Deputy Director of Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO), Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes led the MGTO delegation to Taipei and hosted spring receptions for travel trade and media in Taiwan on March 1. MGTO took this opportunity to strengthen its ties with the travel trade and media in Taiwan as well as promote the "2006 Macau World Heritage Year" campaign.

In her speech at the receptions, Ms. Senna Fernandes expressed that 2005 was a fruitful year to Macau's tourism industry, with total visitor arrivals of 18.7 million. This achievement, which represents 12% growth over 2004, set 2005 a record-breaking year.

She stressed that Taiwan remains as the third largest source market for Macau, with 1.48 million visiting Macau in 2005, a 15% increase over the previous year.

Ms Senna Fernandes affirmed the significance of Taiwan as Macau's source market. MGTO will take into account the interests of Taiwan visitors when developing new promotion strategies for the market and will launch value-added travel packages to further expand and consolidate this source market.

She pointed out that MGTO has set 2006 as "Macau World Heritage Year" and will host a series of promotions and activities to showcase Macau's World Heritage to the world. MGTO will also organize promotion activities around the theme of "Macau World Heritage Year" and take part in the travel fairs in Taiwan to reinforce Macau's tourism brand.

MGTO will continue to maintain a close and collaborative relation with the travel trade and media in Taiwan to promote Macau as a multi-dimensional tourist destination that enlivens the theme "Macau a world of difference, the difference is Macau".

Members of delegation also included Head of MGTO's Product Development and Special Projects Department Mr. Licénio Cunha, Chief of the Public Relations Division Ms. Kathy Iong and Deputy Coordinator of the Macau Grand Prix Committee Ms Davina Chu. The delegation returned to Macau on March 2.