Macao x Hengqin: building a MICE hub on the south coast of China

In southern China, Macao is making moves to establish itself as a new hub for conferences and exhibitions. Just 62 miles from Hong Kong, the region has historically found its identity as a resort and casino capital, outstripping Las Vegas in gambling revenue by over seven times. Now, with new partnerships connecting Macao to mainland China via Hengqin, plans are underway to push Macao forward as a leading name for business events in Asia. The modern metropolis is well-positioned to make the transition, home to a convention and entertainment centre, Macao has vast corporate capacity for its small size as a region. Its hotel infrastructure is vast, built to receive large numbers of casino seeking tourists. Spending by foreign travellers in Macao is currently dominated by Chinese mainlanders, but as the industry grows it will open up to new international markets, offering more services in English as well as Portuguese.

One of Macao’s main attractions is accessibility – Macao has its own international airport and can also be reached via transfer from Hong Kong International Airport by bus or ferry. Visitors in Macao can take advantage of fast transport links to see more iconic locations in south China – Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Zhongshan, to name a few. The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, a 24km bridge over the Pearl River Delta, was just completed on 30 June this year. The $6.7bn sea-link has drastically boosted transport between China’s bay area cities. Macao has visa-free for 83 countries, The two visa policies are from China, where visitorscan travel to Hengqin easier. The first is a 72- hour visa-free movement pass for foreigners from 53 countries. The second is a 144-hour ‘convenient visa’ that allows foreigners to travel within the whole of Guangdong province for six days – and it doesn’t require an application. The region also has a history of hosting long-standing trade show events. The Global Gaming Expo Asia returned to Macao this year, after years of being held in Singapore. Between 4 and 6 June, the event welcomed 100 exhibitors and 8,000 visitors. Gaming wasn’t the only industry to host a major event in Macao this year. Early March saw Macao host the 2024 UFI Asia Pacific Conference. Senior management across the exhibition industry met with Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute of the Macao SAR (IPIM) to discuss future projects. UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf said the conference had achieved ideal results. Two professional training schemes will be launched in the city, laying the foundation for UFI to promote Macao as a global training hub. The two-day conference brought together 300 industry leaders from mainland China, Europe and south Asia to meet with Hong Kong and Macao representatives. Delegates were able to visit local communities and learn about some of the incentive activities on offer. Another major event in Macao this March was the 2024 Macao International Environmental Cooperation Forum and Exhibition (MIECF). The UFI-accredited exhibition was hosted by the government at one of the region’s most luxurious hotels, The Venetian. Organisers delivered over 420 business matching sessions over the three-day event. The event saw agreements signed on 40 projects, with nine enterprises opening businesses in Macao during the exhibition. Visitors also had the opportunity to attend four separate multi-venue events, attracting around 120 participants. Attendees from Brazil, Cape Verde, Portugal and many other countries visited Hengqin and Zhuhai – taking advantage of the Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy for foreign tour groups. Exhibition area up 20% and 50% more international exhibitors Entering its 16th year, MIECF increased its exhibition area by 20% for 2024, up from last year’s 12,000sqm, and the main pavilions hosted over 560 exhibition booths. There were more than 400 exhibitors, with the foreign contingent growing by 55%. International buyers from over 30 countries and regions participated in procurement meetings in Macao. New products were released in five exhibition areas of MIECF’s green business platform. The fields involved were carbon neutrality technology, energy management, water resource management, green transport, eco-city integration and green buildings. The ‘Green Smart Industries Exhibition Area’ helped enterprises connect with green technologies and supply chains. Visitors were also treated to a MICE Environment Experience Tour, guided community tours and other activities offering the chance to explore Macao in more detail. Delegates visited local communities and shops to learn about the area. They also took a trip to the Cotai Ecological Reserve and local recycling facilities for electronic and electrical devices. The exhibition opened out to local citizens too with a Green Public Day. The environmental forum also probed topics of finance, tourism, high technology, exhibition and trade, and how these industries incorporate ESG (environmental, social and governance) in their development. The 2024 MIECF was supported by China’s National Development and Reform Commission, its Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and its Ministry of Ecology and Environment. It was co-organised by the governments of the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region (PPRD) and co-ordinated by IPIM and the Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA). The exhibition gave the opportunity for Macao to outline its Long- term Decarbonisation Strategy. This year’s MIECF has also launched version 2.0 of ‘Macao Carbon Inclusion’, establishing promising new ways to reduce carbon emissions. Visitors were recommended to complete the missions through the Macao Carbon Inclusion WeChat mini programme. On show in Asia Pacific IPIM and the Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin (the ‘Co-operation Zone’) also arranged for 14 Macao-Hengqin companies to participate in the new exhibition for the MICE industry in Singapore in April. That event saw 500 business matching sessions take place at The Meetings Show Asia Pacific. IPIM has also recently aligned with the Macao government’s “1+4” development strategy while supporting the construction of the China-PSC (Portuguese-speaking Countries) Platform. In 2023, the number of exhibitors from PSCs increased by 15% compared to 2019. Companies from these countries are increasingly leveraging the role of Macao as a China-PSC Platform to open doors to new business, not only in mainland China but on an international scale too. IPIM also collaborates with the Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin to organise multi-venue events in Macao and Hengqin, involving merchants from PSCs. The 23 April Conference of Entrepreneurs was attended by nearly 700 leaders and representatives from governments, trade promotion agencies, chambers of commerce, and enterprises of diverse origin – mainland China, nine Portuguese-speaking countries, Hong Kong, and Macao. 200 conventions in four months More than 200 conventions and exhibitions were successfully held in Macao from January to April 2024. From May to June, Macao will host MICE events involving “1+4” industries, such as tourism and leisure, modern financial services, high technology and infrastructure. According to the One-stop Service for MICE Bidding and Support provided by IPIM, 26 conventions and exhibitions will be held during this period, with expectations to attract over 14,000 visitors to the city. IPIM works to maximise the efficiency of these events and has arranged various signing ceremonies to help investors set up companies in Macao. IPIM set up a 225sqm exhibition zone at the 12th Macao International Travel Expo (MITE) held 26-28 April, an event that brings together domestic and overseas tourism operators to Macao. Twenty Macao enterprises exhibited.