Global Tourism Economy Forum • Heilongjiang 2025 was held in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province with success. Venturing beyond Macao for the first time, the 11th edition of the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF or the “Forum”) brought together elites and leaders from tourism and other related industries from worldwide for meaningful dialogues, to explore development opportunities and forge innovative cooperation under the theme “New Quality Productive Forces: Powering the Global Tourism Economy”. The Forum injected a new impetus for Macao’s tourism economy and elevated the city’s international profile as a world centre of tourism and leisure, in support of the city’s development into a high-level platform that opens up to the world.
Highlight development potential of national tourism economy
Guests who attended the opening ceremony of the Forum include Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Forum Chairman of GTEF, Ho Hau Wah; Secretary of Heilongjiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chairman of the Standing Committee of Heilongjiang Provincial People’s Congress, Xu Qin; Secretary-General of the UN Tourism, Zurab Pololikashvili;
Representative of the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR, Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government and Executive Chairman of GTEF, Tai Kin Ip; Governor of the People’s Government of Heilongjiang Province, Liang Huiling; Chairman of the Heilongjiang Provincial Committee of CPPCC, Lan Shaomin; Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Luo Laijun; Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of GTEF, Pansy Ho, as well as tourism ministers from different countries, among other personages.
Tai Kin Ip remarked in his opening speech that Macao continues to give play to its unique advantages brought by the Country’s support and its connectivity with the world, oriented around the positioning as “One Centre, One Platform, One Base” and the “1 + 4” development direction for industry diversification to lay a solid foundation for sustainable development. As a prestigious international cultural tourism event originally launched in Macao, the Forum successfully delivered Macao’s impact as an international exchange and cooperation platform over the past ten editions. Stepping beyond Macao for the first time, the Forum was held in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province for the 11th edition. This major milestone on the road not just represents the Forum’s vitality and radiating impact as a platform, but also highlights the vast potential of the national tourism and economic development.
Industry elites discuss four key pillars
Heilongjiang and Macao each possess distinctive tourism resources. Visitations have become increasingly frequent between Heilongjiang and Macao, with closer relations in economy and trade as well. This March, the two sides signed several cooperative agreements and memorandums of understanding, enhancing cooperation in economy and trade, technology, education, cultural tourism and sports, among other realms. This edition of the Forum brought together different participants for collaboration to extend the tourism and economic vitality to a wider landscape and realms, which embodies the SAR Government’s strategy of “Go North, Down South, Move West, Navigate East” to integrate with the national development in various aspects.
Under the theme of “New Quality Productive Forces: Powering the Global Tourism Economy”, the Forum gathered over 1,000 delegates including cultural tourism officials, industry leaders, renowned entrepreneurs, experts and scholars from the Chinese mainland and different countries. In-depth discussions were conducted around the topics of four key pillars as follows: Ice-Snow Economy & Industrial Innovation, Cultural Empowerment & Brand Building, Investment Leadership & Project Development and Cross-border Collaboration & Cooperation Opportunities. A branch venue was set up in Macao too, where the main program at the major venue in Heilongjiang was live broadcast to engage more industry participants from Macao. The live broadcast also actualized regional collaboration and interaction between the two places.
The “Macao Session – Macao Tourism Investment Promotion Session” was featured at the Forum to enhance Macao’s international profile as a world centre of tourism and leisure, and foster tourism exchange and cooperation between Macao and Heilongjiang. Director of Macao Government Tourism Office and Vice-Chairman of GTEF, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, moderated the session and elaborated on the SAR Government’s efforts to steer forward the “1 + 4” development strategy for adequate economic diversification, deepen integration across the sectors of “tourism +”, enrich the offerings of the world centre of tourism and leisure, and promote high-quality tourism development. Several representatives of Macao’s integrated resorts and tourism businesses shared their innovative practices in developing tourism and leisure experiences, and manifesting Macao’s diversity of “tourism +” appeal.
Foster sustainable tourism development
Since its inception in Macao in 2012, GTEF has leveraged the institutional advantages of “One Country, Two Systems” to build a diverse and multifunctional platform for international tourism exchange and cooperation, to promote the innovative and sustainable development of the tourism economy.
The Global Tourism Economy Forum • Heilongjiang 2025 was organized by the People’s Government of Heilongjiang Province and the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre in collaboration with the UN Tourism. The Macao SAR Government is the Founding Organizer, while the execution units are Harbin Municipal People’s Government and the Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province.
For more information about GTEF, please visit the website: www.gte-forum.com.
