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Travel Daily News
6 days ago
- Business
- Travel Daily News
ECTAA and Macao strengthen tourism ties between Europe and Asia
ECTAA's 2025 Summit in Macao strengthens Europe-Asia tourism ties, fostering partnerships, promoting Macao, and addressing evolving traveler expectations. MACAO – ECTAA, the European Travel Agents' and Tour Operators' Association, is holding this week its 2025 Summit, from 2nd to 5th of June in Macao, as part of its partnership of Preferred Destination for 2025 with the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO). This strategic collaboration aims to intensify tourist flows between Europe and Asia, positioning Macao as a destination of choice for European travellers. The meeting is taking place at the Grand Lisboa Palace Resort and brought together leaders of European travel agencies, representatives of national associations from across Europe, as well as institutional partners and local authorities. The presence of Mrs Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the MGTO, and Mr Tai Kin Ip, Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR, demonstrate the territory's strong commitment to diversifying its international customer base and strengthening cooperation with European markets. One of the highlights of the meeting will be a round table discussion on tourism opportunities between Europe and Asia, focusing on new market dynamics. The speakers – Frank Gulin, Tiago Brito, Nigel Wong and Mary Huang, from European national tourism organisations, Asian professional associations and the private sector – will share their vision of the changes underway: the rise of independent travel, the search for authentic cultural experiences, growing demands for sustainability, and the need for European destinations to adapt their communication to the new expectations of Asian travellers. The discussions should show a convergence of interests: on the one hand, European destinations keen to win back the Chinese market; on the other, Asian destinations seeking to diversify their customer base and raise their profile in Europe. 'Cooperation between Europe and Asia in the travel sector is obvious, but it requires a new approach based on better mutual understanding, tailored products and concrete collaboration between professionals,' said Frank Oostdam, President of ECTAA in a press conference. 'The partnership with Macao illustrates this desire to go beyond intentions and create real connections between markets.' Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, remarked at the same occasion that 'it is a great opportunity for Macao to welcome this significant group of the European tourism industry, especially now that a new wave of tourism development is emerging, highlighting that travel agencies are key partners that MGTO wants to work with to continue to increase visitor flows from Europe.' I The meeting is also providing an opportunity for a B2B session between 30 European delegates and more than 50 local companies, facilitating the emergence of new business partnerships. Although Europe is not yet one of Macao's main source markets, this partnership aims to reverse this trend. With a high-end hotel offering (150 establishments, 24 Forbes 5-star hotels by 2025), a rich cultural heritage, an internationally recognised gastronomic scene (UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy), and a solid tourism infrastructure, Macao has all the assets to attract a demanding European clientele.
CNA
30-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- CNA
Turkish Delight: 6 fantastic food stops in Istanbul
Türkiye's largest city, once known as Constantinople and famous for straddling both Europe and Asia, also marks a culinary crossroads. The remarkable diversity of influences and people who have called it home ensure that it is one of the world's most thrilling places to dine out. Such a metropolis – more than 15 million people call it home – offers an extraordinary array of eating options, from roadside stalls to elegant dining rooms, local smoky grills to cutting-edge neo-Turkish bistros. Here are six spots for guaranteed deliciousness, authentic hospitality and windows on Turkey's remarkable, multi-layered culinary culture. KARAKOY CAFE Taking up the ground floor of a modest Novotel hotel, Karakoy Cafe is an unassuming spot but a surefire winner for those seeking real-deal Turkish cuisine. Bookings are essential as it fills up quickly with local families and larger groups enjoying impeccable plates, while the interiors and design are elevated and elegant, the service warm and the prices distinctly fair. The eyes are immediately drawn to a long, refrigerated counter, not unlike those in tapas bars, filled with a tempting array of mezze which are also listed on a long menu. Muhammara has long been a personal favourite, a sweet and spicy paste of peppers, walnuts and herbs, but the version at Karakoy is also cut through with fresh parsley for added freshness. A roasted aubergine salad, patlican salatasi, is another notch above the normal thanks to the smoky char on the vegetables, slowly blistered on the restaurant's vast grill. Oven-baked sheep's cheese with spices marked the final mezze, a simple but excellent addition, especially with their addictive breads hot from the oven. An extensive wine and raki list accompany the food, along with plenty of no-alcohol choices. GALLADA AT THE PENINSULA ISTANBUL Fatih Tutak is arguably Türkiye's most famous