A delegation from the Australia Macau General Chamber of Commerce (AMGCC) recently paid an official visit to the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) in Macao, where they held discussions with MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Head of the Tourism Promotion Department Lau Fong Chi, and Market Division representative Chu Kit Lam.
The meeting focused on a key challenge: how to attract long-haul Australian travellers to explore Macao in greater depth and encourage longer stays, addressing the longstanding trend of visitors spending fewer than two days in the city.
Both parties exchanged views on several practical areas of bilateral cooperation:
Expanding the Australian Visitor Market: Leveraging AMGCC's local networks in Victoria to promote Macao to high-spending Australian travellers, particularly those interested in cultural heritage, history, and leisure experiences.
University Business Study Tours: Exploring partnerships with the business schools of Monash University, RMIT University, and the University of Melbourne to organise a 10-day Greater Bay Area business study tour. The programme would provide Australian students with firsthand insights into Hengqin–Macao cross-border cooperation and integrated resort operations.
Promoting Macao at Melbourne's Lunar New Year Celebrations: Taking advantage of Melbourne's major annual Lunar New Year festivities, which attract tens of thousands of visitors, to establish dedicated promotional areas showcasing Macao's culture, culinary heritage, and identity as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.
Cross-Sector Collaboration: Facilitating participation in Fine Food Australia while exploring opportunities for bilateral exchanges in museum exhibitions, cultural curation, performing arts tours, and sporting events.
Building on the shared understanding reached during the meeting, AMGCC will continue to advance these initiatives, coordinate resources, and strengthen connections between Australia and Macao, turning discussions into meaningful opportunities for cooperation.
