One-stop service for MICE draws more events to Macao

Macao has been the place for an increasing number of large conferences, owing to the comprehensive One-Stop Service for MICE Bidding and Support in Macao provided by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) since 2013. Event organisers that have used the one-stop service say the Convention and Exhibition Stimulation Programme and the support measures for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) are particularly helpful.

In 2016, the Amway Diamond Recognition Meeting, a conference held in Macao, was attended by more than 14,500 people, according to the event organiser. Fulin International Ltd. General Manager Hsu Min-Che said he was told about the IPIM One-stop Service for MICE Bidding and Support by The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel, where the event was held. The support service provided by IPIM was eventually pivotal to Fulin International’s decision to hold the meeting in Macao, according to Mr Hsu.

IPIM’s help was the major incentive for us to hold the meeting in Macao.

Hsu Min-Che

“IPIM’s help was the major incentive for us to hold the meeting in Macao, because the cost of organising a conference in Macao is quite high, especially as accommodation here is more expensive than in some Mainland Chinese cities, such as Shanghai,” Mr Hsu said.

The Amway Diamond Recognition Meeting is an annual event, usually attended by more than 10,000 people. The event has previously been held in the United States, Singapore, Thailand, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

With IPIM’s assistance, Fulin International had part of the accommodation costs arising from last year’s event borne by the Convention and Exhibition Stimulation Programme. As the Amway Diamond Recognition Meeting was held again in Macao in September this year, Fulin International continued to benefit from the financial support provided by the IPIM programme to cover part of its spending on transport, catering, keynote speakers and the delegation leader.

Two other big events were held at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel in 2016: the 14^th Jeunesse Hong Kong University in June and the 15^th Hong Kong Jeunesse University and Greater China Fifth Anniversary Conference in December. Each of these meetings brought to Macao more than 12,000 people.

Jeunesse Global Group Holdings LLC Taiwan Branch Strategic Marketing Manager Jessica Huang said the IPIM One-Stop Service for MICE Bidding and Support helped with the organisation of both events. It helped with matters concerning the event venue and with work permits for her company’s staff and covered some costs.

“With the help of the IPIM One-stop Service for MICE Bidding and Support in Macao, the pre-event workload was in effect reduced, and the requisite administrative processes were simplified,” Ms Huang said. “This creates a mutually beneficial situation. There was more time for planning the event, which helped increase efficiency.” Macao was chosen to hold the Jeunesse Expo 8 – Greater China in September this year.

With the support of the IPIM One-Stop Service for MICE Bidding and Support, the 39^th Asia Pacific Dental Congress was held for the first time in Macao this year, according to the host, the Macau Dental Association.

Macau Dental Association Executive Director Carlos Augusto said Macao event organisers could get financial support from IPIM to bid to put on international events. “Apart from advising us on the holding of the event, IPIM offered us financial support to go to Malaysia to join in the bidding for the

IPIM offered us financial support to join in the bidding for the International College of Dentists Global Congress and International Induction Ceremony in 2018.

Carlos Augusto

International College of Dentists Global Congress and International Induction Ceremony in 2018,” Mr Augusto said.

Comprehensive support

Event planners and organisers can get financial support for their MICE from two schemes: the Convention and Exhibition Stimulation Programme and the International Meeting and Trade Fair Support Programme. With the help of IPIM’s One-Stop Service, event planners can be referred to these schemes, which are part of the IPIM Conventions and Exhibitions Support Programme.

The financial support given by these schemes covers important aspects of an event, including accommodation, catering, the cost of keynote speakers, translators, promotion and marketing, and opening ceremonies.

IPIM provides comprehensive services to help meeting and exhibition organisers interested in putting on events in Macao. These services include attracting and introducing renowned events currently held abroad; giving event organisers meeting and exhibition information and updates; detailing dedicated staff to provide a follow-up service and help organise events in Macao; providing promotion opportunities at events in Macao and abroad that IPIM takes part in; helping local companies pursue MICE projects; and offering a MICE co-operation matching service to find potential partners.

In 2016, IPIM followed up requests from the organisers of 140 meetings and exhibitions, 17 more than the year before. The 140 events involved a wide range of fields: medicine, insurance, education, finance, catering, information technology, tourism, and cultural and creative industries. In the first quarter of 2017 IPIM handled requests from the organisers of 69 events: 50 meetings, 15 exhibitions and four meetings-cum-exhibitions. Of the 69 events, 45 have already taken place in Macao, according to IPIM.

The Amway Diamond Recognition Meeting was attended by more than 14,500 people

The 39th Asia Pacific Dental Congress was held in Macao this year