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Latest Developments of Macao MICE Industry under Regular Pandemic Prevention and Control
More than two years since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, MICE activities are still widely affected by the relevant travel restrictions, posing a challenge to the global MICE industry. In 2019, a total of 1,536 MICE events were held in Macao, with over 2 million participants. Due to changes in the pandemic situation, anti-pandemic measures and policies on traveller clearance, a number of MICE events scheduled in Macao had to be postponed or cancelled. With the effective implementation of preventive measures against COVID-19, the normal flow of residents from the Mainland and Macao resumed and a number of MICE events took place safely in Macao. In 2021, a total of 449 MICE events were held in Macao, showing a year-on-year increase of 68 events, with over 1.4 million participants and visitors, a year-on-year increase of 53.2%.
Creating safe venues for MICE events
In recent years, Macao has been striving to create a safe and protective environment for hosting MICE events. By taking into account the recommendations of international convention and exhibition organisations and the pandemic prevention guidelines issued by health authorities in Macao, a set of recommendations for organising MICE events under regular pandemic control and prevention measures was formulated, so that MICE participants and business guests can participate in events in Macao without health and safety concerns.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Macao has maintained a record of zero deaths and zero infection among medical staff, greatly enhancing the confidence of business guests who come to Macao for events. In addition, according to the “Report for the Global Convention Destination Competitiveness Index 2021,” published by the Centre of International Meetings Research and Training (CIMERT), supported by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Macao ranks the 7th among Chinese cities in terms of competitiveness as a convention destination, showcasing the strength and high quality of Macao’s MICE industry despite the pandemic.
During the “MICE Environment Experience Tour” in Macao, IPIM arranged for exhibitors to visit the local community
A delegation from Macao’s MICE industry visited the Co-operation Zone to understand in detail the MICE facilities and development in the region in December 2021
Hybrid development of MICE events
The pandemic has accelerated the digitalisation of industries, and the MICE industry is no exception. Hybrid events, which means events that combine online and offline formats, have become a new direction for the industry. In this regard, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) has been working with the industries to explore ways to enrich online services and functions in addition to conventional MICE events, so as to improve the experience of business guests during the event. For example, various Macao MICE events such as “Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (MIF)”, “Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition (MIECF)” have incorporated “Online Exhibition”, “Livestream”, “KOL Promotion” as well as AR/VR Pavilion, attracting not only physical traffic (visitors and participants), but also online traffic.
In December 2021, three iconic events “Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (MIF)”, Macao Franchise Expo (MFE) and Portuguese-Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (PLPEX) were held simultaneously and attracted over 920 exhibitors on site (offline) and online exhibitors reached 1,100. The livestreaming of the events attracted over 3.6 million visits online.
Moreover, IPIM enhanced the use of technology in business matching during the MICE events, turning online and offline traffic into business opportunities. By extending online business matching services before the events for a total of 14 days, IPIM successfully facilitated business collaboration among all parties.
Inviting exhibitors to the community
To continue to promote Macao’s advantages in hosting MICE events and its rich tourism resources, IPIM has launched the “MICE Environment Experience Tour” in Macao, which is specially designed for professional MICE organisers, destination management companies, large enterprises, associations and other non-local MICE event organisers, as well as professional media, to provide them with an in-depth understanding of the hardware and software facilities of Macao’s MICE industry, so as to attract more business guests to host MICE events in Macao. For instance, in December 2021, the “Global Partner Summit” for Trip.com Group was held in Macao with over 1,700 participants, including representatives from the management level of Mainland tourism and MICE enterprises and professional media. IPIM organised over 120 business guests to experience Macao’s hardware and software facilities of the MICE industry, as well as the surrounding tourism and culinary options, striving to promote Macao’s unique “Tourism + MICE” advantages to the guests. In addition, for MICE events that are held in Macao, IPIM will provide the “One-stop Service” for MICE Bidding and Support in Macao and assist organisers in arranging event participants to enter Macao’s local communities and experience the unique cultural ambience, so as to inject new momentum into the communities’ economies.
Synergy of Macao and the Co-operation Zone
“The Master Plan of the Development of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Co-operation Zone in Hengqin (the Co-operation Zone)”, published in September 2021, makes “cultural, tourism, MICE industry, business and trade” one of the “four major industries” to be developed in focus. The Plan also put forward the policy of “facilitating the mobility and travel between Macao and Zhuhai for MICE staff, professional exhibitors and related business guests from home and abroad in the process of jointly organising cross-boundary MICE events in the Co-operation Zone.” These efforts are conducive to the organic combination of Macao’s MICE advantage with the policies and resources of the Co-operation Zone, thereby organising more MICE events of different sizes and types and jointly expanding the market.
In December 2021, IPIM organised a delegation tour of Macao MICE industry to the Co-operation Zone to understand the planning and services of the tourism resort in the Co-operation Zone and enhance the exchange and co-operation between the MICE industry of the two sides. In the future, IPIM will collaborate with relevant organisations in the Co-operation Zone to bid for and secure more MICE events to be held in Macao and the Co-operation Zone. The “One Event, Two Locations” model, among other new models, will be adopted in this regard and events will take place in both Macao and the Co-operation Zone.
IPIM strengthens the use of technology in the MICE business matching
A number of Macao exhibitions using “live stream”
