Vice Mayor of Zhuhai Municipal People’s Government Li Chong, delivered a speech.
Under the auspices of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Government and jointly organised by the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, Zhuhai Municipal People’s Government, Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of Hong Kong SAR and Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), the “2022 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Fair for Trade in Services” (BAFTIS) was held earlier in the form of “one event, two places”. The main venue was in Zhuhai, while a sub-forum on the high-quality development of MICE in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) was held in Macao.
Themed “An Innovative and Win-win Approach to MICE Development in the GBA”, the sub-forum brought together experts, scholars and industry leaders to discuss major issues faced by the MICE sector in the GBA.
Working together to promote the development of MICE in the GBA
Vice Mayor of the Zhuhai Municipal People’s Government Li Chong, said at the sub-forum that the MICE industry was an important vehicle for promoting cross-sector economic and trade co-operation between Zhuhai and Macao, and the two places had maintained close interaction and achieved in-depth co-operation in MICE projects and capital. In the future, Zhuhai would continue to join hands with Macao and Guangdong-Macao In-depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin to actively build a MICE platform that integrates “industry development, supply and demand matching and investment promotion”.
Second-level Inspector of the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province Zhao Shangqun, said that the MICE sector was an important component of the country’s modern service industries and an important force in promoting the development of the domestic market in the new “dual circulation” pattern. By holding the MICE sub-forum in Macao, participants were able to experience the cultural features and environment of Macao, understand the unique strengths of Macao’s MICE industry and exchange ideas on the integrated development of the MICE industry in the GBA. It provided an excellent platform for co-operation as well.
Acting President of IPIM Vincent U U Sang, said that the MICE industry played an important role in the appropriate diversification of Macao’s economy and the construction of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin. In the coming year, Macao’s integrated leisure industry would enter a new phase of development with new opportunities. Various enterprises would invest a total of over MOP 100 billion in non-gaming projects such as leisure, culture and MICE, and some of them had proposed new MICE facilities, which could bolster the growth of various industries including MICE.
The sub-forum featured a keynote speech session, a high-level dialogue, a signing ceremony and an expert appointment ceremony. Among them, the signing ceremony included two projects, involving the co-operation of MICE industry associations within the GBA and green MICE equipment services respectively.
Insightful Advice and Suggestions from Guest Speakers
During the event, speakers suggested that the MICE industry should play a key role in promoting the quality development of the real economy and technological innovation and facilitating the transformation and utilisation of new technologies. They pointed out the need to make use of the new concepts and industries empowered by technology, culture and ecology, and to share the overlapping advantages of the GBA.
They also suggested that the cross-sector co-operation of “MICE + Tourism”, “MICE + Sports” and “MICE + Culture” should be expanded. It is also necessary to improve facilities, facilitate transformation, enhance capacity, strengthen collaboration and lead by rules to promote the further advancement of digital trade and MICE industry in the GBA.
An innovative model of “one event, two places” to create a win-win situation
Some participants commented that the event adopted an innovative “one event, two places” model that highlighted the solid co-operation between Zhuhai and Macao. They expressed great hope for the complementary development and complementary advantages of the MICE industry in the GBA and agreed that this Zhuhai-Macao event would enable participants to understand the two places, help expand the reach of the MICE sector in the GBA, attract international visitors, and provide a direction for future co-operation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
Some of the Macao signatories said that the signing of the co-operation agreement would help promote the development of green MICE in Macao.
Tour to new MICE facilities
Prior to the sub-forum, IPIM arranged for participants to go on a tour of Macao’s newest MICE facilities, during which they introduced Macao’s advantages in MICE and a series of supporting measures and incentives, so as to attract more potential MICE organisers to hold events in Macau.
“Macao Pavilion” to promote Macao’s service industries
In addition, IPIM set up a 90-square-metre “Macao Pavilion” at the “2022 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Fair for Trade in Services” to promote Macao’s service industries, including the China and Portuguese-speaking Countries platform, big health, modern finance, MICE, tourism, cultural and creative industries. An online video consultation was also set up to provide detailed information, including “One-Stop” services for MICE bidding and support in Macao.
The 2022 BAFTIS is another major event held in the form of “one event, two places”, following the successful “China (Macau) High-quality Consumption Exhibition & Hengqin Global Bay Areas Forum”. Next year, more Hengqin-related MICE events can be expected.
