The 17th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF) will be held from 18 to 21 October 2012 (Thursday to Sunday) at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel. The event is organised by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) . Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF) is the first UFI certified international exhibition in Macao. After 16 years of continuous innovation and development, MIF has now become Macao's branded fair. As a regional trade and investment platform, especially an important co-operation and service platform between China and the Portuguese-Speaking Countries, MIF's role in boosting Macao's economic growth is becoming increasingly significant, in particular, in the introduction of high and new technology, as well as the technological exchanges in capital and talent. It fostered technological progress and industrial upgrading of the local tourism and leisure industry, as well as other business areas, such as finance, manufacturing, convention and exhibition and cultural and creative industries. MIF provides Macao's SMEs as well as enterprises from abroad with more business opportunities. The16th MIF held in October last year, with over 1,400 booths and more than 20 themed exhibition zones, attracted 350 business delegations from over 60 countries and regions worldwide and contributed to 1,502 business matching sessions. This fully reflects, once again, the vital role played by MIF as a regional co-operation platform and the hub for trade exchanges. A total of 1,600 booths will be set-up at the venue this year, and covers an exhibition area of over 30,000 square metres. Major scopes and features will include: domestic and foreign investment environment and investment projects, cultural and creative industries, food and wine, gifts and packaging design, convention and exhibition equipment, mahogany furniture, digital photography equipment, fashion design, exhibition and retail sale of international SMEs' products and international cultural and artistic performance service projects. In addition, the International Trade and Investment Forum 2012 and the 9th World Summit of Chinese Entrepreneurs will be held concurrently, as well as other high-level political and economic forums and promotion seminars organised by local, Mainland China and foreign government agencies, organisations and enterprises. The organisers intend to further highlight the theme "Co-operation – Key to Business Opportunities theme", through the themed exhibition zones, and by organising a series of conferences each with distinctive features, and the planning of business matching and procurement negotiations. Highlights focusing on the dynamic of business opportunities Exhibitors include companies and organisations from the European Union, Portuguese-speaking Countries, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the four territories across the Strait of Taiwan and other emerging markets which will set up their thematic exhibition zones to display their products, services, technology, investment environment and investment projects, all with rich contents. The exhibition area of the Portuguese-speaking Countries will be further expanded, of which, the Portugal Pavilion will be significantly enlarged, essentially to display that country's wine and food. On the other hand, several trade promotion organisations in Brazil will jointly participate in the MIF. At the same time, this year's MIF has attracted the participation of more emerging countries, such as Nepal, Indonesia and Vietnam, which will introduce their latest investment environment and investment projects, to open new markets for the exhibitors. Besides, more detailed and specific exhibition on co-operation projects in the Zhuhai and Guangzhou (Nansha) Exhibition Zones will be held. A new exhibition zone for the Qianhai district in Shenzhen, is also being planned. The exhibition zone for mahogany furniture will undertake the luxurious content of last year, and ceramics and other attractive home furnishing items display is under planning. The Exhibition Zone of the Provinces and Municipalities of Mainland China, Cultural and Creative Industries Zone, Fashion Design Performance Zone, the Taiwan Exhibition Zone and the Digital Photography Equipment Exhibition Zone will all add in new elements. Food and wine on display will be broader with products coming from more diversified countries of origin. Newly-created exhibition zones, including the Gifts and Packaging Design Exhibition Zone and the International Cultural and Artistic Performance Service Project Exhibition Zone, are expected to also generate more business opportunities and cooperation. Closer Interactions between MIF and the Cultural and Creative Industries to Promote Regional Co-operation In order to strengthen regional co-operation and further promote the development of moderate economic diversification , the Organisers have for the first time invited the participation of the China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair. Also, the Convention and Exhibition Industry Exhibition Zone, which in the past was organised by the local industry-related operators, will now be expanded to include related operators from Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao, to jointly organise high-level forums. The Gifts and Packaging Design Exhibition Area will be jointly organised by the industry-related organisations from Japan, Taiwan and Guangdong Province, to showcase Asia's high-end packaging design standards. The International Cultural and Artistic Performances Service Projects Zone will adequately reflect Macao's role as a unique platform, by converting the world's outstanding cultural and artistic performances into trade in service projects and promote them on-site to enterprises in the tourism and cultural fields. " One Trip, Multiple-Stop" Service to include Qianhai (Shenzhen) to Promotes Greater Co-operation To enhance the effectiveness of the MIF for the participating delegates, the Organiser will continue to actively work with partners in the neighbouring regions to jointly provide the "One Trip, Multiple-Stop" Service, by organising fact-finding visits to the Canton Fair and also to Hengqin (Zhuhai), Nansha (Guangzhou) and Qianhai (Shenzhen). Furthermore, delegates will be directed to Macao Ideas-the Macao Products Display Centre, to increase their awareness and understanding of Made in Macao Products, Macao Brands, Macao Designs and Products from the Portuguese-Speaking Countries with distribution agents in Macao. Invitation of a Larger Number of Procuring Agents to Promote Business Matching The Organiser will work with the relevant organisations in Mainland China and abroad to invite professional buyers, branded enterprises, prime hotels and other trade visitors to participate in the on-site procurement negotiations, in addition to providing incentive plans to the professional visitors, such as the "MIF Express", "Concessions for Professional Buyers" and "Concessions for Invited Buyers from Abroad". Professional buyers, large-scale hotels, super-markets and related enterprises are welcome to refer to the Organiser's website for further details. Participation The Organiser will continue to support the participation of local small and medium-sized enterprises by providing a number of concessions. • Discounted Booth Rental Price
A total 120 booths will be set up at the Macao SMEs' Exhibition Zone. For eligible Macao SMEs, the organiser will provide the following concessions: A discount of 40% off on the rental fee for a 9 square metres standard booth, with an original rental fee of MOP9,000.00, the discounted fee is MOP3,600.00. Registration on or before 16 July , as well as enterprises that have previously participated as exhibitors in exhibition activities organised by IPIM will be entitled to a 10% discount. Applications for exhibition in the Macao SMEs' Exhibition Zone will be held from 4 to 23 July (Monday to Friday), from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Applicants should register in person and bring along their application form and all required documents to the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute – SME Service Centre (Address: Alameda Dr. Carlos d'Assumpção, 263, China Civil Plaza Building, 19th floor, Macao) .Each SME can only apply for one booth, on a first-come-first-served basis. The exhibition venue will be zoned in accordance with the nature of the business and the allocation of each booth will be decided by draw. The Recruitment and Briefing Session for the Macao SMEs' Exhibition Area will be held at 2:30 p.m. on 3 July (Tuesday) at the Macao Business Support Centre (MBSC), located at Alameda Dr. Carlos d´Assumpção, no. 263, China Civil Plaza, 19 andar. Interested parties are cordially invited to participate! MIF provides Multiple Services to the Participants To assist the MIF participants to look for partners and business opportunities, the Organiser will provide a series of free business matching services, including procurement negotiations, franchise and chain operations and brand agency. Interested parties can login to the on-line business matching service platform for pre-matching or accept the on-site matching service arranged by the Organizer. For more information, please call: (853) 2872 8328. During the preparation period and the duration of MIF, the MIF Administration and Service Centre will provide a wide range of services to local and overseas exhibitors as well as to other merchants. For further details, please contact the Organizer by telephone (853) 2882 2711, fax: (853) 2882 8722 or visit the official MIF website: www.mif.com.mo. Remarks:
Enterprises applying for preferential schemes related to exhibition in the Macao SMEs' Exhibition Zone should meet the following requirements: small or medium-sized enterprise (employing not over 100 people in Macao) incorporated in Macao; has fulfilled obligations as a tax payer and has been duly registered with the Macao Finance Bureau for at least two years (as of 18 October 2012); and the company should be owned at least 50% by a Macao resident or by a company incorporated in Macao. After satisfying the above criteria, the applicant should also meet one of the following two requirements: it has participated in a previous MIFs or other exhibitions organised by IPIM or is a company manufacturing Made in Macao Products, holder of Macao Brand or is an agent for Macao Products.
