More than 450 delegates from 29 countries attended the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit 2024 (PAS 2024) at Grand Lisboa Palace Resort Macao this month.
“Macao was very pleased to welcome another PATA flagship event after several years, and to have the opportunity to show participants an update and first-hand experience on how we are reimagining tourism in our city, towards more diversification, as we develop into a world centre of tourism and leisure,” said Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director at the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).
PAS 2024 was hosted by MGTO and co-hosted by SJM Resorts.
Destination experiences ranged from culinary and craft workshops to tours taking in Macao’s heritage sites and vibrant night skyline. Hong Kong Tourism Board offered an optional tour to Hong Kong.
In March, some 300 delegates from 20 countries and regions attended the two-day UFI Asia Pacific Conference for the exhibitions industry at The Parisian Macao.
“This was our first time bringing this event to Macao since 2008. Both Macao and its MICE industry have grown remarkably since then,” said UFI’s Asia Pacific regional director, Mark Cochrane.
About half the attendees of the UFI meeting were from Greater China, underlining the emerging importance of the Greater Bay Area and growth opportunities in this region.
On the integrated resorts scene, the 715-room Andaz Macau opened in September 2023 as part of the massive Galaxy Macau. The hotel, which has a check-in lounge for large MICE groups, sits above the 40,000sqm Galaxy International Convention Center. The new 16,000-seat Galaxy Arena – the largest indoor arena in Macao – is part of the complex.
Galaxy Macau also accommodates smaller events and groups, such as at the 315-room Broadway Hotel and Broadway Food Street, comprising 35 hawker stalls and restaurants. Alongside this, the Macallan Whisky Bar & Lounge can host private events for up to 50 guests.
Wynn Resorts offers Wynn Palace at Cotai and Wynn Macau on the peninsula. They are drawing regional conferences and incentive tours, with Southeast Asia being a growing market. Wynn’s many five-star restaurant rankings in Forbes Travel Guide is among its key selling points.
