The International Tourism Financial system Discussion board – GTEF 2015
The Global Tourism Economy Forum (“GTEF” or “the Forum”), scheduled to take place in Macau, Venice from October 12-14, 2015, will unveil an innovative world-class dialogue on cultural tourism with the theme of “One Belt One” Street – unleash new dynamism in cultural tourism ”. A pre-event press conference was held yesterday (June 17th) at the Tourism Activities Center in Macau. The chief officer of the secretary for social affairs and culture of the government of the Macau Special Administrative Region Lai Ieng Kit and the director of the tourism bureau of the government of macao (MGTO) Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, as well as the vice chairman and general secretary for global tourism economy made observations that Forum Pansy Ho presented details of this year’s program.
At the press conference, the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macau Special Administrative Region Government announced the renewal of a three-year partnership with the Global Tourism Economy Research Center (GTERC) to advance the global tourism economy and Macao’s development into a world center for tourism and Leisure.
Building on the premise of the Silk Road of the 21st Century (MSR), which represents open and integrative regional and international cooperation, the GTEF 2015 will focus on the new dynamic of cultural tourism – Public-private partnership, win-win investment strategies, tourism value chain and symbiosis of cultural heritage and creative lifestyle. The forum is pleased that members of the Pacific Alliance, including Mexico, Peru, Chile and Colombia, are joining as partner countries and the province of Zhejiang, one of the most important provinces of the MSR, as a special province.
Macao SAR Government Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Lai Ieng Kit said: “The Macao SAR government attaches great importance to the Central Government’s One Belt One Road development strategy. We will fully support and use Macao’s central effects on the MSR and use this important development opportunity to increase the synergy effects of culture and tourism. “He hoped that this forum could bring forces from different places together, promote regional sustainable partnerships and jointly promote regional and international tourism development.
MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said in her speech: “GTEF is important for Macau. By organizing the forum, Macau can gain more experience in organizing large-scale meetings and exhibitions. At the same time, it can attract government and business leaders as well as experts from different regions and countries, thereby strengthening Macau’s international reputation. “
This year, the all-important face-to-face meeting of Private Sector Ministers and CEOs will once again lead discussions in the forum. The tourism ministers invited include ministers from Cambodia, South Korea and the countries of the Pacific Alliance. Together with the global CEOs of the private sector, these ministers will examine the pioneering role of tourism in the monumental national cooperation initiative “One Road and One Belt”. In addition, industry leaders will share their insights in special sessions such as “Understanding Chinese Consumers Behavior”, “Exploring the Full Dimension of Cultural Tourism – Cultural Heritage and Creative Lifestyle” and “Promoting Cultural Awareness Through Social Media”. GTEF is honored to have BOA Merrill Lynch, China Daily, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Travel Weekly Group as sponsors or collaborators for these sessions.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and GTERC will present their second joint annual report on the trends in Asia tourism, which again provides an in-depth analysis of the latest developments in the Asia tourism trend and enables decision-makers to keep their finger on the pulse of the market . .
As a prelude to the GTEF 2015, Ms. Pansy Ho, Vice-Chairwoman and General Secretary of the GTE, led a prominent delegation under the banner of the GTEF to visit the countries of the Pacific Alliance at the beginning of June. 30 influential entrepreneurs from China, Hong Kong and Macau, who work in a wide range of tourism industries, including real estate development, destination management, hospitality, retail and investment, met with tourism ministers and foreign ministers from Pacific Alliance countries and participated in business networking events to gain insights into the investment landscape, tourism resources and market potential of the region and to share their experiences in taking into account the evolving trends and consumption patterns of Chinese tourists.
Ms. Pansy Ho, Vice-Chairperson and General Secretary of the GTEF, thanked the entire Macau community for the continued support. In particular, she underlined the important impact of the forum: “GTEF launched the Chinese entrepreneurial business mission in 2013 with the aim of extending their benefits beyond the period of the forum. Today, the business mission has become a crucial element stimulating exchange and collaboration between China and Other Countries. During our 12-day visit to the Pacific Alliance, we were greeted with the warmest hospitality of the Ministers for Tourism and Foreign Affairs and experienced firsthand how the tourism sector can foster collaboration and capitalize on the opportunities it presents the new relations between China and Latin America. “
GTEF has successfully established itself as an influential high-level collaboration platform to fuel a new round of development in the global tourism industry with a focus on China. To date, the GTEF has attracted over 3,000 participants from 45 countries and regions, welcomed 49 provincial and municipal delegations from China, and featured 130 world-renowned speakers, including ministers, business leaders and academics, on its stage.
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Government Officials Meeting with the Delegation of Chinese Entrepreneurs:
Peru
- Ms. Ana Maria Sánchez Vargas de Rios, Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Ms. Magali Silva Velarde-Alvarez, Minister for Foreign Trade and Tourism
Chile
- Mr. Edgardo Riveros Marín, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs
- Ms. Javiera Montes Cruz, Undersecretary of State for Tourism, Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism,
Mexico
- Claudia Ruiz Massieu, Minister of Tourism
- Mr Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, Minister of the Economy
- Mr Sergio Alcocer Martinez, Deputy Foreign Minister
About the organizational structure of the Global Tourism Economy Forum
Co-organized by the Chinese Chamber of Tourism under the approval of the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), coordinated by the Global Tourism Economy Research Center and in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), all four editions of Global Tourism Economy Forum are managed by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macau Special Administrative Region Government. The forum also receives strong support from its supporting entities, including the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macau Special Administrative Region, the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Commissioner in the Macau Special Administrative Region, the National Tourism Administration of China (CNTA), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and Macau Government Tourism Bureau (MGTO).
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