Themed as “Belt and Road Initiative: Unleashing the New Dynamics of Cultural Tourism”, the Global Tourism Economy Forum • Macau 2015 adjourned yesterday (13 October) with tremendous success.
The Global Tourism Economy Forum (“GTEF” or “the Forum”) has effectively fostered multilateral cooperation through its advanced platform for international exchange and cooperation in tourism, gathering nearly 60 ministerial officials from different countries, leaders from globally‐renowned private corporations, as well as experts and scholars from worldwide to discuss the necessity of leveraging cultural tourism to capitalize on opportunities from the Belt and Road Initiative. Delegates from different countries and cities around the world found their attendance in this edition rewarding.
Dr. Alexis Tam, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and Executive Chairman of GTEF, stated in his closing remarks that the Forum has unfolded a lively dialogue on how a partnership between culture and tourism can fuel new momentum for economic growth. Prestigious ministers and officials from different countries, prominent leaders of international tourism organizations, private-sector stakeholders, experts and other panelists have outlined the latest tourism trends and pointed out a clear direction and practical advices. Their discussions have opened up a valuable avenue for forging more far-reaching regional collaboration at a deeper and higher level.
Secretary Tam added that UNWTO has partnered with the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre to jointly present their Annual Report on Asia Tourism Trends at the Forum, allowing policy makers and industry leaders to further harness their strength and enhance policy coordination in the region with a precise perspective.
As the Secretary also pointed out, the Belt and Road Initiative advocates mutual development and win-win cooperation. Regional collaboration is an essential path for all destinations to achieve sustainability. Being one of the key hubs along the Maritime Silk Road and a major gateway that connects China to the world, Macao is dedicated to supporting and contributing to the vision and actions of the Belt and Road Initiative. Sparing no effort to promote urban development and harness Macao’s unique advantages in culture and tourism, the SAR Government will recognize the vast scope of opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation among countries and cities along the Belt and Road to forge new partnerships with different international partners.
Ms. Pansy Ho, Vice Chairman and Secretary‐General of GTEF, concluded this edition, “Throughout history, Macau has always been a platform that brings people together to trade, to exchange ideas, and to work together.
Ho continues, “As the Secretary General of UNWTO eloquently expressed, globalization has made us so similar, but tourism brings out the beauty of our uniqueness and diversity, giving character and individuality to each culture. Macau in its strategic physical and historic location stands ready to optimize the Belt and Road Initiative to offer multi-dimensional, multi-faceted and multi-cultural offerings that will give its visitors and its residents lasting collective experience and memories, and create a virtuous cycle of positive and enriching influence from the visitors to the residents, and vice versa.”
More than 1,200 delegates from different countries and cities, including Featured Partner Countries Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru as well as provincial and municipal delegations from China attended the event, while over 200 local and overseas media representatives were present and covered the event, representing a 42% and 54% growth compared with the first edition of GTEF.
The fifth edition of GTEF will be held in Macao in 2016. The organizer is looking forward to carrying on the achievements and invaluable experience from the first four editions and injecting more innovations into the next edition in terms of both program and format, ensuring that the Forum’s participating partners can go forward with further exchanges and cooperation in tourism across industries, sectors and regions through GTEF as an international platform.
以“一带一路──释放文化旅游新动力”为题的世界旅游经济论坛•澳门2015于昨日宣布圆满结束。
论坛有效利用高层次的国际旅游交流平台促进多边合作，云集近60位来自世界不同国家的部长级官员、国际知名企业领袖和专家学者主讲，探讨利用文化旅游把握“一带一路”机遇的重要性，让来自全球多个国家及地区的参会代表收获甚丰。
澳门特别行政区政府社会文化司司长兼世界旅游经济论坛执行主席谭俊荣致闭幕词时表示，本届论坛就如何通过文化和旅游带动经济发展展开了生动的对话，与会的各国部长官员，国际旅游组织的负责人、私人企业的股东、专家和其他论坛参与者论述了旅游业的最新趋势，指出了明确的发展方向，提出了中肯的建议。这次讨论，为我们从更深入和更高层次上开展具有广泛影响力的区域合作，开辟了一条宝贵的路径。
更难得的是，联合国世界旅游组织和世界旅游经济研究中心在论坛上共同发布了亚洲旅游趋势年度报告，令决策者和业界领袖能够着眼更明确的远景目标，进一步利用自身优势，增强区域之间的政策协作。
谭俊荣并表示，“一带一路”倡议共同发展和双赢合作，区域协作是实现可持续发展的必经之路。作为海上丝路的重要中心，连接中国和世界的主要门户之一，澳门将积极投身于这一构想的愿景和行动，并做出自己应有的贡献。我们将不遗余力地推动城市发展，利用澳门在文化和旅游方面的独特优势，充分把握“一带一路”沿线国家和地区间互利合作的良好机遇，与更多的国际伙伴开展全新的合作。
世界旅游经济论坛副主席暨秘书长何超琼总结本届论坛时表示：“从古至今，澳门无论在通商、汇智，以及实干等方面，都一直是汇聚四方人才的重要平台。＂何续说：“正如联合国世界旅游组织秘书长所述，全球化让我们越趋相似，但旅游却带出了世界各地文化的多元和非凡之处，凸显每个文化的独特个性。澳门的策略性地理位置和历史背景，正好展示‘一带一路’所蕴含的多样性、多层次，以及多元文化的特色旅游体验，能为旅客和市民缔造历久常新的回忆。通过旅客和市民之间的互动，建立起循环不息、连绵不断的相互影响，给旅客及市民带来更臻完美和难忘的体验。＂
来自全球多个国家及城市逾一千二百名参会者出席论坛，其中包括重点合作国家智利、哥伦比亚、墨西哥和秘鲁以及重点合作内地省市代表团，更得到逾200 位中外及本地传媒代表出席采访，参会者及媒体人员分别较第一届论坛增加42% 和 54%。
第五届世界旅游经济论坛将于 2016 年再次在澳门举行。主办单位期望能延续首四届论坛积累的成果及宝贵经验，为未来一届论坛注入更多创新的内容和模式，确保参会的合作伙伴能通过论坛的国际交流合作平台，寻求跨行业、跨界别、跨地域旅游合作。
