MACAU, December 3 - Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) hosted the Award Ceremony for the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme 2024 for catering businesses and travel agencies today (3 December) to commend winning merchants of this year, including new participants or accredited businesses of last year. 312 catering businesses and 44 travel agencies are presented the Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award this year. The awards encourage members of the local trade to provide excellent tourism services and jointly build a stellar and hospitable destination.
MGTO Director, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Deputy Director of MGTO, Cheng Wai Tong, Rector of The Macao University of Tourism, Fanny Vong, Head of Division of Research and Information Technology of Consumer Council, Kan Chou Pui, Head of Division of Administrative Licensing of Municipal Affairs Bureau, Leong Cheok Hong, President of the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macao, Chan Chak Mo, President of Macau Travel Agency Association, Alex Lao, Chair of the General Assembly of the Macau Hotel Association, Jocelyn Wong, Chairman of Travel Industry Council of Macau, Andy Wu, Chairman of the Association of Macau Small and Medium Enterprises of Catering, Frederick Yip, Vice President of the Association of Macao Tourist Agents, Yan Wei Dong, and Managing Director of Enviroforce Monitoring Inspection & Testing Company Ltd., Derek Chui, attended the award ceremony together with representatives of the awarded businesses and media. There were over 450 attendees on the occasion.
Leverage Macao’s strengths to build excellent and hospitable destination
MGTO Director Senna Fernandes stated in her remarks that in celebration of both anniversaries this year, MGTO specially raised the quota of participants and conferred the Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award upon 390 businesses in three sectors, reaching an all-time high. Among them, close to 200 merchants are new participants or accredited businesses of last year, bespeaking the vitality and innovative spirit in the sectors. The Office hopes that the trade can leverage Macao’s unique advantages and keep reaching new pinnacles of expertise and service quality, to offer stellar services for residents and visitors as they build an excellent destination of great hospitality together, brightening Macao’s golden calling card as an international metropolis.
Commend businesses with four types of awards
Since the inception of the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme (QTSAS or the “Scheme”) in 2014, MGTO aims to encourage and support businesses to enhance service quality continuously through recognition and commendation, to enrich Macao’s offerings as a world centre of tourism and leisure. At present, QTSAS covers three sectors namely catering, travel agencies and retail. For catering businesses and travel agencies, the Scheme presents the “Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award”, “Quality Tourism Services Gold Award” and “Quality Tourism Services Excellence Award”. Four types of “Special Theme Award” are also conferred upon catering businesses.
Highest honor — travel agency wins Quality Tourism Services Excellence Award
Meticulous assessments were conducted for over six months, followed by the QTSAS Assessment Committee’s discussion and approval at the Annual Meeting in early November. A total of 312 catering businesses are presented the Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award this year, including 146 new participants or accredited businesses of last year. A total of 44 travel agencies are awarded, including 18 new participating businesses.
Selected by the Assessment Committee, 16 catering businesses are the winners of the Special Theme Award while the Quality Tourism Services Gold Award are presented to four catering businesses. On the other hand, two travel agencies are awarded the “Quality Tourism Services Gold Award – Inbound Service” and “Quality Tourism Services Gold Award – Outbound Service” for their stellar services of inbound and outbound travel respectively. One of the travel agencies even harvests the highest honor, the Quality Tourism Services Excellence Award.
Award ceremony for retail sector next week
For the retail sector, 34 Excellent Certified Shops are presented the “Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award” this year under the collaboration between MGTO and the Consumer Council. An award ceremony will be held next Friday (13 December).
Browse the website for awarded merchants
The public can view the list and information of awarded businesses on MGTO’s website (https://www.dst.gov.mo). MGTO will continue to roll out QTSAS and organize different online and offline training programs, to support service optimization of tourism and related industry personnel. In accord with the “1 + 4” development strategy for adequate economic diversification, the Office strives to optimize and strengthen the integrated tourism and leisure industry in collaboration with the trade, enriching Macao’s offerings as a world centre of tourism and leisure.