Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) hosted the Award Ceremony for the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme 2025 for catering businesses and travel agencies today (4 December) to commend winning merchants of this year, including new participants and accredited businesses of last year. 327 catering businesses and 57 travel agencies are presented the Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award this year. The awards encourage members of the local trade to provide excellent tourism services together for Macao’s development into a stellar and hospitable destination.

Acting Director of MGTO, Jennifer Si Tou; President of Consumer Council, Leong Pek San; Rector of the Macao University of Tourism, Fanny Vong; Head of Division of Administrative Licensing of Municipal Affairs Bureau, Leong Cheok Hong; President of the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao, Chan Chak Mo; President of Macau Travel Agency Association, Alex Lao, Chair of the General Assembly of the Macau Hotel Association, Jocelyn Wong; Chairman of Travel Industry Council of Macau, Andy Wu; President of the Board of Directors of Association of Macau Small and Medium Enterprises of Catering, Vincent Ieong; President of Association of Macau Tourist Agents, Cheung Kin Chung, and Managing Director of Enviroforce Monitoring Inspection & Testing Company Ltd., Derek Chui, attended the award ceremony together with representatives of the awarded businesses and media. There were about 450 attendees on the occasion.

Commendation and training supports frontline service upgrade

Acting Director of MGTO, Jennifer Si Tou, expressed in her remarks that QTSAS was launched to establish service standards in the tourism industry, promote service enhancement and commend tourism merchants for their outstanding services, in turn supporting service optimization in tourism and other related sectors. At the same time, the Macao Courtesy Campaign continues to instill the spirit of kind hospitality among residents and members of the travel trade. Frontline employees are encouraged to provide polite services for customers in tourism-related sectors, while quality service culture is upheld from tourism to other sectors in the society, to reinforce Macao’s status as a world centre of tourism and leisure.

427 QTSAS-awarded businesses in three sectors

Since the inception in 2014, the Scheme has been gradually expanded to include not just the catering sector but also travel agencies and retail businesses as well. The quota limit was canceled this year for catering businesses and travel agencies. All qualified businesses which submitted applications entered the assessment process. Because of the licensing division’s information connectivity, the application process was streamlined as well and led to a greater number of participating businesses this year. The Office confers the Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award upon 327 catering businesses this year, including 170 new participants and accredited businesses of last year. 57 travel agencies are awarded, including 26 new participants and accredited businesses of last year.

20 of the accredited catering businesses are also winners of the Special Theme Award, while four of the accredited catering business have won the Quality Tourism Services Gold Award. Three of the accredited travel agencies are presented the Special Theme Award and one travel agency receives the Quality Tourism Services Gold Award.

For the retail sector, 43 Excellent Certified Shops are presented the Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award this year under the collaboration between MGTO and the Consumer Council. An award ceremony will be held next Thursday (11 December).

Upgrade tourism services by major initiatives in line with policy address

In accord with the “1 + 4” development strategy for adequate economic diversification, MGTO has unfolded an array of major initiatives to progress with the latest outlook and partner with the travel trade to optimize and strengthen the integrated tourism and leisure industries, continuously enriching the offerings of Macao as a world centre of tourism and leisure.

In terms of regulations, the Law on the Operation of Travel Agencies and Tour Guide Profession will come into force on 1 February 2026. MGTO forges ahead with publicizing the new law to raise the awareness of industry operators in law observance and service, calling for the travel trade to provide excellent services.

In terms of service quality, MGTO conducts annual assessment through QTSAS with the launch of new Special Theme Awards, to encourage businesses’ pursuit of excellence. By conducting the Macao Courtesy Campaign, the Office conveys the core principle of politeness towards visitors among tourism personnel and residents. Tailored for hotels, catering businesses, travel agencies and retailers, MGTO keeps organizing a variety of training opportunities to enhance service quality and hospitality skills overall, making a concerted effort to build an ideal destination with stellar tourism services. 

Continuous optimization of QTSAS

Since 2023, the Scheme has successively launched a range of new Special Theme Awards which cover community care services, operational innovation, sustainable dining and local features, in addition to the debut of this year, Integrity Business Award. By presenting the Special Theme Awards, QTSAS commends and encourages industry operators to provide excellent tourism services and create a safe and friendly destination for consumers, joining hands to reinforce Macao’s reputation as a tourist city with integrity.

The information about QTSAS-awarded businesses is available on MGTO’s website (https://www.dst.gov.mo).