With China slated to host the 2026 APEC summit in November, its special autonomous region Macao kicked off the festivities by rolling out the red carpet for the 14th run of the Macao International Travel (Trade) Expo (MITE).
This year's event centres in the theme Global Convergence, Future Horizons, calling to mind how international collaboration on multiple fronts leads to mutually beneficial innovations to improve the global travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors.
The event formally opened at The Venetian Macao in the presence of Macao SAR chief executive Sam Hou Fai, secretary of economy and finance Tan Kin Ip, and Maria Helena de Senna Fendandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
Macao rising
In his opening remarks, Tan highlighted how Macao tourism targets have risen considerably over the past year, and are poised to rise even higher with the implementation of the second phase of the Macao Tourism Development Master Plan later this year.
This phase of the plan involves around 70 initiatives distributed among six industrial focus areas.
Speaking in the local vernacular, Tan added that skills development will be a fundamental part of Macao's tourism evolution, enabling the sector to work with an increasingly diverse range of industries in the name of economic growth.
As he concluded: "In the long run, this integration of MICE, cultural tourism, sports, commerce, and trade will be instrumental in the development of a high-quality, sustainable, and diversified tourism industry."
Telling the China story and more
Serving as an industrial precursor to the 13th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting as well as the 67th APEC Tourism Working Group Meeting later this year, MITE 2026 serves as a cultural and commercial showcase for both Mainland China and its special autonomous regions.
This year, exhibiting travel agencies are jointly launching the APEC Multi-Destination Itineraries offering, along with the MITE X APEC Stamp Passport campaign.
This campaign invites participants to collect stamps at the booths of participating APAC member nations for a lucky draw towards the end of the event.
This year's food and beverage offerings likewise serves as a showcase of Asia Pacific gastronomy through the cuisines and F&B products offered by member-states.
Two locations to promote medical tourism
With the rising regional and global interest in medical tourism, this year's MITE is changing the game with a joint pavilion featuring the work of the Islands Healthcare Complex - Macap Medical Centre of Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
Here, the institution has set up a showcase featuring state-of-the-art healthcare equipment, essentially highlighting innovation in the Asian medical field.
Participating groups include major players in medicine from Macao and the mainland province of Hengqing such as the Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture Experience Hall in Hengqin, the Pien Tze Huang Museum, and Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings.
At the same time, the Macao University of Tourism and the China Tourism Academy (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) will jointly host the High-level Forum on Greater Bay Area (GBA) Tourism Development later today, specifically focused on opportunities in senior tourism.
A satellite event titled the Macao-Hengqing Wellness Forum will also be held by the Economic Development Bureau of Hengqing at a local venue in the province.
Photos: Marga Manlapig
