Over the four-day 10th Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) symposium held from 20 to 23 September 2023, executives, industry leaders, scholars, ministers of culture, tourism, and other related sectors, and many more from Macau and beyond gathered to engage in insightful discussions regarding the global tourism landscape. Among the strategies devised for the future, sustainability, international cooperation, and a focus on peoples and cultures were undoubtedly the top priorities that should be addressed worldwide.

Under the theme “Destination 2030: Unlocking the Power of Tourism for Business and Development,” the 2023 edition of GTEF tried to identify new ways of reinvigorating global tourism by utilising sustainability as its guiding principle, eschewing a prior model that relied heavily on local and international consumerism.

Following a three-stage model of success—optimise development for the environment, enterprises, and consumers; revolutionise services and quality management; strengthen international exchanges and cooperation—the forum acknowledged the critical role of the tourism economy in leading the industry towards complete pandemic recovery and a sustainable model of development.

Inviting Italy as its partner country and Shanghai as its featured city, the forum demonstrates the immense power of global collaboration in tourism. Keynote speeches and seminars by industry experts shed light on viable trends arising from post-pandemic tourism and potential strategies to set in motion. Regions of interest included China alongside European countries, with several panel discussions addressing prominent trends in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Tourism in the Next Decade: China and the World” discussed China’s evolving domestic tourism patterns in the post-pandemic era. Findings point to the emergence of new niche markets, the rise of urban leisure, and the growth of rural tourism. With similar trends observed worldwide, speakers emphasised the potential these new demands may signify to global tourism patterns.

Zeroing in on sustainability, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific held a panel discussion predicting the landscape of tourism in the region, exploring how countries in the region are contributing to this collective effort.

In cooperation with the European Travel Commission, “A Renewed Vision: Reshaping Tourism in Europe” expanded the points drawn out in the previous discussion and mapped them onto a pointedly different landscape. Both reveal similar directives for domestic and global markets to rethink and reshape their strategies according to sustainable, people-oriented approaches.

Adopting art and culture as crucial principles was also highlighted in the panel “Bridging Nations through Art and Culture,” which took this idea as the starting point for an insightful examination of the demand for culturally and artistically involved experiences. A product is no longer enough to make travellers spend; panellists advised enterprises worldwide to adjust their marketing strategies in response to promote people-focused tourism solutions that are also sustainable in application.

Addressing the role of technology in the global tourism industry, the panel session “Shaping the Future of Travel: The Transformative Power of Technology” explored the usefulness of advanced technology in revitalising tourism patterns on a worldwide scale. Speakers pointed to the mutual benefits of incorporating advanced technology into tourism behaviour and solutions.

The focus of this year’s “Investment and Financing Conference” paid special attention to Macau’s hospitality industry and the investment potential it offers to enterprises and consumers alike. With the world slowly coming out of its pandemic slump, the conference pointed to the potential of international symposia, conferences, and events such as GTEF in reviving tourism on a global scale.

Underscoring GTEF 2023 was a distinguished air of celebration as guests gathered for an exquisite commemorative lunch at Wynn Palace to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the forum and its decade-long contribution to the progressive development of the global tourism industry.

As the summit concluded with a grand closing ceremony, industry leaders, officials, and guests alike shared their mutual dedication to promoting cooperation and sustainability in the global tourism industry—a success that is representative of GTEF’s continued presence and high recognition.

All images courtesy of Global Tourism Economy Forum.