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2 Sep, 2015

High Ratings For Travel Media Communications Course In Macau

Macau — A unique media communications course presented to the Macau tourism industry by Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil has won exceptionally high ratings.

Hosted by the Macau Government Tourist Office, the August 24 course was attended by 24 media and marketing communications professionals from the MGTO and Macau hotels. MGTO Director Maria Helena De Senna Fernandes and Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong both attended the course in full.

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Evaluation forms filled out by the participants indicated an overwhelmingly good response. Please download the compilation of the feedback by clicking here.

The course was designed to help the Macau communications professionals upgrade the quality of their media releases in the Internet era — an age of information overload, short attention spans, instant gratification and shifting loyalties.

Said MGTO Director Mrs Fernandes: “The workshop created an interesting synergy between our industry partners and ignited incredible creativity within us.”

According to Mr. Muqbil, one of the longest serving travel trade journalists in the Asia-Pacific, “The Internet has revolutionised global communications, allowing the travel & tourism industry to dispatch more material, more often to more people than ever. Although the delivery and dissemination mechanisms have advanced rapidly, the quality of content has remained stagnant.

“The slogan ‘Content is King’ is a long way from being realised in the travel & tourism industry. There is a lot of ‘noise’ out there, but not much ‘news’,” he said.

He added, “Changing this requires more than just better writing skills and better use of mediums such as blogs, podcasts, social-media and RSS news feeds. It requires a better understanding of the internal and external forces impacting the industry and linking them to the quality of communications emanating from companies and institutions.”

Participants brainstormed ways to improve the content of their communications material to make it more focussed, interesting, readable and relevant. Designed to deliver maximum information in minimum time, the one-day workshop was filled with high-impact ideas, information and insights designed to deliver value in terms of time, money and effort.

Event organiser Sheila Leong, Managing Director, EON Events Pte. Ltd, said, “The course brought both the public and private sectors together to think of how they could position Macau in a better light. It was encouraging to see many great ideas coming out during the last workshop part of the session.”

In addition to the media communications course, Bangkok-based Mr. Muqbil also gave an exclusive half-day briefing to the MGTO personnel on the Thai travel & tourism industry. That included a comprehensive perspective on the historical factors that have shaped the Thai tourism brand and image, how the kingdom deals with crises, and some of the key statistical trends over the last 10 years.

National Tourism organisations, destinations, airlines, hotels, convention centres and other travel & tourism companies and institutions seeking to organise a similar course can contact event organiser, Sheila Leong, Managing Director, EON Events Pte. Ltd. E: sheila@eonevents.asia; M: +66 81 8150461; W: www.eonevents.asia

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MGTO Director Maria Helena De Senna Fernandes receiving her course attendance certificate from presenter Imtiaz Muqbil

 

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The MGTO staff who attended the exclusive presentation on the Thai tourism industry.

 

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