G2E ASIA SET ATTENDANCE RECORD IN 2017

Visitor attendance for this year’s Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia was the highest ever in the 11-year history of the event, according to preliminary figures supplied by one of the event co-organisers.

G2E Asia is an annual trade show and conference, held in Macao, focusing on the integrated resort and entertainment industry. The trade show is organised jointly by Reed Exhibitions and the American Gaming Association.

Agnes Leung, Senior Project Director of Reed Exhibitions for Greater China, said this year’s event welcomed approximately 14,000 visitors from 84 countries and regions, representing an annual increase of about 27 percent.

The preliminary numbers indicate this year’s event was the largest ever, measured by attendance. The previous record had been set in 2016, when the event attracted 10,984 visitors, according to the organisers.

There were a total 1,652 key buyers and decision makers with purchasing power in 2017, an increase of approximately 74 percent year-on-year, according to the organisers.

This year’s G2E Asia took place between 16 and 18 May at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel. The event covered more than 28,000 square metres of gross exhibition space. It featured 180 exhibitors, with nearly one third being newcomers to the event, according to the organisers.

“This is an exciting time to be in Macao … and the energy is as high as I have ever seen,” said Geoff Freeman, President and Chief Executive of the American Gaming Association during the opening ceremony of G2E Asia 2017 adding that the event had offered a wide range of products and services.

During the trade show, the Director of Macao’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, Paulo Martins Chan, delivered a keynote speech, highlighting the need to enhance the collaboration between the gaming and non-gaming offerings in the city.

“Macao is geared up to offer incomparable tourism experiences to a wider range of tourists, heading towards a more stable and sustainable development,” said Mr Chan.

He added: “We believe that upon the completion of several large infrastructure projects, such as the light transit railway, the Taipa Ferry Terminal, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and with the closer regional co-operation fostered by the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, it is estimated that more tourists will be visiting Macao, further allowing Macao to establish itself as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure.”

Vibrant events

The three-day G2E Asia 2017 featured newly added exhibition segments and networking events, which the organisers said would help “bring people together to exchange views and explore co-operation opportunities”.

This year’s event featured an “Integrated Resort Experience”. The new exhibition area displayed new products, technologies and services that derive revenue and value from non-gaming sources, such as entertainment, clubs and bars.

G2E Asia introduced this year the “Parts and Components Pavilion”. The new pavilion aimed to help Asian market operators “source unique and innovative parts, components and features that will appeal to the Asian gaming customer,” said the organisers.

Another new feature of this year’s event was the “Product Hot Hits”, a list of the 10 products most frequently scanned by show visitors via the QR code reader available on the event’s smartphone app.

There was also, for the first time, a networking event called “Future Technology Leaders’ Get-Together”, which convened more than 120 technology leaders from integrated resorts, suppliers and governments “to exchange ideas and discuss the application of innovative solutions for better customer engagement”.

The next G2E Asia is scheduled for 15 to 17 May 2018.