In the scorching summer of Macau, enthusiasm is like fire. The 13th APEC Tourism Ministers' Meeting was successfully held in Macau recently. This is the first time in 12 years that Macau has hosted this conference. Representatives from 21 economies gathered around the theme of "Digital Innovation, Cooperative Empowerment - Using Tourism to Support the Construction of the Asia Pacific Community" to stimulate ideas, gather consensus, and discuss new paths for Asia Pacific tourism cooperation. This is not only a high-level dialogue on Asia Pacific tourism governance, but also a vivid footnote to Macau's realization of "small tables singing big plays" based on the advantages of "one country, two systems".
Consolidating Consensus: Playing the "Asia Pacific Peace Voice" of Regional Synergy and Progress
This conference is one of the important events of APEC's "China Year" in 2026, and has attracted the attention of the international cultural and tourism industry. All parties present generally believe that tourism is an important driving force for economic development in the Asia Pacific region, with a solid foundation, abundant potential, and a promising future. The global tourism industry is entering a golden window period of digital and intelligent reshaping of the industrial landscape. The three proposals put forward by the Chinese side, namely "collaborative innovation in data intelligence", "collaborative empowerment through dialogue", and "shared tourism value", have received widespread response. The attending representatives have expressed positive appreciation for the consensus reached at the conference and the "two-way attraction" of Chinese tourism.
Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, highly praised China's leading role in promoting travel facilitation and aligning smart tourism standards. Kambane, the head of the Papua New Guinea delegation, believes that tourism cooperation among Asia Pacific economies is in a benign stage of "collaborative empowerment", and the growth of China's tourism economy has become the main driving force for the growth of the Asia Pacific region. The head of the Peruvian delegation, Cardas, stated that China is playing a leading role in demonstrating and having a transformative impact on the global tourism industry.
Although this meeting was accompanied by some noise, representatives from various economies excluded interference and discussed the high-quality development of the tourism industry in the Asia Pacific region. Together, they explored the important contribution of empowering tourism development with digital technology to the economic and social development of the Asia Pacific region, the priority areas of empowering the tourism industry with digital innovation, promoting the development of the Asia Pacific tourism industry through innovative tourism facilitation multilateral cooperation, and making digital innovation in tourism benefit a wider range of groups. They reached a broad consensus and led the Asia Pacific tourism industry towards a more dynamic and sustainable new stage of development.
Cross border integration: shaping the "diverse ecology" of Macau's cultural and tourism industry
Looking back at the first APEC Tourism Ministers' Meeting held in 2014, at that time, the level of Macau's cultural and tourism industry and conference hosting capabilities were still in the "toddler" stage. After 12 years of hard work, Macau is no longer the same as before. By 2025, the number of inbound tourists will exceed 40 million, a year-on-year increase of 14.7%. Macau has topped the list of "Top 10 Destination for Chinese Outbound Tourists' Satisfaction" by the China Tourism Research Institute for two consecutive years. At the same time, Macau's strength in the field of conferences and exhibitions has made rapid progress, with 1861 exhibition activities scheduled for 2025, setting a new historical high. Thanks to its excellent conference hosting capabilities, Macau has won honors such as "Best Asian Conference Destination", "Best Conference Business City", and "Best International Convention and Exhibition City".
During the conference, official representatives from Asia Pacific countries, international industry organizations, and mainstream media gathered in Macau to witness the comprehensive development and changes in Macau. After the meeting, we went deep into the the Historic Center of Macao and the major cultural venues to immerse ourselves in the unique charm of the city. In the cultural and tourism exhibition and experience activities, projects such as robot performances, intelligent exoskeleton trials, and traditional Chinese medicine intangible cultural heritage production technology attracted everyone to stop and watch. Ho Van Chao, Deputy Director of Vietnam Tourism Authority, believes that using cultural relics as carriers to convey historical and cultural connotations to tourists is a very good way of communication. Malaysia's Minister of Tourism, Zhang Qingxin, pointed out that the ultimate value of tourism lies in creating high-quality employment, safeguarding community culture and natural heritage - which coincides with Macau's practice of promoting "tourism+".
Behind these praises lies the magnificent scene of Macau transforming from a single gambling industry that stands out, to a diverse range of leisure vacation, exhibition and trade, cultural creativity, and sports events. Thanks to the strong support of the central government, the moderate and diversified development of Macau's economy continues to deepen and solidify. The foundation of the "World Tourism and Leisure Center" is becoming increasingly solid, and the embryonic form of a "base for exchange and cooperation with Chinese culture as the mainstream and diverse cultures coexisting" is emerging. Macao continues to deepen the diversified experience of "tourism+food, events, exhibitions and education", and continues to polish the shining business cards of "the Historic Center of Macao", "City of Creative City Food", and "City of East Asian Culture". The APEC Tourism Ministers' Meeting once again pays attention to Macau, which is not only the full trust of the central government in Macau, but also the high recognition of Macau's comprehensive hosting ability and cultural integration charm by the international community.
Platform Connectivity: Creating a 'Window to the World' for Civilization Exchange and Mutual Learning
Although the Asia Pacific Tourism Expo has come to an end, the echoes still linger in Haojiang. This conference effectively helped Macau to leverage its own strengths, reshape its cultural and tourism competitiveness, and actively explore a high-quality development path for tourism in the Asia Pacific region. Scholar Li Xi from the City University of Macau pointed out that the theme of "digital innovation" focused on at this conference is resonating with the pace of Macau's efforts to build a smart tourism destination. Representatives from all parties unanimously believe that Macau has a profound cultural heritage and rich cultural and tourism elements, and is committed to developing the tourism industry, actively promoting exchanges between China and the West, and is an ideal platform for promoting Asia Pacific tourism cooperation.
At the welcome banquet of the conference, the Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Cen Haohui, stated that Macao has accumulated over 400 years of cultural integration between China and the West, and has close ties with Portuguese speaking countries. Macao will actively connect with major national strategic deployments, fully serve the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese and Western civilizations, and strive to build an important gateway for the country's high-level opening-up to the outside world. Wang Xiaoshi, Director of the Asia Region of the World Tourism and Travel Industry Council, commented that Macau has "unparalleled potential as a bridge" connecting mainland China with the global market.
Looking ahead, Macau is designing a grand cultural and tourism blueprint. In terms of major projects, the special zone has launched the planning and construction of an "international comprehensive tourism and cultural zone", which will provide a more hardcore carrier for the construction of "one center" and "one base". In terms of regional coordination, we are accelerating the integration of Qinhuangdao and Macao and the linkage with the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, striving to create a world-class cultural and tourism destination. In terms of leveraging the advantage of "precise contacts", efforts are being made to extend the functions of the China Portugal platform to Spanish speaking countries and build a linkage platform between China and Portuguese speaking countries in the fields of culture and tourism.
Vast and boundless, setting sail with the trade wind. Riding on the momentum of the APEC Tourism Ministers' Meeting, Macau is embracing the world with greater confidence and openness. Through vivid practice of integrating into and serving the overall development of the country, Macau continues to write a brilliant chapter in the successful implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" policy.