Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes

Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes has been Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) since December 2012. She is fluent in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Portuguese.

Born and bred in Macao, she graduated from the former University of East Asia (now the University of Macau) with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration Marketing in 1987.

Senna Fernandes worked in the financial sector before turning to public service. She joined the board of the MGTO in 1988, embarking on a career that has now spanned over 20 years. From 1994–1995, she headed MGTO’s Promotion Department, and in 1998, she became one of two assistant directors at the MGTO. Her responsibilities included organising both local and overseas tourism exhibitions, conferences, and seminars as well as marketing and promotional activities.

Aside from her role as MGTO’s director, Senna Fernandes also serves as coordinator for the Tourism Crisis Management Office and is a member of the Macao SAR Government’s Tourism Development Committee, MICE Development Committee, Economic Development Committee, Cultural Advisory Committee, Creative Industries Committee, and Urban Planning Committee, among others. She has also been a part of the Macau Grand Prix Committee since 2002 as well as the Committee for the Development of Convention and Exhibition since 2012.

She is also a voting member of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Executive Board for 2016–2018.

Senna Fernandes is fully dedicated to promoting Macao abroad and believes in “improving and reinventing the work of the Macao Government Tourism Office to best serve the tourism industry and Macao.”