MGTO Director Maria Fernandes leads 2025 Macao Week with renewed vision and heartfelt diplomacy
By Jungchan Lee, Publisher and Editor in Chief, Korea Travel News
On May 29, the ballroom at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul was filled once again with familiar faces, familiar accents, and a shared enthusiasm for one destination: Macao.
At the heart of this rekindled connection stood Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), a woman whose vision has helped guide Macao’s tourism diplomacy for decades. With a calm presence and a steady smile, she addressed the delegation, underscoring Macao’s renewed commitment to the Korean market.
The 2025 Macao Week, held under the slogan “My Favorite Macao”, marked another chapter in this ongoing story. But this year felt different—broader in ambition, deeper in strategy. Macao is redefining itself as a multifaceted destination where business, leisure, family, and culture intersect.
The opening event, the “Macao Tourism + MICE Product Updates Seminar & Travel Mart”, brought together over 200 Korean travel professionals. Large LED screens displayed immersive visuals of Macao’s skyline—new resorts, enhanced infrastructure, and integrated zones.
Industry leaders from Galaxy Macao, MGM, Air Macao, Sands China, Cotai Water Jet, Macao International Airport and others formed a strategic presence, highlighting Macao’s ambition to become Asia’s next-generation MICE hub.
Maria Fernandes noted, “We are no longer just a stop for leisure. We are becoming a platform—one that connects travelers, ideas, and industries.” Her leadership, spanning decades, has anchored Macao’s relationship with Korea through both vibrant celebrations and quieter years.
In the Travel Mart, Korean partners engaged in dynamic B2B exchanges with Macao representatives, not only discussing packages but co-creating future experiences. Emotion and strategy blended seamlessly.
The celebration extended beyond business. On May 30, a public pop-up at The Hyundai Seoul introduced the broader public to Macao’s renewed identity. The festivities continue with Macao Epic Seoul until June 2.
As Maria Fernandes said, “Every year we come back, we are not just repeating. We are growing.” Her consistent presence reflects Macao’s belief in sustainable, heartfelt tourism diplomacy.
Macao doesn’t knock on the door—it returns as family. And in Seoul, that welcome is warm and lasting.
