[2026/09/25] Macao MICE Industry Celebrates Double Success: Deepening Macao-Hengqin Synergies to Unlock New MICE Opportunities in Southeast Asia
Publication Date: 2026/09/25
At two recent prestigious annual global MICE industry events—the M&C Asia Stella Awards ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in August, and the TTG Travel Awards 2026 ceremony held in Bangkok, Thailand in September—Macao was once again awarded "Best Conventions Destination (Asia)" and "Best BT-MICE City", marking the fourth consecutive year that Macao has won these international MICE accolades, which were accepted by Che Weng Keong, President of the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (hereinafter referred to as "IPIM") of the Macao SAR, and IPIM Director Elaine Wong, respectively on behalf of Macao.
Since the beginning of this year, Macao’s MICE industry has garnered multiple awards, including honours such as "Best Destination for Annual Meetings", "Best International MICE City", and "Most Influential MICE Destination". These accolades fully reflect the continuous enhancement of Macao's comprehensive competitiveness and international influence in the MICE industry.
Expanding the Macao-Hengqin MICE Collaboration Network to Connect with Global MICE Resources
To further expand the MICE collaboration network between Macao and Hengqin, IPIM representatives joined forces with the Industrial Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin and market representatives of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) in Thailand during the award presentation period. Together, they organised over 20 Macao and Hengqin MICE-related institutions and enterprises to participate in MICE matching and negotiation events, namely "M&C Asia Connections 2026" and the "Incentive Travel & Conventions, Meetings Asia 2026" (IT&CMA). The Macao delegates conducted over 700 business meetings with international merchants, actively publicising the MICE environment and advantages of Macao and Hengqin, so as to recruit more international MICE events to be hosted in Macao SAR and the Co-operation Zone in Hengqin.
During the events, IPIM once again arranged for participating enterprises to attend the "Global MICE Collaborative Certification" (GMC) training course jointly organized by three authoritative international MICE organisations—the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), and the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE). The training aims to strengthen the professional capacities of local MICE practitioners in conference planning, exhibition management, and international reception, enhancing the quality of local MICE services to align with international standards.
Continuously Cultivating Relationships in Southeast Asia to Drive International MICE Co-operation
To implement the tasks outlined in the MSAR "Third Five-Year Plan" regarding inviting and bidding for more international high-quality MICE projects to be held in Macao, IPIM pro-actively participated in target regions’ MICE events and roadshows, which included traveling to Singapore and Jakarta, Indonesia earlier this year to participate in major international MICE industry events such as "The Meetings Show Asia Pacific 2026" and the "Indonesia Business Event Mart (IBEM) 2026". Together with the aforementioned exhibitions in Malaysia and Thailand, Macao and Hengqin entities conducted a total of over 1,000 business matching sessions with international merchants, jointly driving more international MICE activities to land in Macao and Hengqin.
The MICE industry serves as one of the vital pillars of Macao's economic diversification. The SAR Government will continue to collaborate closely with relevant departments and industry stakeholders to optimise MICE facilities, enhance the quality of professional services, and consolidate Macao's advantages as an international MICE destination through regional synergy and international promotion, injecting sustained momentum into Macao's long-term, stable economic development.
