Delegates of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture and Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) attended the latest session of the UNWTO General Assembly launched in Africa this week and participated in the panel discussion of the Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty Forum (“ST-EP Forum”) as part of the program.

The 20th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly is held at Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe during 24 and 29 August. Advisor of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Lam Wan Nei, Head of Organizational Planning and Development Department of MGTO, Cheng Wai Tong and Head of Communication and External Relations Department, Kathy Iong, etc. attended a series of highlighted events during the assembly.

During the ST-EP Forum on 27 August, Advisor of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Lam Wan Nei, on behalf of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, delivered a speech on the topic – “10 Years of ST-EP Initiative: Turning Tourism into an Engine for Socio-Economic Growth”.

The Macau delegates also attended the Ministerial Roundtable, the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific, among other activities in the program.

Having become an associate member of UNWTO since 1981, Macau has actively participated in the related conferences. In 2004, MGTO joined the UNWTO ST-EP Program as one of the pioneer members. The program serves to create development and employment opportunities for poor countries through boosting sustainable tourism development.