【Towards stellar development】“Star Service Formula” Activity Series kicks off today (28 May) to shed light on core principles of luxury hospitality

MACAU, May 28 - Macao Government Tourism Office (“MGTO”) and SJM Resorts, S.A. (“SJM”) jointly launched the “Star Service Formula” Activity Series of 2026 (the “Series”) with a launch ceremony and themed seminar today (28 May). A keynote speaker was invited from Forbes Travel Guide to offer profound insights into the core principles and standards of luxury hospitality in practice at the first seminar of the Series, to support local tourism services in moving towards new levels of excellence.

The inaugural seminar of the Series of this year was held at the Grand Lisboa Ballroom today (28 May). Macao has become the city with the most Five-Star hotels recognized by Forbes Travel Guide in the world for the fourth year in a row. Learning & Development Manager of Asia Pacific at Forbes Travel Guide, Summer Xiang, was invited to shed light on the core principles and practice standards of luxury hospitality as the keynote speaker at the seminar.

MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Assistant to the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Zhao Su, Director of SJM Resorts, S.A. and Chairman of the SJM Staff Welfare Consultative Committee, Angela Leong, Secretary General of SJM Resorts, S.A. and lawyer, Rui José da Cunha, and Vice President of Partner Services for Asia Pacific at Forbes Travel Guide, Jessie Law, attended the launch ceremony for the “Star Service Formula” Activity Series together with other personages. The seminar engaged 330 participants including members of Macao’s travel trade, team members of SJM as well as students and faculty members of local higher education institutions, among others.

Senna Fernandes remarked that Macao welcomed over 40 million visitors in 2025. Each traveler comes with varying expectations of the journey in Macao. Tourism service enhancement remains essential to visitors’ trip experience. Stellar tourism services will raise the destination appeal further. In view of that, MGTO will continuously collaborate with the tourism and related sectors to organize online and offline training programs that foster service optimization.

Co-launched by MGTO and SJM last year, the first “Star Service Formula” Activity Series of seminars attracted close to 400 participants. The Series is rolled out once again this year as part of the endeavor to advance tourism service quality and stellar development of the industry.

In the future, MGTO will keep organizing online and offline training courses, seminars and workshops under different themes, to bring industry operators to a deeper understanding of visitors’ demands and expectations in different markets and segments. Hence they can tailor thoughtful tourism services and supporting facilities that cater to the demands, in turn reinforcing Macao’s status as a world centre of tourism and leisure.