Buenos Aires (Argentina) – April 30, 2019 (travelindex.com) –Delegation of Global Tourism Economy Forum (“GTEF” or “the Forum”) recently completed an official visit to Argentina and Brazil,GTEF 2019 Partner Countries. Led by Pansy Ho, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of GTEF, objective of this mission was two-fold: The Delegation meets the head of state and Ministries of Tourism of Argentina and Brazil, introduces GTEF 2019 and extends invitation to major chambers of commerce, tourism associations and industry leaders. The latest GTEF visit to its Partner Countries is also dedicated to making contributions for deepening China-Argentina and China-Brazil relations. This is also the occasion which stimulates new ideas for the preparation of GTEF 2019, and eventually fosters a broader tourism exchange and cooperation among the nations. In addition, GTEF establishes the bridges connecting Chinese, Argentine and Brazilian enterprises to explore tourism and investment opportunities.
In Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Ho was received by Mauricio Macri, President of Argentina, and won the president’s endorsement on GTEF 2019. The Delegation also paid visit to the Ministry of Tourism of Argentina and met José Gustavo Santos, Minister of Tourism of Argentina; and Sebastián Slobayen, Secretary of Coordination and Tourism Investments National Tourism Ministry of Argentina. The meeting was focused on exploring China-Argentina tourism collaboration possibilities, particularly on attracting tourism investment to Argentina and facilitating respective business matching. Besides, the Delegation attended meetings with tourism leaders like Alejo Rodríguez Cacio, General Director of InvestBA; Eugenio Bréard, President of Administration of Natural Parks (APN); Aldo Elías, President of Argentine Chamber of Tourism (CAT); Andrés Miguel Fassi, President of Club Atlético Talleres; and Ramiro Alem, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Inversiones en Turismo (InverTUR), and engaged with tourism representatives from Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Jujuy Province, Chubut Province, Rio Negro Province, Mendoza Province and Corrientes Province. The rewarding meetings offered a better picture on the characteristics and prospects of Argentine tourism industry and regional markets. Conversely, Argentine tourism community learnt important information on Chinese tourism market from the Delegation. Prior travelling to Buenos Aires, the Delegation was greeted in a welcome dinner hosted by Hugo Passalacqua, Governor of Misiones Province; José María Arrúa, Minister of Tourism of Misiones; and Iván Piedrabuena, Director of Tourism of Iguazú.
The Delegation continued its trip at Brasilia, capital of Brazil. Wang Ping, Vice Chairman of GTEF and Chairman of China Chamber of Tourism, was received by Hamilton Mourão, Vice-President of Brazil. The Forum’s effectiveness was recognized by Vice-President Mourão and earned his promise to attend GTEF 2019 this October. This was coupled with an appointment with Marcelo Álvaro Antônio, Minister of Tourism of Brazil; Daniel Nepomuceno, Vice Minister of Tourism of Brazil; and Leônidas Oliveira, President of Brazilian Tourism Board (Embratur) at Brasilia. There were also exchanges between various Brazilian tourism officials and leaders and the Delegation on facilitating wider China-Brazil tourism cooperation through market open-up. The Delegation comprehensively understood the country’s different tourism segments, and Brazilian tourism peers became more familiarized with Chinese tourism market in return. Among the attendees were Bob dos Santos, National Secretary of Interinstitutional Integration of Ministry of Tourism; Aluizer Malab B. do Nascimento, National Secretary of Tourism Development and Competitiveness, Ministry of Tourism; Robson Borchio, National Secretary of Tourism Structuring of Ministry of Tourism; Rubem Amaral, Tourism and Sport General Coordinator of Ministry of Exterior Relations; Leonardo Resende, Secretariat of Tourism of Government of the Federal District; Walter Bittar, Government Relations Advisor of The Integrated System of Parks and Tourist Attractions (SINDEPAT); Lamarck Freire Rolim, Ethics Counselor of Brazilian Travel Agencies Association (ABAV); and Adriana Pinto, President of Brazilian Forum of Hotel Operators (FOHB).
Meanwhile, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General Ho traveled to Sao Paulo and was received by João Doria, Governor of State of Sao Paulo and Vinicius Lummertz, Secretary of Tourism of State of Sao Paulo, for a constructive dialogue around tourism economy. The Delegation later arrived at Sao Paulo and, engaged in conversations with dignitaries and business leader to better understand one of Brazil’s major tourist destinations and share experience in optimizing development of tourism economy. Joining the meeting were Luigi Nese, President of Nacional Confederation of Services of Brazil (CNS); Henrique Magalhães Teixeira, Vice-Mayor of Campinas Municipality; Carlos Bezerra Jr., Municipal Secretary of Sports and Leisure of Sao Paulo; Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos, President of Paulista Soccer Federation; André Friedheim, President of Brazilian Franchising Association (ABF); Ruben Moratorio, President of Brazil China Institute of Santa Catarina (IBCDESC); and Paulo Bastos Cruz Filho, President of Portuguese Language Countries Cultural Union (CPLP), among all.
In addition, the Delegation was welcome by Zou Xiaoli, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Argentine Republic; and Yang Wanming, Ambassador of The People’s Republic of China to Republic of Brazil, respectively. The ambassadors generously shared the latest China-Argentina and China-Brazil updates on tourism, cultural and economic relations, and expressed full support for coordinating Argentine and Brazilian tourism community to Macao and participate in GTEF 2019.
Co-organized by GTEF, China Chamber of Tourism and China Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the Delegation comprised of influential Chinese business leaders and key Forum members including Wang Ping, Chairman of China Chamber of Tourism and Vice Chairman of GTEF; Li Xiaomei, Delegate of Vice Chairman of China Chamber of Tourism and Chairman and General Manager of Mekong Tourism Co. Ltd.; Jay Chun, Chairman of Paradise Entertainment Limited; and Janyck Daudet, Chief Executive Officer of South America of Club Med. The visit has also garnered support from the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR.
Scheduled in MGM COTAI, Macao on October 13-15, GTEF 2019 will present the theme of tourism and leisure, wellness and sports, and bring in Argentina and Brazil as Partner Countries and Jiangsu as Featured China Province. Ministers of sports, culture and tourism, top international corporate leaders and experts will gather together to discuss latest tourism policies and trends, analyze the implications to future tourism development from the pursuit of healthy lifestyle among millennium consumers, and share the success stories that integrate tourism, recreation, leisure and sports elements. GTEF 2019 strives for inspiring delegates to think of new ideas and innovative models, fostering broader industry cooperation, and catalyzing the transformation and upgrading of tourism products and service experiences. GTEF’s multiple-purpose platform offers an exciting program of keynote and panel sessions, bilateral meetings, business matching, exhibitions, workshops and cultural activities for tourism stakeholders worldwide to seize the immense opportunities from the exponential growth of tourism and leisure, wellness and sports, and capitalize on the intriguing interplay potential of China-Latin America tourism market.
About the Global Tourism Economy Forum
The Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) is hosted by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, in collaboration with World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism under the authorization of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) and coordinated by Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC). 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 (ACFIC), 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, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and European Travel Commission (ETC).
Since its inception in 2012, GTEF has successfully established itself as an influential high-level cooperation platform to promote sustainable development in the global tourism industry with a focus on China. To date, GTEF had received more than 10,783 participants from 89 countries and regions, including delegations from 147 provinces and cities of Mainland China; and 570 internationally renowned speakers.