The Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT) has declared Macao its Preferred International Destination for 2024 – a special status boding well for the SAR’s goal to crank up foreign tourist numbers.
The designation was an “excellent opportunity” to increase the flow of Portuguese travellers, as well as those from other European countries, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) said in a statement.
APAVT made the announcement at its 48th National Congress, last Friday, in Porto, Portugal.
An MGTO delegation attended the event, at which APAVT’s president, Pedro Costa Ferreira, described Macao as “a unique destination, standing as an example of coexistence of cultures and shared history.”
[See more: Macao airport’s passenger volume is still well below pre-pandemic levels]
At next year’s Lisbon Travel Market (taking place in late February and early March), the MGTO will launch an e-learning programme to help Portuguese travel agents become “Macao experts,” the statement read.
“[They will gain] knowledge about flights, hotels, events, gastronomy, culture, history and other relevant destination content, to encourage the travel trade to sell more Macao tourism products to Portuguese travellers.”
Macao is already set to host APAVT’s 50th National Congress, in 2025. It will be the sixth time the city has received this honour in four decades.
