The 18th China Expo Forum for International Co-operation (CEFCO 2023) was held from 24 to 25 April in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) organised a delegation comprising 19 Macao MICE representatives to attend the event in Shaoxing, aiming to facilitate the exchange between Macao’s MICE sector and their counterparts outside Macao, jointly promoting Macao’s MICE advantages, and seek more opportunities for further development of Macao MICE industry.
Numerous possibilities arising from the “Industry + MICE” synergy
IPIM Executive Director Sam Lei was invited as a keynote speaker at the plenary session of CEFCO 2023, where he conducted a discussion on the direction and opportunities of developing Macao MICE industry with the participants coming from the MICE sectors outside Macao, and updated them with the MICE advantages and the latest development in Macao. He pointed out that multiple favorable factors are emerging amid the gradual easing of the pandemic measures, adding new impetus into Macao’s economy. As the business pattern of “Industry+MICE” becomes more flexible, it fully facilitates the internationalisation and professionalism of Macao MICE industry by combining local favorable policies, featured resources and industry advantages of Macao, assisting in winning the bid for more MICE events whilst highlighting openness and co-operation as the key during the internationalisation process of local MICE industry. Moreover, a number of international MICE activities with various themes including jewellery, integrated resorts and forestry are to be held in Macao this year for the first time, reflecting the full confidence of international tradeshow organisers in the future development of Macao MICE industry.
During CEFCO 2023, representatives from Macao MICE and tourism sectors attended the plenary session, industry exchanges and other activities to promote Macao’s MICE advantages, they also met with exhibition managers, professional event organisers and international celebrities in the MICE industry from Mainland China and abroad, to explore the internationalised development direction of Macao’s MICE sector, maintaining a close communication and jointly explored business opportunities for co-operation.
Call for collaboration between the MICE sectors from Zhejiang and Macao
In order to further advance the co-operation in the MICE industry between Zhejiang and Macao, IPIM held the Zhengjiang-Macao special industry exchange session on 24 April, providing a platform for IPIM and Macao delegates to brief the Zhejiang MICE representatives, such as professional event organisers and destination management companies. On Macao MICE advantages as well as IPIM “One-stop Service” for MICE Bidding and Support, in an effort to attract more MICE events to be held in Macao. In addition, the representative of Cultural Tourism, Exhibition and Trade Division under the Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin also introduced the participants to the latest developments of Hengqing’s cultural tourism, convention and exhibition sectors.
The delegates from Macao’s MICE sector believed that CEFCO will enhance the interaction among MICE sectors, and help them keep abreast of the latest updates of international MICE industry. In addition, they believe the event will also urge Macao MICE industry to align with the international standard, and attract more MICE events to be held in Macao.
According to a company from Zhejiang, it has already met with a target enterprise in Macao and is preparing to implement a project in Macao. As reported by a company specialising in hosting events related to traditional Chinese medicine, this event strengthened participants’ understanding of the Co-operation Zone, boosting people’s confidence in carrying out traditional Chinese medicine projects and events in Hengqin.
As one of the most prestigious annual events of the MICE industry, CEFCO is jointly organised by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA), attracting renowned MICE experts from around the world every year. This is the first edition of CEFCO where international MICE organisations, including UFI, ICCA, IAEE, SISO, as well as representatives of internationally well-known MICE companies resumed participation in person instead of online.
