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    Global Tourism Economy Forum 2019 , new avenues for progress in tourism and leisure

    October 16, 2019
    Personality / Awards
    ,
    Global Tourism Economy Forum 2019 , new avenues for progress in tourism and leisure

    Travel Biz News —-

    Macao : The 8th edition of the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) concluded here on 15 October after navigating road-map of tourism development along with a fruitful program of discussion panels, business matching, destination presentations and exhibitions .

    Centred on the concept of “Beautiful Life” raised by President Xi Jinping, the 8th edition of GTEF led profound discussions on global tourism economy under the theme of “Tourism and Leisure: Roadmap to a Beautiful Life”, gaining insights in how a diversified tourism offering can meet the ever-increasing needs of international visitors, enhancing happiness and the quality of life, ultimately creating a harmonious and beautiful life for humanity.

    Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government and Executive Chairman of GTEF, Alexis Tam, stated in his closing remarks, “2019 is a momentous year for Macao as we celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China as well as the 20th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region. It is a high time to further our development as a world centre of tourism and leisure, under the colourful backdrop of the Belt and Road initiative and with the collaborative actions with our brother cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. In particular, we will continue to make the case for cultural tourism as the key to our ‘soft power’ success and transfer it as a driving force that underpins our creativity sector.”

    In her concluding remarks, Vice Chairman and Secretary‐General of GTEF, Pansy Ho, said, Macao is ready to take on another wave of development, as we continue to integrate into the Greater Bay Area framework, contributing our tourism experience to drive cross-industry collaboration with our neighbors, to share our culture and heritage with the world, and instill a sense of national pride among our people.”

    The Forum announced Italy as GTEF 2020 Partner Country and Gansu Province as Featured Chinese Province.

    The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC) presented the latest edition of UNWTO/GTERC Asia Tourism Trends, familiarizing delegates with the latest tourism trends and outlook of the region, the immense opportunities for tourism development in Argentina and Brazil, as well as the vast potential of health and sports tourism as new growth areas in Asia.

    The business matching session successfully bridged 142 tourism suppliers and operators from China, Argentina, Brazil and Europe, unlocking cooperation and exchange opportunities with each other, according to a release issued by the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao .

    GTEF 2019 successfully gathered and engaged close to 2,000 participants including ministerial officials of tourism and related fields, industry leaders, experts, scholars and participants from across the globe, along with delegations from GTEF 2019 Partner Countries Argentina and Brazil, as well as Featured Chinese Province Jiangsu.

    The Global Tourism Economy Forum is hosted by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization, initiated and co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism under the authorization of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), co-organized by Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), and coordinated by the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre.

    GTEF’s supporting units include the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and European Travel Commission (ETC).

    Oct. 16 , 2019

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      The Embassy of India in China announced via its Sina Weibo account  that, starting from July 24, 2025, Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa to visit India after completing an online application, scheduling an appointment, and personally submitting their passport and other required documents to three Indian visa application centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou in South China’s Guangdong Province.

      Responding to the related inquiry, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said  that “we take note of this positive move. Easing cross-border travel is widely beneficial. China will maintain communication and consultation with India to further facilitate travel between the two countries.”

      Chinese experts said the latest move taken by the India marks a phased milestone in the easing of relations between the two countries, and creates favorable conditions for further strengthening bilateral people-to-people exchanges.

      On February 2, 2020, India temporarily suspended its e-visa facility for Chinese travelers and foreigners residing in China amid coronavirus outbreak. – Global Times

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      US President Donald Trump has decided to temporarily suspend raids on farms, hotels and restaurants, according a media report.

      The US government has ordered immigration officials to pause raids and arrests on farms, hotels and restaurants, according to a report by the New York Times.

      Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were sent a directive asking that they refrain from heading to such establishments, which also include meatpacking plants and aquaculture.

      Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the report, saying in a statement that “we will follow the president’s direction and continue to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off America’s streets.”

      The pause in the raids potentially reflects the government’s concerns about the negative impact these operations are having on vital economic sectors, as well as electoral support. The agricultural industry, particularly in states like California, relies almost exclusively on immigrant labour for its day-to-day operations.

      The recent protests in Los Angeles, which were triggered by large-scale immigration raids in local communities, have increased pressure on the government. This situation poses a dilemma for the president, who is seeking to maintain the support of key constituencies ahead of the upcoming congressional and midterm elections in 2026.

      Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has implemented an unprecedentedly heavy-handed immigration policy. His cabinet officials recently held meetings with ICE leadership, setting a minimum quota of 3,000 arrests per day, a mandate that has resulted in intensified immigration raids nationwide.

      The temporary suspension of the agriculture and hospitality raids likely does not represent a fundamental change in Trump’s immigration policy, which remains aggressive in rhetoric.

      Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem pledhed that federal authorities are “not going away”, and that people who are in the country illegally, as well as violent protesters, will “face consequences”.

      The administration has relied heavily on a crime-focused message, which places significant emphasis on apprehending individuals illegally in the country who are also violent criminals.

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      ITB India, inaugurated in 2023, continues as the flagship event under the new subsidiary. Held annually, ITB India is a three-day B2B travel trade show and convention that connects the global travel and tourism industry with the Indian market. Alongside MICE Show India, Travel Tech India, and the ITB India Conference, ITB India serves as a unique platform to forge new partnerships, strengthen existing ties, and capitalize on the fast-growing potential of the Indian and South Asian travel economies. The show hosts key players from the MICE, Leisure, Corporate Travel, and Travel Technology sectors. The upcoming edition, ITB India 2025, will take place from 2 – 4 September 2025  in Mumbai.

      FACTS —

      Tourism helps in:

      👉Reducing poverty

      👉Reducing Inequalities

      👉Promoting gender equality

      👉Fostering decent work and economic growth

      World Tourism Day 2021: ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

      In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for:
      -US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP
      -10.3% of global GDP
      -330 million jobs, 1 in 10 jobs around the world
      -US$1.7 trillion visitor exports (6.8% of total exports,
      28.3% of global services exports)
      -US$948 billion capital investment (4.3% of total
      investment)