sectors. Event participants, the statement said, were encouraged to “think beyond tourism” and explore opportunities for the recovery of the global tourism economy.
The GTEF • Investment and Financing Conference was also brought back this year.
The statement pointed out that Secretary for Economy and Finance and GTEF Executive Chairman Lei Wai Nong said in a speech that the forum featured dedicated sessions in collaboration with different organisations to zero in on the sustainable and high-quality development of the tourism industry, as well as tourism growth and innovation through technology application. From various angles, participants also examined the new opportunities for tourism in mainland China, the Asia-Pacific region, and Europe.
The statement said that Lei underlined in his speech that in response to the goals set by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the forum valued “thinking beyond tourism” with the aim to foster innovative tourism collaboration. GTEF 2023 “culminated in success as an internationally-renowned convention in Macau and an annual seminal event for the global tourism industry, garnering high recognition from across the global tourism industry and manifesting Macau’s capabilities and advantages in MICE,” the statement said.
Moreover, GTEF Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Pansy Ho Chiu-king was quoted in the statement as saying: “In the past decade, we have attracted tourism industry practitioners from across the globe to this international forum originating in China. We will take it to the international stage in the next decade, taking GTEF to other parts of the world, raising both the voice and influence of China’s tourism industry internationally”.
The closing event was also attended by Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and GTEF Chairman Edmund Ho Hau Wah, and United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili, among others.
More information is available on www.gte-forum.com and official social media channels.
Secretary for Economy and Finance and GTEF Executive Chairman Lei Wai Nong delivers his closing remarks at the Galaxy International Convention Centre (GICC) in Cotai. – Photo: GSEF
