Macao Heritage Passport, a tourism promotion campaign, is well received by tourists as 5,500 "passports" have been distributed, Macao's Government Tourist Office (MGTO) said on Wednesday.

A statement issued by the MGTO said visitors' response to the Macao Heritage Passport has been "encouraging" since the launch of the campaign on July 1.

Macao Heritage Passport, as a core campaign of the Macao World Heritage Year, aims to encourage the spending by visitors while promoting Macao's world heritage sites.

Some 140 hotels and businesses are participating in this campaign.

Participating visitors have to obtain their "passports" at MGTO information counters at the listed hotels in Macao before they entering an instant lucky draw by presenting the four stamps collected according to instructions on "the passports."

The MGTO has designated the year of 2006 as Macao World Heritage Year, comprising a series of promotion and publicity activities being launched in Macao and overseas.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2006)