Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that a total of 236 MICE events were held in the third quarter of 2011; average duration of the events stood at 2.1 days; number of participants and attendees totalled 507,661. In comparison with the same quarter of 2010, number and average duration of MICE events decreased by 87 and 0.2 day respectively; on the contrary, total number of participants and attendees soared by 39%. There were 15 exhibitions held in the third quarter of 2011, attracting 483,934 attendees (95% of total), with an average duration of 3.3 days; at the same time, a total of 221 meetings and conferences were held in this quarter, with an average duration of 2.0 days and 23,727 participants. Analyzed by subject of events, 122 MICE events focused on Commerce, Trade & Management, accounting for 52% of the total; besides, MICE events on IT & Other Technology were 30. MICE events decreased by 248 from a year earlier to 771 in the first three quarters of 2011, while number of participants and attendees reached 755,324, up by 29% year-on-year. With fewer events and more attendees, figures on the first three quarters suggest that the MICE sector has optimized to draw more attendees with enhancement of event content. In the third quarter of 2011, data were collected from 12 exhibition organizers (80% of total) and 9 were local enterprises. As some of the exihibitions were organized or subsidised by the Government, total revenue amounted to MOP 9,474,032, mostly from Rentals of Exhibition Booth (54% of total); and Subsidies from Government and Other Organizations (35%). Total expenditure was MOP 24,365,432, with expenses on Advertising, Promotion & Public Relations; and Rentals of Venue accounting for 24% and 18% of the total respectively. In the first three quarters of 2011, total revenue and expenditure of exhibition organizers amounted to MOP 32,506,150 and MOP 44,177,366 respectively. In accordance with the information on 126 exhibitors interviewed, 44% were local exhibitors and 28% were from Hong Kong. Total revenue of the exhibitors amounted to MOP 3,387,116 and the majority (93%) came from Sales of Products. Total expenditure was MOP 2,456,862, with expenses on Booth Rentals taking up 60% of the total expenditure. In the first three quarters of 2011, total revenue and expenditure of the interviewed exhibitors amounted to MOP 9,654,623 and MOP 5,109,056 respectively.
