Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the number of MICE (Meeting, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions) events held in various venues in Macao totalled 347, down by 9% from the first quarter of 2009, with 328 meetings/conferences (95% of total) and 19 exhibitions; total number of participants/attendees decreased by 63% quarter-to-quarter to 57,423; average duration of the MICE events fell from 2.2 days in the previous quarter to 1.8 days. The average duration of exhibitions was 3.4 days, attracting 25,376 attendees (44% of total); average duration of meetings/conferences was 1.8 days, with 32,047 participants.

As regards subject of MICE events, the majority focused on Commerce, Trade & Management (105), Tourism & Culture (60) and Education & Training (52). Analyzed by type, most of the events were Corporate Meetings (131), Association Meetings (94) and Government Meetings (47).

There were 204 MICE events held in hotels, of which 194 were meetings/conferences and 10 exhibitions, drawing a total of 28,546 participants/attendees. Participants to 194 meetings /conferences totalled 16,900 (59% of total) and attendees of the 10 exhibitions were 11,646.

Meanwhile, 143 MICE events were held in convention & exhibition centres, and other conference venues, bringing in 28,877 participants/attendees; the majority were Association Meetings (71), but the 9 exhibitions attracted 13,730 attendees (48% of total).

In the first half year of 2009, a total of 730 MICE events were held in Macao, with an average duration of 2.0 days, attracting 211,287 participants/attendees.