“Tourism: In the East, all new!” is the theme for the 43rd National Congress of Portugal Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (APAVT) to be held in Macao in November.

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) made the announcement after a launch with APAVT in front of about 170 tourism officials, operators and media in Lisbon this week.

“The Congress of APAVT in Macao represents the unique golden key that will close this great year for Portugal-China relations,” said Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism Ana Mendes Godinho.

It will be the fifth time the APAVT congress has been in Macao, with the November 23-27, event expected to attract 500 Portuguese tourism operators and travel agents.

MGTO director Helena de Senna Fernandes said the congress underscores Macao’s efforts to become a world centre of tourism and leisure, and a commercial and trade cooperation service platform between the Mainland and Portuguese-speaking Countries.