Tourism holds key to global understanding

Experts offer suggestions on how to use sector at key industry event in Macao

Tourism continues to be a major economic contributor around the world, and the industry not only creates jobs but also helps foster better understanding among people, participants at a global tourism platform were told.

"Tourism gives visitors the chance to meet people who are different from them, learn from each other, and understand each other," said Gustavo Santos, Argentina's minister of tourism.

Santos was speaking on the second day of the Global Tourism Economy Forum in Macao on Monday. The three-day event, Tourism and Leisure: Roadmap to A Beautiful Life, is being hosted by the government of the Macao Special Administrative Region in cooperation with the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Argentina and Brazil are partner countries at the event, while East China's Jiangsu province is the featured Chinese province.

Although the two South American countries are far from China in geographical terms, Santos said the three countries are closely linked as they share the same dream of joint development.

Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Zhang Xu, vice-minister of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said that the tourism industry has become an important factor in meeting people's demands for a better life. And in the face of global uncertainties, tourism helps promote connectivity in policy, infrastructure, trade, finance and people, he said.

Echoing Zhang's view, Macao Chief Executive Fernando Chui Saion said that with the advantage provided by "one country, two systems", Macao could help promote people-to-people exchanges.

The international tourism city where East meets West can act as a hub to connect people along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative, while also helping to enhance exchanges in areas like trade, commerce and culture, he said.

During a panel session held in conjunction with the UNWTO, speakers from the public, private and academic sectors shared their perspectives on how tourism, leisure and sports can lead to a beautiful life.

Dorji Dhradhul, the director-general of the Tourism Council of Bhutan, said that his country has been following the concept of "gross national happiness" for about 40 years to ensure that all policies introduced by the government are appreciated by its citizens. And thanks to this, the country goes for high value and low volume to maintain the sustainability of its tourism sector.

"The future of tourism is about interacting with nature ... so we need to protect nature to have sustainable tourism," said Dhradhul.

Speaking about Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, the vice-chairwoman of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, a government agency of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that governments must play a crucial role to facilitate the construction of infrastructure and make master plans to help locals benefit from the development of tourism.

Maribel Rodriguez, vice-president of Europe and Latin America at the World Travel and Tourism Council, said governments must set goals for their tourism sectors and educate locals about how more visitors can help improve their quality of life.

Tith Chantha, the secretary of Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism, said: "Tourism is about shared prosperity," adding that technology could help develop the industry in the sense of building mutual understanding.

And Robin Ingle, the CEO of Ingle-MSH International, an international insurance company, said different industries should work together to develop the tourism industry as it is a major generator of new jobs.