An important part of the program of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit 2024, held from May 15 to 17 in Macao, was also the opportunity for delegates coming from different parts of the world to have a firsthand experience of the destination. The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) organized workshops on Macao’s east-meets-west heritage, a tour to stroll around the city’s tourism attractions and another one in the evening on an open-top bus, for delegates from across the Asia Pacific to experience the destination’s dynamic development into a world center of tourism and leisure and its diverse “tourism +” offerings. The workshops and tours gathered a total of over 150 participants.

Workshops to experience sino-Portuguese culture

Yesterday (May 17) afternoon, on the sidelines of the summit, there were two educational experiences related to Macao’s east-meets-west heritage for delegates: a workshop to learn how to bake Portuguese egg tarts and the Macanese Genete cookies, and a Portuguese blue tile painting workshop to instruct participants to try their hand at the art which can be found in churches and other sites around town.

Top up bus tour to view city’s night skyline

After the summit closed, an open-top bus tour was organized for delegates to enjoy yesterday evening a panoramic view of Macao’s streets, illuminated by hotels and resorts on the Macao peninsula and Cotai, and landmarks like the Macao Science Center, Macau Tower, Taipa Village, and more.

Strolling around Macao’s heritage

This morning a tour around Macao, Taipa and Coloane was held for delegates. Participants visited sites part of the UNESCO listed the Historic Centre of Macao, strolling from the Ruins of St. Paul’s, passing by Travessa da Paixão, Rua dos Ervanários, and others, until the Senado Square. The tour also took them to the revamped new tourism attractions: the Former Iec Long Firecracker Factory in Taipa and the Lai Chi Vun Shipyards in Coloane.

In the afternoon a half-day sightseeing tour to Hong Kong was also organized, offered by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, allowing for a Macao-Hong Kong travel experience.

Summit showcases destination “tourism + MICE” appeal

Hosted by MGTO, and co-hosted by SJM Resorts, S.A., the PATA Annual Summit 2024 gathered around 450 tourism industry delegates from around 30 countries and regions across the Asia-Pacific and beyond at the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macau. The event included a series of internal meetings of the association, as well as a high-profile international conference and other side events.

Organized in a different destination each year, the summit was the first major PATA event held in Macao after the pandemic, providing the opportunity to showcase the latest developments and potential as a “tourism + MICE” destination and helping to raise the city’s profile internationally.