The Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Zhuhai Da Heng Qin Development Company Limited and IFTM worked together to organise the ‘Talent Exchange between Macao and Hengqin’, which was held on 21 March 2023 in the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone (referred to as the ‘Cooperation Zone’). Converging the culture and tourism of Macao and Hengqin and creating new opportunities, the event drew 20 talents from Macao and Hengqin to participate and share ideas on the development of the industry and talents.
The tour, which included visits to Macau New Neighbourhood (MNN) Hengqin, Da Heng Qin Ceramic Art Museum, and Hengqin Sumlodol Camping Park, not only strengthened talents’ understanding of Hengqin’s unique cultural and tourism projects but also introduced participants to the on-going development of the Hengqin New Area. Hence, the entrepreneurial conference offered an opportunity for all talents to sit around the table and exchange enthusiasm and extensively discussed the cooperation and development Macao and Hengqin possess in the cultural, tourism, exhibition and business industries. Many participants expressed that the organisation of such a talent exchange does create a mutually beneficial situation that shares the development opportunities arising from the Hengqin New Area. And most importantly, it provides positive imagination and development opportunities for Macao and Hengqin, respectively.
With “Macao Ready Go! Local Tours” highlighting various community-based and leisure tours like the reopening of the Village of Our Lady in Ka Ho, the introduction of new attraction spot the GoAirborne and the helicopter tour around Macao, we can reveal the new face of Macao and to bring out more in-depth travel experiences,’ Dr. Lei Weng Si, Director of School of Hospitality Management at IFTM, stated. She added that Hengqin is rich in ecological resources and areas to develop leisure tourism better. This helps in promoting a series of unique tourism products for Macao and Hengqin. The two places can launch new strategies to maximise resources use and expand both local and international markets together.
General Manager of Macao Michael Marketing Promotion Limited, Mr. Choi Chin Man, believed that Macao as a ‘World Centre of Tourism and Leisure’ and ‘Pavilion of China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform,’ can join hands with Hengqin along with its well-equipped supporting facilities for convention industry and improving external networks. ‘We are expecting more events and conventions to come under the “one convention over two places” pattern,’ Mr. Choi added.
The event enabled the delegation members to gain a better understanding of the status and trends of Hengqin’s cultural, tourism, business and exhibition industries. The Cooperation Zone has confirmed with the relevant departments of Macao and Zhuhai that island tourism will be a new entry point for tourism cooperation between the three places and promote “One-Stop” tourism products. The Cooperation Zone will support the steady development of camping sites, build camping sites in various venues and develop leisure camping services. It will also study and explore the launch of tourism products of different themes and scales, such as “Tourism-plus-Sports” and “Multi-destination”, to promote the development of a high-level Hengqin International Leisure Tourism Island. The Cooperation Zone is promoting the training of Hong Kong and Macao tour guides to practise in Hengqin, encouraging more outstanding tourism practitioners to develop in the area, and promoting early and pilot implementation of tourism standards and talent cooperation.
It will also expedite the compilation and introduction of a three-year action plan for the cultural tourism, convention, exhibition and business industries in Macao, explore and cultivate more cultural tourism products, join hands with Macao to create Macao-Hengqin cultural tourism IPs, and strengthen external publicity and joint promotion. It is reported that this year, MICE events will be held in Macau and Qin under the “one convention, two locations” model.
