Entitled “Integrated Media Visit to Macao”, a delegation comprising 11 Mainland China’s news media (including People’s Daily Online) and we media paid a familiarization visit to Macao for coverage of the city’s latest progress of pandemic prevention and economic revival. Via multimedia and social media platforms, the media agencies manifest Macao’s rigorous measures against the pandemic and latest tourism development, conveying the message that Macao is a healthy and fascinating destination while encouraging Mainland residents to visit the city.
The delegation arrived at Macao on 2 December for a five-day familiarization visit. They explored different districts in depth for attractions including A-Ma Temple, Moorish Barracks, St. Lawrence’s Church and Dom Pedro V Theatre in the Historic Centre of Macao. Other sightseeing spots on the itinerary include Macao Museum and other museums, state-of-the-art integrated resorts and pertinent tourism facilities. The delegation also visited a series of distinctive local shops and conversed with businesses on Rua de Cinco de Outubro, besides enjoying a first-hand taste of the glamour and signature cuisines offered by Macao — the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, in addition to a visit to a local restaurant’s kitchen in operation and participating in the making of local delicacies.
During their visit, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, briefed the media on Macao’s policies and measures of pandemic prevention, the progress of recovery in the wake of the pandemic, distinctive tourism products, promotional offers for visitors and future tourism development strategies, among other topics, to familiarize them with Macao’s tourism situation for more comprehensive coverage.
From their professional angles and with use of multimedia such as photos, articles and videos, the media delegates promote the safe, fun-filled and holistic travel experiences Macao has to offer, to bolster Mainland residents’ confidence and intentions to visit Macao. Via different promotional channels such as we media, live broadcast, Toutiao, Douyin and Xiaohongshu, their coverage highlights Macao’s preventive measures against the pandemic, nucleic acid tests for COVID-19, convenience of travel across border, diversity of travel experiences, promotional offers on dining and entertainment, among other aspects.
Following the Beijing Macao Week organized by the Special Administrative Region Government in Beijing in September, the “Integrated Media Visit to Macao” is one of the outreach promotional projects as well as the first pertinent Mainland media delegation welcomed by MGTO after the pandemic is contained.
Since the reinstatement of travel permit issuance for Mainland residents to Macao from 23 September, MGTO has actively forged partnership with a range of Mainland media, KOLs and other media platforms to convey the message that “Macao is a healthy city welcoming Mainland residents to visit without requirement of medical observation”. For instance, different KOLs and connoisseurs from the Mainland were invited to conduct live streams at the Tour Macao Carnival in Macao. MGTO will continue to promote Macao as a healthy and fascinating destination through major social media and online tourism platforms.
