According to experts speaking Friday at a tourism symposium in Macao, sustainability and green transformation rank among the top goals for the development of the tourism industry in Asia-Pacific nations and regions in the years to come.

Participants in the 10th Global Tourism Economy Forum stressed the importance of sustainability for the region's tourism recovery and innovations following the COVID-19 pandemic. The forum began on Thursday in the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Harry Hwang, director of the United Nations World Tourism Organization's (UNWTO) Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific, suggested that UNWTO members in the area increase investment in tourism infrastructure, fortify institutional and legal frameworks, and foster an environment that fosters entrepreneurship, jobs, communities, and education.

He stated that among other major priorities for the region's tourist development are product development and diversification, a decrease in seasonality, specialized products, and new locations.

According to Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao SAR government's tourism office, technology has changed and is still changing how people do things, particularly in terms of the sustainability of tourism.

There are many more effective methods to connect with our visitors before they come, while they are here, and even days after they leave, she said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed Macao to further diversify its economy and grow the emerging industries of technology, finance, exhibits and conventions, culture, and sports to make its tourism business more resilient.

The efforts of both the national and local governments are crucial, according to Christina Garcia Frasco, the secretary of tourism for the Philippines.

To guarantee the accessibility of tourist destinations and identify the crucial pillars for their long-term development, such as sewage systems, water systems, waste management, and digitization in the operation of tourism communities, Frasco said, government agencies from all over the Philippines have joined forces.

The three-day summit, with the theme "Destination 2030: Unlocking the Power of Tourism for Business and Development," aims to maximize reciprocal cooperation between Chinese and foreign tourism markets and to stimulate new ideas and the growth of the world tourism industry.