celebrity chef, a regular sight on TV and someone who proudly flies the flag for his country's cuisine. He boasts a distinguished resume which includes Türkiye's only two Michelin-starred restaurant, Turk Fatih Tutak, as well as the highly acclaimed Gallada at The Peninsula Istanbul. The hotel is an absolute beauty, sweeping along The Bosporus riverfront, featuring three separate buildings, including an Art Deco pearl which was once a ticket office for a ferry company. Another is crowned by Gallada with its vast terrace, incredible views over Hagia Sofia mosque and generous tables decked in pristine white linen. Every seat is taken, and the room buzzes with energy and a United Nations of accents. As the plates begin to arrive, it's clear why. Perfect batons of pickles are joined by Sichuan peanuts and a Turkish pinot noir, before the first course of lamb's liver with Kesan pepper and crispy potato, to be wrapped in gossamer-thin bread. Surely Istanbul's most elegant lamb shashlik kebab comes next, with vinegary onion, cumin and paprika, then Black Sea turbot with superior soy and morel mushrooms reflecting chef Fatih's years spent in Asia, in cities including Hong Kong and Bangkok. Frozen chocolate mousse with Madagascar vanilla rounds out a spectacular a la carte dinner. SERICA It's probably unsurprising that Istanbul's Bank Hotel was once a bank, one where sublime original interiors and architecture have been highlighted and restored with true style. One of its restaurants sits up on the sixth floor, with romantic views over the mosques of Sultanahmet and beyond. Serica's cuisine is neo-Turkish, namely rooted in tradition but unafraid to experiment and innovate. It also reflects regions including Anatolia, the Black Sea coast and Cappadocia. Dinner started with bread from a tandoor style oven, served volcanically hot with basil and herb butter. A crunchy rectangle of bread was then topped with anchovies, bottarga and aioli, a trio of powerful ingredients which nonetheless complimented one another well. The tandoor came to the fore again with fall-apart tender lamb shoulder, slow cooked and served with stuffed onion and apricot puree. More excellent Turkish wines paired perfectly. ADANA OCKABASI Open-fire grills called mangal proudly define Turkish cuisine more than any other. Always smoke-filled, invariably involving a wait to get a table, their friendly, communal atmosphere celebrates kebabs beautifully kissed by charcoal-fuelled fire in a tradition known as Ockabsi. There are thousands of them across Istanbul, but one of the best we encountered was Adana Ockabsi in the Osmanbey neighbourhood. Taking inspiration from the culinary traditions of Adana on Türkiye's Mediterranean coast, go with as many people as possible to enjoy as wide a spread of dishes as your table can hold. Wood-fired breads are dangerously addictive, especially swept through rich and creamy meze dips. Fragrant hand-chopped kebabs are moulded around huge sword-like skewers, while some offer kokorec, made from lamb or goat intestines wrapped around seasoned offal such as sweetbreads, hearts or lungs. To drink, the aniseed flavours of the strong national liquor raki are an acquired taste but an important communal toasting tradition. Just be warned that after a few shots you may find yourself wanting to hit another bar to carry on well into the night. KUMPIR Kumpir – a unique Turkish take on baked potatoes – is seen all over Istanbul, but the riverside district of Ortakoy is particularly famed for them, with lanes dotted with dozens of vendors trying to outdo one another with eye-catching displays of dozens of toppings. There's no science or culinary wizardry at work, just huge fluffy spuds, cleaved open and spread with liberal amounts of butter. The only challenge comes in choosing what to fill them with. Red cabbage, chopped olives, sweetcorn, pickled vegetables, chopped eggs, sausage, pepper, tuna, cheeses like kasar or mozzarella – the only limit is your imagination and appetite. The best bit? They're more than enough for a meal, perfect eaten al fresco in the gardens around Ortakoy Bridge – and run no more than US$3 (S$3.85) to US$4. At weekends, you can expect large crowds as the treat is understandably popular with families wandering the pedestrianised streets. Just look for a street known as Kumpir Sokak by the Ortakoy mosque and get stuck in. MARKETS Incredible produce is piled high on low tables across Istanbul's hundreds of neighbourhood food markets. The freshest fish and seafood, incredible fruit and vegetables and fascinating local characters make for a great culinary cocktail. Have a look online to see what's on and don't be afraid to jump on a ferry to head out into the depths of the city, away from the tourist traps. I found artichoke hearts floating in red buckets of water, ruby-red beetroot, massive mountains of aubergines, carefully arranged pyramids of tomatoes and beautifully fragrant herbs as just some of the tempting ingredients. Dried fruit and nuts are another specialty, with tables covered in walnuts that are carefully picked through by discerning local grandmothers. Simply follow your nose for something delicious to chew on as you wander. Simit are the ubiquitous sesame-flecked rings of bread, sold from portable carts. Stalls sell all manner of homemade borek, the addictive layered pastry with salty white cheese, while whorls of pastry are stuffed with nettles, spinach, herbs and more cheese to be washed down with a glass of strong and sweet Turkish tea.
