The designation of Macao as a world center for tourism and leisure is a key development goal. In a recent interview with Yangcheng Evening News, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), highlighted the rapid growth of Macao's tourism industry since its return to China. "In 1999, Macao welcomed about 6.6 million visitors. By 2019, this number had surged to 39.4 million. This year, the recovery has been remarkable, reaching approximately 90% of pre-pandemic levels."

The year 2024 marks the fifth anniversary of the implementation of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area(GBA). Over the past five years, the GBA has accelerated to improve infrastructure connectivity, as well as institutional and policy integration, creating significant opportunities for Macao's tourism industry. Fernandes remarked that the GBA, as a unified region, holds huge potential for tourism development.

"In recent years, more international visitors, in addition to exploring Hong Kong and Macao, have expressed a strong desire to visit mainland cities within the GBA," she noted. "This is particularly true for Southeast Asian tourists, many of whom trace their ancestral roots to Guangdong. They want to witness their hometown's development."

Fernandes emphasized the importance of developing "multi-destination" travel packages by capitalizing on the GBA's advanced transportation network. "The GBA boasts four international airports—Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen—as well as homeports for cruise ships like Nansha Port in Guangzhou and Shekou Port in Shenzhen. We should fully leverage these transportation advantages."

Furthermore, with the implementation of a 144-hour visa-free transit policy at four ports in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Fernandes highlighted the convenience for international visitors. "The 144-hour visa-free policy is a major advantage. In 2023, we launched ten new GBA travel routes. Moving forward, we will continue to innovate and offer more diverse travel products."

The "Historic Centre of Macao," featuring a unique blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles, is the most ancient, largest, and best-preserved heritage district in China. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005. Complementing this historic charm is Macao's vibrant culinary culture, recognized in 2017 when it was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

Fernandes emphasized that these global recognitionsofheritage and gastronomyare crucial to Macao's identity. In recent years, Macao has undertaken various initiatives to advertisethese international "name cards." In June 2024, the Macao Government Tourism Office will host the first International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao. This innovative event will connect Macao's culinary heritage with the cuisines of 18 countries, positioning Macao as a global platform for gastronomic exchange and boosting its appeal as a travel destination.

To drive innovation, the Macao SAR government has introduced the "Tourism+" strategy, which seeks to integrate tourism with various other sectors. According to Fernandes, this approach has already fostered fruitful collaborations with industries such as health, conventions and exhibitions, education, culture, and sports. Moving forward, Macao plans to explore even broader opportunities for growth.

Fernandes expects the fusion of tourism and sports. "For Macao, sports are a valuable tourism resource," Fernandes noted. "Traditionally, events like dragon boat races attract visitors interested in Chinese culture. The Macao Grand Prix draws racers and fans from around the world, enhancing Macao's global reputation. In 2025, Macao will host events as part of the 15th National Games. In addition to competitive sports, there will be numerous community activities. We aim to use this opportunity to promote Macao's tourism across China."

Source: Lingnan On the Cloud

澳门特区旅游局局长文绮华：回归后旅客总数增五倍

世界旅游休闲中心是澳门重要的发展定位。近日，澳门特别行政区旅游局局长文绮华接受羊城晚报专访。她表示，回归之后澳门旅游业进入起飞期，有了非常好的发展。“1999年进入澳门旅客总数约为660万，2019年增长至3940万，今年恢复速度明显加快，已经达疫情前的约9成。”

2024年是《粤港澳大湾区发展规划纲要》发布实施5周年。5年来，大湾区内部基础设施“硬联通”不断加快，制度机制“软联通”不断优化，给澳门旅游业带来了更多机遇。文绮华表示，粤港澳大湾区作为一个整体，旅游业发展的潜力非常大。

她说：“近年来越来越多国际游客在游玩港澳的基础上，也非常希望到大湾区的内地城市去。尤其是东南亚的朋友，他们很多人的祖籍在广东省，他们希望看看大湾区的发展，也希望能够寻根。”

因此，文绮华认为，应该借助大湾区立体化的交通体系，更好地开发“一程多站”的联游产品。“大湾区有香港机场、澳门机场、广州和深圳四座国际机场，还有广州南沙和深圳蛇口等邮轮母港。我们应该更好地利用这些交通上的优势。”

同时，粤港澳大湾区已有广州和深圳的四个口岸实施144小时过境免签政策，文绮华认为：“144小时过境免签入境政策，对国际游客来说是很大的便利。2023年我们共同推出了十条新的粤港澳联游路线，未来我们也会继续发挥创意，提供更多元化的产品。”

“澳门历史城区”是中国境内现存最古老、规模最大、保存最完整、最集中的中西特色建筑共存的历史城区，2005年被获准列入世界遗产名录。富有历史底蕴的街巷，孕育出别具风格的美食文化。2017年，澳门获评为联合国教科文组织“创意城市美食之都”，这也是继2005年澳门历史城区获联合国教科文组织列为世界文化遗产之后的又一殊荣。

文绮华表示，“历史文化”和“美食之都”这两张名片对澳门来说都非常重要。近年来，澳门一直多举措发力，持续擦亮这两张国际性名片。2024年6月，澳门特区旅游局首次举办“澳门国际美食之都嘉年华”，创新性地以澳门美食文化为纽带，联动18个国家一起参与活动，将澳门打造为世界美食文化的交流平台，更好地提高城市吸引力。

澳门特区政府还提出了“旅游+”作为全新发展方向，旨在推动旅游业和不同行业进行结合。文绮华介绍，目前旅游和大健康、会展、教育、文化、体育等领域都进行了非常好的结合，未来还会和更广泛的领域一起挖掘新的可能性。

文绮华对澳门“旅游+体育”的跨界融合发展充满期待：“对澳门，体育是一个非常重要的旅游资源。传统上，我们有龙舟比赛，吸引了很多对中华文化感兴趣的游客。澳门格兰披治大赛车每次举办也都吸引了众多车手和游客，也让澳门在国际上有一席之地。2025年，澳门会举办全运会的赛事，不仅有竞技体育项目，还有众多群众赛事活动，我们希望能更好地利用全运会的机会，在国内推广澳门旅游。”

总策划｜任天阳
总统筹｜林海利
总执行｜胡 泉
策划执行｜蒋 铮
统筹执行｜王漫琪 李国辉
文字｜曾潇 付怡
图片｜温泽广
翻译｜王枥焓
审校｜赵凡