Festive events glitter Macau's calendar

Fun and fireworks will create a festive Macau for the rest of the year, with various colorful events spread throughout the calendar.

The 27th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest leads the way. In the series of fireworks shows, one of which was already held on Sept 5, with the remaining shows to be held on Sept 12, 19 and 27 as well as Oct 1, ten teams from around the world will brighten the city's skyline with spectacular fireworks.

Other events include the 29th Macau International Music Festival from Oct 4, the 18th Lusofonia Festival in late October, the 15th Macau Food Festival during November, the 62nd Macau Grand Prix from Nov 19 to 22, the 2015 Macau International Marathon and the 2015 Parade through Macau, Latin City, on Dec 6.

Macau was listed by the travel guidebook publisher Lonely Planet as one of its "Best in Travel 2015 Top 10 Regions" for its "melange of new world glamor and old world grit".

"Its Portuguese heritage has created a fusion cuisine that combines European, African, Indian and Chinese elements," according to the publisher's website.

The Macau Special Administrative Region government is currently making efforts to diversify the city's image. It is working to build Macau into a world center of tourism and leisure and developing new tourism products, enhancing services and establishing regional collaborations.

To achieve that goal, an agreement was signed between the China National Tourism Administration and the Macau SAR government to establish a joint working committee on tourism to support Macau's aspirations of building a world center of tourism and leisure.

In addition to establishing a Joint Tourism Work Commission, the agreement codifies work regulations; unites advertising and promotion, exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Macau; spurs industry management, policy studies and research; and promotes regional cooperation.

To implement the agreement, the committee will strengthen its long-term planning through regular high-level meetings, daily communications and coordination.

According to Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macau Government Tourist Office, the agency would integrate various resources including tourism, culture and sports to provide tourists with more opportunities to experience the city. Macau hopes to attract tourists with its diversified events and activities, such as arts festivals, concerts, sporting events and activities that create interaction between organizers and tourists. This year is the 10th anniversary of the inscription of "The Historic Center of Macau" on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Macau has more than 20 ancient monuments and squares interwoven in the heart of the city, a combination of eastern and Western cultures over 400 years old.

There are also modern shopping facilities, theater shows, cuisines from around the world and a colorful nightlife.

One of China's latest national strategies, the Belt and Road Initiative, is included in the Macau SAR government's tourism plan. The Macau Government Tourist Office has integrated the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road into its promotional strategy and will visit countries and regions along the planned initiative's route seeking opportunities for exchange and cooperation.

The director said Southeast Asia will be one of their future focuses as the market has "great potential". Macau, nearby Hong Kong and Guangdong province, will together design multi-destination itineraries for overseas tourists.

In the domestic market, they will pay increasing attention to regions outside Guangdong, its traditional source of tourists. Last year, Macau welcomed 31.5 million tourists, a rise of 7.5 percent from 2013. There were more than 14.5 million overnight tourists who stayed in the city for an average of 1.9 days.

zhangzhao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/10/2015 page5)