The 13th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo will kick off on April 25 at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo, with this year’s three-day event having nearly 50 percent more foreign exhibitor booths compared to last year, along with six new highlights that incorporate Macau’s “tourism+”.
Themed “Explore MITE, Experience the World” and running through April 27, the 30,000 square metre fair will have nearly 600 exhibitors from over 60 countries and regions, as well as around 500 hosted buyers from around the world, according to details announced at yesterday’s press conference at the Macau Science Centre (MSC) in Nape.
The expo, organised by the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and coordinated by the Macau Travel Agency Association, features around 1,501 booths, with an estimated 320 booths in the mainland zone, 431 in the Macau zone, 14 in the Hong Kong zone, 324 in the international zone and 412 in other exhibit zones.
Speaking with reporters after yesterday’s press conference, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes noted that the 50 percent increase in international (foreign) participants was a “very important” development for MITE, noting that it not only targets the sale of products.
She continued to point out that as an international tourism expo, it’s important to be able to provide the opportunity for both international buyers and exhibitors to meet and talk business. “With this possibility, I think that will also help us attract more business visitors from international markets to come to Macau eventually”.
Among the six highlights of the event are its Belt and Road Products Pavilion having expanded to nearly 700 square metres, while nearly 80 percent of exhibitors are new to the expo. In terms of gastronomy highlights, the expo will feature a Coffee Station for the first time that offers premium coffee beans from Portuguese-speaking countries and specialty brands, a “Foodie Market”, and “The Cellar”, which will feature themed “Happy Hours” featuring liquor drinks from the Chinese mainland, Japan and South Korea in conjunction with the Culture Cities of Asia programme.
Another upcoming highlight is the launch of the “Halal Horizons Pavilion”, which will have local and mainland halal enterprises showcasing cuisine, souvenirs and wellness products. Senna Fernandes told the Post that the international Muslim market is a very large one that MGTO hopes to explore further.
A large market
Senna Fernandes told the Post that Muslims make up 25 percent of the global population, with a large number also found in the mainland. “So that is a very, very big market out there. We haven’t tapped into it well enough yet. We’re just starting”, while there is still a lot of work to be done.
MGTO has recently launched its first Muslim tourism guide, while a number of seminars have been held over the years, with Senna Fernandes noting that being more abreast and aware of the related needs are an important step to start with.
She added that during the upcoming 13th MITE, there will be a session about how Macau’s hotels can get certified as halal friendly hotels. This will be an important step to turn Macau more internationally friendly for all visitors from different religious backgrounds and ways of life, as well as in making the city a more inclusive society and place for visitors, according to Senna Fernandes.
Moreover, there has already been a lot of interest in getting the halal certification, according to Senna Fernandes, who pointed out that this was a good sign as it shows that Macau is looking at different market segments and exploring other possible visitor segments coming to Macau.
Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes (centre) poses with other representatives at yesterday’s press conference for the 13th Macao International Travel (Industry) Expo at the Macau Science Centre in Nape. – Photo: Rui Pastorin
