Group photo of the Macao delegation attending the Forum
The “2016 Cross Strait Four Regions (Xiamen) Forum on Exhibition Cooperation” was held between 6 and 9 November inclusive at the Xiamen Fliport Software Hotel. It was co-organised by: the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention and Exhibition Affairs; the Taiwan Exhibition and Convention Association; the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC); and the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM). The Xiamen Convention and Exhibition Association was the event’s coordinator. IPIM Executive Director Irene V.K. Lau led a delegation of representatives from Macao’s MICE industry attending the Forum in Xiamen. The event attracted a total of 400 MICE professionals from the four regions surrounding the Taiwan Strait. The Forum aimed to promote exchanges and cooperation among the MICE sectors of Mainland China, the Asia-Pacific Region, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. During the opening ceremony, held on 7 November, speeches were delivered by: Mr Hong Yaofa, Deputy Director, Office of Xiamen Municipal Government; Mr Yuan Zaiqing, Chairman of China Convention and Exhibition Society (CCES); Walter Yeh, President of the Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA); Irene V.K. Lau, Executive Director of IPIM; Benjamin Chau Kai-Leung, Deputy Executive Director of HKTDC; Li Xiahui, Vice President of the China Cities Association of Convention and Executive Chairman of Pan-Pearl Exhibition Association; Michael Tu Jiangguo, former Director of the Taiwan Exhibition and Convention Association; and Qiu Guoyue ,Vice Director of China (Xiamen) International Investment Promotion Center. In her speech at the Forum, IPIM Executive Director Ms Lau discussed Macao’s endeavours to promote a “Green MICE Industry”. She noted that the Macao SAR Government had been paying close attention to environment protection initiatives in the MICE industry. In this regard, the State Council issued in March the document “Guiding Opinions on Deepening the Cooperation within the Pan-Pearl-River Delta Region”, bringing new opportunities for cooperation between the MICE and environment protection industries within the Pan-Pearl-River Delta Region. The Macao Government has also published its “Guidelines on Waste Reduction and Separation for Convention and Exhibition Activities”, encouraging the active participation of the MICE industry in environment protection. The Macao Government has introduced a “Green Booth Award” scheme and a “Green Electricity Fee Rebate” programme covering major MICE events in the city, including the Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (MIECF) and the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF). In addition, earlier this year, representatives from Macao’s MICE industry signed with the MICE Alliance of Pan-Pearl-River Delta Cities a cooperation agreement on “Working Together to Build a Green MICE Metropolis”, during the 11th Pan-Pearl-River Delta Regional Cooperation and Development Forum and Trade Fair. Ms Lau also invited the Cross Strait Four Regions (Xiamen) Forum participants to attend the 13th China Expo Forum for International Cooperation (CEFCO 2017), to be held in Macao between 12 and 14 January 2017. CEFCO is considered the world’s third-largest fair for professionals in the convention and exhibition industry: 2017 will be the first time the event will take place outside Mainland China. On the afternoon of 7 November, two events were held at the Cross Strait Four Regions (Xiamen) Forum. The events, to promote exchanges between MICE industry representatives from the four regions of the Taiwan Strait, were: the “Cross Strait Four Regions MICE Project Matching Fair”; and the “Cross Strait Four Regions MICE Cooperation Mechanism Seminar”. Several MICE-related events were held concurrently with the Forum, including: the 2016 AFECA Annual General Meeting; the 2016 Incentive Tourism Planning Competition Series; and the Ministry of Commerce’s MICE Industry Standard Review Meeting. The representatives from Macao’s MICE industry have around 40 business negotiation and matching sessions during the “Convention and Exhibition Projects Matchmaking”. Macao MICE industry representatives attending the Forum included: Tony Lam, President of the Macau Fair and Trade Association; Lo Tak Chong, President of the Association of Advertising Agents of Macau; Iao Sok Tak, Deputy Director of the Macao Convention and Exhibition Association; Tam Ieng Wai, Deputy Director of the Macau Federal Commercial Association of Convention and Exhibition Industry; Tang Man Wa, Secretary-General of Macau Fair and Trade Association; Eva Ng, the Secretary General of The Association of Advertising Agents of Macau and Sam Lei, Senior Manager of IPIM’s Promotion Activities Department.