This Issue’s Topical Story

The 2021‭ ‬Guangdong‭ & ‬Macao Branded Products Fair Concludes Successfully

The 2021 Guangdong & Macao Branded Products Fair (2021GMBPF), jointly organised by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) and the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, was held at The Venetian Macau from 26 to 28 November. This year’s GMBPF was rich in content and bustling with excitement, attracting over 350 enterprises. More than 90 online and offline business meetings were arranged, with 21 projects signed. The three-day event had more than one million views online.

The opening ceremony was officiated by President of IPIM Benson Lau Wai Meng, Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region Wang Dong, Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region Zhu Hong, Minister/Deputy Chief of Mission of Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia Dino R. Kusnadi, Deputy Secretary-General of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province Lin Ji, Deputy Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao Paulo Jorge Rodrigues do Espírito Santo, Deputy Director-General of Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province Ma Hua, Chief Board of Director of the Association of Returned Overseas Chinese Macau Chan Hio Peng, Director of Macao Government Tourism Office Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Deputy Director of the Macao Economic and Technological Development Bureau Chan Tze Wai, and Executive Director of IPIM Sam C. S. Lei.

Displaying the charm of exhibits at the GMBPF through online and offline elements

The 2021GMBPF covered an area of 9,000 square metres, with 351 enterprises setting up nearly 400 booths, including 174 enterprises in the Macao exhibition area, 150 in the Guangdong exhibition area, and 27 in “The Belt and Road” Exhibition Zone and other exhibition areas. In addition to the foundation laid in previous editions, the Fair featured a new “Smart Life Area”, which included elements of technology that are in line with the latest developments. Meanwhile, the Fair also exhibited and sold a wide range of branded products covering home appliances, technology and innovation, cultural and creative products, food, tourism, daily necessities, jewellery and more.

The online exhibition launched this year was well received, attracting over 360 exhibitors from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Shaoguan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Macao and other regions, presenting nearly 1,000 exhibits. The online exhibition and GMBPF’s official website recorded nearly 100,000 views. During the Fair, live stream hosts and influencers, 24 from Mainland China and seven from Macao, were invited to broadcast live and conduct interviews for 30 hours in total, attracting more than 140 exhibitors, introducing some of the must-buy, must-eat, must-play and must-see branded products and highlights of the Fair.

Strengthening B2B element to help enterprises reach target buyers

In order to continuously improve its business service, the 2021GMBPF further strengthened the business matching element, by adding the online business matching session, face-to-face business matching sessions and guided tours, promotion seminars on the investment environment, and so on. Over 90 online and offline business meetings were arranged, covering catering, smart life, household items, office supplies, e-commerce, Portuguese-speaking Countries’ products, and more.

During the 2021GMBPF, 18 forums, business matching sessions and promotion seminars were held for three consecutive days, and the 2021GMBPF Guided Tour for Guangdong and Macao enterprises took place during the event, attended by about 60 enterprise representatives from Guangdong and Macao engaging in the catering industry, food trade and e-commerce platforms. They met with exhibitors from Guangdong, Macao, and regions along the “Belt and Road”.

A well-known e-commerce platform in Mainland China launched a free product listing and concessional promotion programme at the 2021GMBPF, helping local SMEs develop business in Mainland China and promoting their brands through the e-commerce platform. During the Fair, more than 30 exhibitors inquired about the programme.

Leveraging the Co-operation Platform between China and PSCs and introducing products from PSCs

To further leverage Macao’s role as a Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, IPIM and the Permanent Secretariat of Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) collaboratively organised the “Promotion Seminar of Products from Portuguese-speaking Countries”, where representatives of Portuguese-speaking Countries introduced the investment environment and local services and products of PSCs to traders from Guangdong, in an effort to enhance the economic and trade co-operation between Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. In addition, online and face-to-face business matching sessions for Portuguese-speaking Countries were also arranged.

Influencers from Guangdong and Macao are invited to broadcast live and conduct interviews during the 2021GMBPF

A wide range of activities to feel the charm of the Fair

This year’s GMBPF offered a series of excellent activities to the local residents and visitors, including free cooking workshops, lucky draws, mystery gift boxes with tourism products and food, guided tours and more. Multiple electronic payment methods are available for visitors to choose from, enhancing their shopping experience at the Fair to the fullest with various shopping offers.

The 2021GMBPF continued to invite traders to local neighbourhoods and concurrent activities for shopping and tasting local food, so as to maximise the influence of the event, spur community economies, and promote the image of Macao as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.