Feature

Rising in ICCA’s Rankings for Two Consecutive Years Macao Jumps to 65^th in Worldwide Ranking of the Convention Market

The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has recently released its International Meetings Market 2017 Report. According to the said report, Macao has obtained promotions in several facets for the second consecutive year. Namely, Macao jumps to 65th in worldwide city ranking and claimed the 16th place in Asia-Pacific. Furthermore, 39 international meetings held in Macao were recognised by ICCA. The results are encouraging.

ICCA is one of the world’s foremost conference organisations, with a membership of more than 1,100 which includes governmental organisations, exhibition related companies and convention centres from approximately 100 countries and regions worldwide. Macao currently has a total of seven ICCA members, which are respectively governmental departments, hotels, professional conference organisers and conference service providers. Each year, ICCA prepares a statistical report on the number of international ICCA meetings held in each country and region/city. The ICCA criteria are stringent, requiring that ICCA-recognised conferences (excluding corporate meetings) must be organised regularly by international association/organisation in three or more countries/regions in rotation with not less than 50 participants.

According to the latest International Meetings Market 2017 Report, Macao’s rankings in several facets were reaffirmed. The said report has recognised 39 international meetings held in Macao, increasing by 2 compared to the total in 2016. In worldwide city ranking, Macao was positioned 65th, up by seven places compared to 2016. As for ranking in Asia-Pacific, Macao climbed one place to 16th, and is currently above Geneva (Switzerland), Brisbane (Australia) Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Pusan and Cheju (South Korea). This demonstrates that the city is attracting an increasing number of global convention activities and participants to these events, reassuring Macao’ s MICE industry which is now developing with the strategy prioritising conventions.

IPIM has formally become a member of the ICCA since August 2012. Since then it has been actively participating in ICCA activities and seizing the opportunity to engage in bilateral exchanges with the operators of the MICE sector worldwide. Furthermore, IPIM has launched the “One-Stop Service” for MICE Bidding and Support in Macao to provide support services for congress organisers that are interested in holding events in Macao. The ICCA online database, with over 17,000 international convention entries, has also allowed IPIM to identify potential meetings and to bid for them to be held in Macao, as a means to attract a greater number of international congress organisers to hold their activities in the city.