The Macao University of Tourism (UTM) and Portugal's Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies (ESHTE) successfully co-hosted a pivotal colloquium on 3 December, uniting academia and industry to bridge past connections with future tourism inspirations. Held at the Pousada Conference Room on UTM’s Mong-Há Campus, the event, titled "Macao and Portugal Tourism Offerings and Connections: Memories of the Past, Inspirations for the Future," fostered dialogue on strengthening the collaborative network between the two regions.
The colloquium gathered faculty, researchers, students, and association representatives to translate shared historical and cultural memories into actionable strategies for tourism development. Dr Connie Loi, Vice Rector of UTM, and Dr Rita Peres, Head of the ESHTE Delegation, inaugurated the event with welcoming remarks, underscoring the enduring partnership between the institutions. The stand-up presentation blocks showcased applied research from ESHTE, UTM, and Lusófona University, each offering actionable insights anchored in local and comparative contexts.
The panel discussion on "Macao and Portugal Tourism Offerings and Connections," moderated by Mr Patrick Lo (UTM), brought together Dr Raúl Filipe (ESHTE), Dr Cláudia Seabra (University of Coimbra), Dr Ahmed Fouad Abdel Latif Abdel Fattah (UTM), Dr Miguel Senna Fernandes (Doci Papiaçám di Macau of Associação dos Macaenses), and Mr António Monteiro (Macanese Youth Association). The discussion stressed the importance of joint initiatives, community engagement, and continuous strengthening of the Portugal-Macao tourism corridor.
In closing remarks, Dr Connie Loi thanked organisers, speakers, panellists, and attendees, and highlighted key themes from the day: accessible tourism; risk perception in hospitality; entrepreneurial competencies; heritage interpretation; Portuguese–Macanese culinary influences; and authenticity in food-related tourism intentions. She encouraged participants to take the dialogue beyond this colloquium, noting how small actions can build toward meaningful impact.
The colloquium reinforced UTM and ESHTE's commitment to research-informed practice and cross-cultural partnership, successfully transforming reflections on a common past into inspired blueprints for a collaborative future in tourism.
