Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) participated in Lisbon Travel Market in February and ITB Berlin in March, capitalizing on both international travel fairs in Portugal and Germany once again to highlight Macao’s fascinating tapestry of “tourism +” and draw European travelers to Macao in multi-destination journey, elevating the city’s international reputation and influence in vigorous pursuit of Europe and other long-haul international markets. At ITB Berlin, MGTO showcased Macao’s vibrant scene as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy at the first of “Nihao! China” 2026 overseas promotion activities, in which Macao was one of the featured destinations.

Manifest cultural tourism and community gems at top international travel fair

MGTO’s participation in FITUR — one of the world’s largest international tourism trade fairs in Spain in January has kicked off its promotional campaign towards European long-haul international markets in 2026. Continuing with the latest presence in Portugal and Germany, the Office is branding the destination at various international travel fairs.

ITB Berlin was held in Germany from 3 to 5 March. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes participated in this globally-prestigious travel fair together with delegates of Macao’s tourism and related enterprises, to raise the destination profile among European tourism operators. The Office also created a networking opportunity for industry delegates from Macao and Europe to build closer connections at the fair, expanding Macao’s reach into international markets.

MGTO ran an “Experience Macao” themed pavilion showcasing the city’s unique blend of “tourism +” offerings and cultural symphony of the East and West. In collaboration with an art group from Macao, the Office presented the Red Market’s unique features through creative installation and video that gave a vivid presentation of local community gems for travelers. The pavilion also featured lion dance performance, Portuguese tile painting workshop, signature Macanese delicacies and more for the European travel trade to experience and taste Macao’s intangible cultural heritage. The pavilion engaged many trade visitors and offered them a window onto Macao’s cultural and community tourism assets, set to facilitate design of profound tours and multi-destination tourism products in the future.

Promote Macao tourism products and services with travel trade

Riding on the platform of ITB Berlin, MGTO organized a destination presentation session in partnership with the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA) and the German Travel Association (DRV) on 4 March. MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of China National Tourist Office in Frankfurt, He Yi, Secretary General of the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations, Eric Drésin, and Chair of Outbound Tourism Committee of German Travel Association, Oliver Zahn, together with other participants, attended the session. MGTO presented Macao’s destination appeal, an overview of the latest tourism development and Travel Stimulation Program, among other aspects. Representatives of Air China, Air Macau, Oriental International Travel Ltd., Tourcon Technology Services Co., Ltd. and China International Travel Service (Macau) Ltd. also shared about their products and services.

Macao as one of the featured destinations at the first “Nihao! China” 2026 overseas promotion activity

At ITB Berlin, the pavilions of China, Macao SAR and Hong Kong SAR jointly rolled out a promotional activity which attracted visitors for check-in on social media, stepping up the impact of online-offline marketing to expand the multi-destination travel market.

As the debut of “Nihao! China” 2026 overseas promotion activities, a themed promotional activity named “ITB Chinese Night & Taste of China” was held on the night of 3 March, when Macao and several Mainland provinces and municipalities came into the spotlight as the featured destinations. Through videos, presentation showcase and interactive performances, MGTO highlighted Macao’s vibrant food scene and tourism resources. In particular, MGTO Director Senna Fernandes shared Macao’s unique gastronomic culture and cultural heritage as part of the city’s charm as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. The Office also presented lion dance and signature confections like Alua (Macanese butter cake), almond biscuit and chicken cookie, besides giving a unique picture of the wet market in Macao. The guests and representatives of international travel trade and German media were offered an informative introduction to Macao’s intangible cultural heritage and community tourism elements.

Spotlight Macao’s tourism resources at Portugal’s largest travel fair

Before engaging in the travel fair in Germany, MGTO and delegates of Macao’s tourism-related enterprises marked their presence in Lisbon Travel Market (BTL) held in Portugal from 25 February to 1 March. A pavilion was set up in parallel with a series of promotions to offer European tourism operators an update on Macao’s tourism resources in the largest travel fair in Portugal. Furthermore, the Office held a destination presentation at BTL to introduce the latest tourism products of Macao. Representatives of Beijing Capital Airlines Co., Ltd., Air Macau, Tourcon Technology Services Co., Ltd., Oriental International Travel Ltd., DOC DMC Macau & Hong Kong Limited and Huayi Travel Limited promoted their products and services as well.

MGTO partnered with the renowned radio station in Portugal, Rádio Renascença, to arrange for its program host to travel to Macao before BTL and share the wonderful travel experience Macao has to offer through live radio broadcast and social media content. The promotional initiative took place before and during BTL to bring a greater flow of visitors to MGTO’s booth and raise the city’s visibility in Portuguese travel market.

Multilingual online training and market survey for better strategic planning

Last year, MGTO and the Portuguese Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT) jointly launched an online training program to familiarize European tourism personnel with Macao’s offerings of “tourism +”. Having engaged industry participants from different parts of the world, the training program will be available in German language this year for the travel trade in Germany, and in English for participants from Finland and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, MGTO is conducting a questionnaire survey to collect and analyze European visitors’ travel preferences and intention to visit Macao and other destinations in one trip, for more strategic marketing plans.

Continuous efforts to tap into European market

Visitor arrivals from Portugal, Germany and Europe to Macao in 2025 all marked a double-digit increase from the corresponding figures in 2024. This year, APAVTcommends Macao as its “Preferred Destination 2026”, a designation Macao embraces for the fourth time since 2012, 2019 and 2024, which is bringing the refreshed focus of the European travel trade on the destination.

MGTO has raised Macao’s presence in FITUR in Spain in January, the roadshow “os Especialistas” and Lisbon Travel Market in Portugal in February, followed by the latest showcase in ITB Berlin this March along with itspromotional event for travel trade and media in London, as part of the unwavering dedication to destination branding in Europe for the development of international visitor markets.