In
1997, the Network of Asia-Pacific
Education and Training Institutes
in Tourism (APETIT), a body
fully supported by the United
Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and
the Pacific (UNESCAP) selected
IFT as the “training
the trainer centre”
offering training and advisory
services for APETIT members
in the Asia Pacific region.
In the same year, IFT received
from the Pacific Asia Travel
Association (PATA) the Gold
Award in “Education
and Training”, which
acknowledged the content
and quality of IFT's programmes.
In 2002, IFT was presented,
again, with the same award
for having set up the “Macao
Occupational skills Recognition
System” (MORS) for
the local tourism and hospitality
industry in collaboration
with the European Union
(EU).
In 1999, in cooperation
with EU, the Macao-Europe
Centre for Advanced Tourism
Studies (ME-CATS) was
established in the Institute,
incorporating new European
concepts of tourism and
hospitality management
into the tourism development
of the Asia Pacific region.
This centre aims at becoming
a base for tourism education
and training in the Asia
Pacific region. It promotes
exchange of knowledge
and experience between
institutes of higher education
in Europe and in the region.
In 2000, IFT became the
first World Tourism Organization
UNWTO.TedQual certified
institution in tourism
education by UNWTO.Themis
Foundation. This confirmed
the international standard
and quality achieved by
IFT in education and training.
In 2008, IFT successfully obtained renewal of the “UNWTO.TedQual Certification” till 2012.
In 2003, IFT was invited
by the UNESCO and the
International Centre for
the Study of the Preservation
and Restoration of Cultural
Property (ICCROM) to be
a founding member of the
Asian Academy for Heritage
Management (AAHM). This
consortium networks institutes
of higher learning throughout
the Asia Pacific region
that are engaged in the
research and teaching
of heritage conservation
and cultural institution
management. Sustainable
tourism calls for a new
breed of responsible,
well-informed and well-read
tourists. In response
to this need, the UNESCO-ICCROM
AAHM launched the Cultural
Heritage Specialist Guide
Training and Certification
Programme in 2005. This
rigorous, practical and
internationally-recognised
training and certification
programme is being implemented
through active partnership
of members of the AAHM,
training institutions
from the UNESCAP APETIT
and National Tourism Organizations
(NTOs), with IFT serving
as the focal point and
UNESCO providing technical
advisory.
In 2004, The Association
for Tourism and Leisure
Education (ATLAS) appointed
the Institute as an Executive
Member. It helps to develop
the transnational educational
initiatives in tourism
and leisure of Macao,
encourage exchanges between
lecturers and students
in academic researches,
and enhance quality of
the programmes provided
by the Institute.
“The 2008 Award Ceremony of Medals and Titles of Honour of the Macao SAR Government, People’s Republic of China” was held on 16 January 2009. The Chief Executive of Macao SAR, Mr. Edmund Ho Hau Wah, accorded honours and awards to 40 individuals and organisations for their personal achievements, notable contributions to Macao SAR and their dedicated public and community service. The Institute for Tourism Studies was awarded the Medal of Merit for Tourism in recognition of its significant contributions in advancing local tourism development.
IFT will continue to
strive ahead in its quest
of learning and educational
innovation, fostering
professionals and making
contributions to the tourism
development of Macao and
of the Asia Pacific region.
