The 26th MIF, 2021MFE and 2021PLPEX concludes successfully
The “26th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair” (26th MIF), the “Macao Franchise Expo 2021” (2021MFE) and the “2021 Portuguese Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao)” (2021PLPEX) came to a successful conclusion today (12 Dec). This year, the three exhibitions continued to adopt the “online + offline” exhibition model. Over the three days, more than 80 projects were signed, covering areas such as the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, co-operation in big health products, high-tech industry investment and co-operation, Macao food agents, and co-operation in logistics projects between Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries. Nearly 700 business matching sessions, including more than 400 online matching sessions, were arranged to help exhibiting enterprises and traders explore business opportunities through the exhibition platform.
Creating business opportunities online and offline
This year, MIF, MFE and PLPEX were held concurrently once again, attracting a total of 1,280 online and offline exhibitors. The exhibitors were from Mainland China, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Portugal, Hong Kong, Macao and other regions, covering industries such as big health, scientific and technological innovation, franchising, intellectual property (IP), featured products from Portuguese-speaking countries, and food and catering. There were more than 920 on-site exhibitors, and nearly 1,100 exhibitors participated in the online exhibitions.
More than a hundred buyers, from Mainland China, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Macao, were invited to participate in the exhibitions online and/or offline and over 400 business matching sessions were conducted via the 14-day online matching (from 29 Nov to 12 Dec). A representative of an exhibiting enterprise engaged in medical equipment from Henan said that the company was satisfied with the online business matching as it enabled them to understand the needs of their clients directly and to connect with overseas enterprises amid the pandemic, thus helping the company to explore more business opportunities.
Three days of live streaming attracting 3.6 million views
Diverse online promotion elements were available during the three exhibitions, including live streaming at studios and on-site visits conducted by influencers. Covering more than 220 exhibitors, the three-day live streaming attracted 3.6 million views in total. A diverse array of online events complemented the offline activities to promote the exhibitions through multiple channels. A Macao enterprise participating in the exhibition for the first time mentioned that the exhibition platform did not only enhance the company’s brand awareness but also promoted its sustainable business development and helped the company tap the local youth market through live streaming by local influencers. A number of vibrant events continued to take place on site and attracted many traders and visitors. Some Macao citizens acclaimed that apart from purchasing their favourite products at the three exhibitions, they could also see many innovative scientific and technological achievements showcased by Macao’s secondary schools and higher education institutions, giving them an impression that the exhibitions were very rich in content.
Assisting the exhibition platform in promoting industrial linkages
The 26th MIF featured the “CHEXPO MACAO 2021” and “Science and Technology Week 2021 cum Exhibition of Achievements in Science and Technology Innovation” in the form of “exhibitions within exhibitions”. The exhibition areas for scientific and technological innovation and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were respectively 10 and 12 times larger than the previous year, and each, in turn, attracted more than 140 and 100 enterprises. The person in charge of a TCM enterprise from Guangdong, which is a first-time participant in the exhibition, was surprised by the results as they not only received orders from clients but also met enterprises interested in collaborating with them, and agreed that the “exhibitions within exhibitions” brought more attention to the development of TCM. In addition, the person in charge of a technological innovation enterprise from Hengqin, which have participated in MIF many times, said that the expansion of scientific and technological innovation themed exhibition area this year played an important role for enterprises, as it gathered more high-tech enterprises and allowed the industry to explore more co-operation opportunities.
Providing on-site professional consultation and breaking the geographical boundaries with “remote exhibiting” service
The “One-stop” Business Support Centre received over 30 enquiries during the exhibitions, covering areas such as intellectual property (IP), IP authorisation, marketing and sales in the Greater Bay Area, accounting and taxation and so on. The person in charge of a Macao enterprise engaged in rice trade expressed their wish to expand their market through upgrading their product packaging and mentioned that they were able to better understand the positioning, packaging, and advantages of their products thanks to the consultation service. In the future, they would expand online promotion channels to allow their products to gain more exposure.
This year, a tasting area was set up at the three exhibitions, where professional wine tasters and experienced baristas were invited to introduce the traders to wine and coffee products. An exhibitor from Macao pointed out that the wine tasters’ professional wine knowledge enhanced their knowledge of the Portuguese-speaking countries’ wine culture, and the Tasting Area provided a specific area to showcase quality wines, making it easy for traders and visitors to learn about the wines. With the promotion of the Tasting Area, some Portuguese wine exhibitors from Macao reached initial co-operation intentions with wine suppliers in Zhuhai. In addition, through the “remote exhibiting” service, over 50 domestic and foreign enterprises showcased their quality products during the exhibitions, providing a more direct product experience for the public and buyers. The area was also staffed with bilingual talent to assist domestic and foreign enterprises in communicating and carrying out co-operation regardless of locations, time zones and languages, opening the door to more business opportunities.
Building a networking platform and updating all sectors on the latest developments of the Co-operation Zone
To continuously deepen exhibitors and traders’ understanding of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin, the “Guangdong-Macao Intensive Co-operation Zone in Hengqin” booth was set up in the Macao Pavilion with designated staff providing traders with an introduction of its investment and business environment, consultation on policies, and referral of projects. The latest information on the Co-operation Zone was also demonstrated with texts and videos, including strategic positioning, the direction of key industries and innovative initiatives, encouraging traders to seize opportunities and actively participate in the Co-operation Zone’s development through the exhibition platform.
On the first day of the exhibitions, “Join Macao, Seize PSCs Opportunities” Investor Presentation Session (Online) was jointly held by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), the Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin, and the Macau Association of Banks and the Macao Lawyers Association. The presentation session attracted about 30 representatives of business associations and enterprises from Portuguese-speaking countries, and helped update all participants on the latest business policies of Macao and the Co-operation Zone as well as on the Chinese-Portuguese bilingual support services in Macao.
In addition, over 60 forums, meetings, promotion seminars, and exchange activities were held during the three exhibitions, including the “International Trade and Investment Forum 2021”, “Fujian – Macao – Portuguese-Speaking Countries Economic and Trade Meeting”, “Jiangsu Week in Macao Opening Ceremony and the 11th Industrial and Commercial Summit between Jiangsu-Macao-Portuguese Speaking Countries”. The events attracted experts, scholars, industry representatives, and traders from all sectors, promoting co-operation and exchanges. The person in charge of an engineering enterprise from Shanghai, who participated in the “International Trade and Investment Forum 2021”, mentioned that the forum had explored a number of key points about the future development of Hengqin, which would serve as a reference for the company’s future development of infrastructure and transport projects in Hengqin.
