In a bid to attract more Southeast Asian tourists, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) has partnered with tourism authorities from Hong Kong and Guangdong to produce a travelogue entitled “Hashtag Travelog” aimed at promoting the Greater Bay Area (GBA) as a top regional destination.
The TV program, titled Hashtag Travelog, will air later this year and is specifically designed to enhance the region’s appeal and visibility in international markets, particularly in Southeast Asia.
According to the press release from the MGTO, the show – which was recently filmed across multiple locations, features a host of popular personalities. Korean boy band CIX visited both Macau and Hong Kong as part of their travel experience, while Malaysian entertainers Danny Koo and Jordan Sen joined the production in Guangdong’s Guangzhou and Jiangmen cities.
The collaboration highlights the cross-border tourism appeal of the GBA, underscoring the region’s potential as a multi-destination hub.
The first episode is scheduled for release on December 9th, 2024, and will be broadcast on tvN Asia, a channel that reaches more than 12 million households across eight countries and regions, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, the Maldives, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Additionally, the program will be available in Thailand through TrueID and on the Viu OTT platform, expanding its reach across Southeast Asia.
This strategic collaboration between the tourism offices of Macau, Hong Kong, and Guangdong is part of a broader effort to boost the region’s tourism brand and strengthen its position in Southeast Asia, one of the fastest-growing markets for international travel.
Strong growth in Southeast Asian tourism to Macau
The release of Hashtag Travelog coincides with strong growth in Macau’s international tourism, particularly from Southeast Asia.
In the first three quarters of 2024, international visitor numbers surged 95.1 percent year-on-year, reaching 1,677,550, or 70.7 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Among Southeast Asian markets, Macau saw a significant growth year-on-year. Visitors from the Philippines rose 75.6 percent to 345,537; Indonesia up 33.6 percent to 127,861; Thailand up 70.6 percent to 95,108; and Singapore up 61.6 percent to 74,156. Malaysia saw the largest increase, with visitor numbers soaring 136.4 percent to 117,739.
Macau also saw notable growth from South and Northeast Asia, with visitors from India up 133.6 percent, and from South Korea and Japan up 207 percent and 102.6 percent, respectively.
