The IFT Global Centre for Tourism Education and Training organised a training programme on “Sustainable Tourism Planning and Destination Management” from 15 to 22 May for representatives from several Asian countries and destinations. The course was held in Macao in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The programme included a total of 19 participants, each of them coming from either a country or destination covered by the Belt and Road Initiative, namely the Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Greater Bay Area of Mainland China and Macao.
The 8-day training course on “Capacity Building for Sustainable Tourism Planning and Destination Management” addressed topics such as tourism policy, over tourism, eco-tourism, heritage & environmental management. It included lectures, presentations and site visits, under the supervision of scholars from IFT and invited experts. The course also featured an in-depth talk and tour at MGM COTAI, Macao’s first mega-size complex property which achieved the Three-Star certification under the China Green Building Design Label. It allowed participants to learn more about the property’s innovative engineering efforts and the day-to-day environmental sustainability practices.
The training programme was the seventh of its kind co-organised by the IFT Global Centre for Tourism Education and Training and UNWTO: since the inception of the Centre, close to 160 participants from more than 20 countries and regions have taken part in such courses.
The Centre was set up in 2016 following a memorandum of understanding signed between the Macao SAR Government and UNWTO. The agreement covered topics including the enhancement of human capital for the tourism industry and the promotion of sustainable tourism in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Centre is part of IFT’s efforts to strengthen its position as an international hub for tourism education and training. It provides training and education courses in cooperation with UNWTO and other parties, to help participating tourism officials and professionals to enhance their knowledge and skills.