Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute in being the supporting organization of “The 4th International Hotel Equipment & Supplies Expo” and “World Heritage Expo” – Business Opportunities through Local Branding Exhibitions

“The 4th International Hotel Equipment & Supplies Expo (Hotel expo 2008)”and “World Heritage Travel Expo 2008(World Heritage 2008)”are held at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel as from 26th to 28th, November 2008. “Hotel expo” was firstly held in Macao in 2005, and now this event has turned into one of the local branding exhibitions. While IPIM has always been the supporting organization of ‘Hotel Expo’ during the past 3 years, as to support local events and motivate Macao SMEs to use this chance to develop their market skill, IPIM is supporting “Hotel Expo 2008” and “World Heritage Expo” this year as well. In accordance with the local small & medium enterprises (SMEs), IPIM as the supporting organization for these trade fairs – “Hotel Expo 08” and “World Heritage Expo 08”, has organized a series of workshops or seminars for the SMEs to participate during the events, which are: 1) The 2nd Asia Hotel General Managers Forum, organized by Macau Hoteliers & Innkeepers Association and Macau Convention & Exhibition Association, which encourages the hotel procurement managers from the nearby regions to have business developments with the local hotel suppliers in Macao; 2) To provide seminars and business matching service, such as Seminar on Cooperation between Hotels and SMEs; 3) With the “SMEs Marketing Seminar Incentive Program”, IPIM cooperates with Macau Convention & Exhibition Association and Association of Macau Restaurant Merchants to organize the “Spa & Wellness Forum” and “Coffee Workshop”; 4) To assist in organizing the local SMEs for the participation in all seminars and business matching during the Expo; 5) To invite the local Associations and SMEs to visit the Expo and others related programs; 6) To provide financial incentives program for the SMEs, allowing them to participate in exhibition activities in Macau. Likewise, IPIM also provides promotional and publicity services for local SMEs through Macao Trade and Invest Kiosk, website, advertising, etc. Other than that, the “World’s Heritage Expo” is the first tourism-themed exhibition that’s held in Macao, which targets to reflect the world’s heritage as the travel destination and development trend, as well as building up a business platform for tourist professions in world heritage, business promotion and co-operation opportunities, IPIM is acting as the supporting organization of this event, as to stimulate the development of professional event in Macao and motivate the local SMEs to grasp the business development opportunities and participate more into it. Other than that, IPIM has also set up its booth on-site to promote the local business investment environment and IPIM’s services. In terms to collaborate with both event’s promotional scheme in Mainland China, IPIM has firstly in collaboration with organizers of promotional scheme through direct mailing in China via Macao as the service platform, as to extend the number of participants to join the event. Overall, this year’s “Hotel Expo” and “World Heritage Expo” have attracted 111 exhibitors,310 booths in total (Final official answer is to be given by organser ), and provide exhibition incentive subsidy to 12 local companies to participate。Ever since the growth of Macao’s Convention and Exhibiton industry, the financial assistance for participation in exhibition has extended to include local event in Macao. Until November 2008,IPIM has offered subsidy to 109 local companies(exclude 12 association ) ,126 times as a whole; Application area include : Rental Fee of Booth, Booth Decoration and Setting up cost, production cost of promotional materials and advertising at applicable event’s official website, etc.）Of the 55 local trade fairs and conventions held, IPIM has provided support to 31 of them, taking roles as co-organizers, organizers, supporting organizations and providing exhibition financial incentives. Also, a total of 542 visitors have attended trade fairs and exhibitions through delegations and pre-registration services offered by IPIM. To facilitate local SMEs a channel to gain access to overseers products and services information, IPIM has initiated, from May 2008, to organize country-themed catalogues shows at Macao Business Support Centre, with a further aim to foster partnership arrangements between local and foreign enterprises, e.g. obtaining distribution rights of overseas products. A total of 7 countries have participated in the Shows, including Thailand, Indonesia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Canada, South Africa and the UK, with over 140 foreign enterprises have their catalogues and promotional materials exhibited. These Show have attracted more than 1330 visitors and facilitated 20 business matching sessions. Apart from country-themed catalogue shows, IPIM’s Small and Medium Enterprises Service Centre has jointly organized 5 business workshops and seminars with different business associations for local SMEs. Themes of these workshops included business capacity expansion and creating competitive advantages. Invited speakers from various government bureaus, local and foreign business associations have given valuable insights to some 430 representatives from 240 enterprises, covering topics on retailing and wholesaling, agent business, franchise and chain store operations. Recapping the Franchising and Chain Store workshops held in August and September, there has been a promotion session for over 300 relevant brands, which brought about 30 matching sessions. Mr LEE PENG HONG gave comments during the opening ceremony of the above event that although the Convention and Exhibition industry in Macao is challenging and affected by the downfall of global economy, however, IPIM is still optimistic in towards the Convention and Exhibition industry development, as there is still good potential for the development in the market strengths within the district. Moreover, IPIM has always provided a selective service to assist local and oversea company in doing exhibition in Macao, which includes: promotional, services enquire and co-organized the side-event during the Exhibition period to attract further participants. Other than that, recently Macao International Trade & Investment Fair (MIF) ”has also signed the protocol with “Wine & Gourmet Asia” to become partner Fair at MIF next year to get further exposure and influence, whereas IPIM continues to promote the range of local branding fairs (Hotel Expo, World Heritage Expo) with the organizes Overseas and Mainland market with the intention of maximizing promotions efforts and cost. Supporting Measures of IPIM at “HOTEL EXPO 2008”
l To support in “Hospitality industry and SME Co-operation Forum” and business Matching session during this event (20 companies and 31 participants)
l To support the seminar co-operation of Macau Convention & Exhibition Association and Association of Macau Restaurant Merchants on “ Spa & Wellness Forum”and : “Coffee Workshop” through SME Marketing Seminar Incentive Programme (Orgnaised 47 local enterprises to participate)
l To Offer exhibition incentive subsidy to 5 local companies l To assist pre-registration and invite local association and SMEs delegation to visit the exhibition and its side-event,in total there is 38 companies, 142 individuals registered with IPIM to participate at the opening ceremony, Seminar on Cooperation between Hotels and SMEs, “ Spa & Wellness Forum”,“Coffee Workshop” and The 2nd Asian Hotel General Managers Forum
l To promote local Business Investment Environment during seminar and forum at the exhibition. l To assist and organize business matching session with local SMEs Supporting Measures of IPIM at “World Heritage Expo”
l To assist pre-event promotion（Newsletter, Website, Newspaper Ad.）
l To co-operate Direct mailing promotion scheme (As request by the organizer, in terms to further develop the influence of this event, targeting to wave the audience from Mainland China to participate, IPIM,“Hotel Expo” and “World Heritage 2008” has been co-operate direct mailing promotion scheme through post channel in China, target audience within Guangdong includes: Travel agencies, hotel, resort, restaurant and other leisure facilities. The posting service used at these 2 events is “Exhibition Direct Mailing” in business letter format, which each mail had been directly forward the related exhibition information to target audience. With our source, there is in total 30,000 letter has been sent out; over 2,000 companies have follow the instruction on the post and reply to organizer for participation.
l To assist to invite local trade commerce and association to participate at the 4th World Heritage Forum. l To Offer exhibition incentive subsidy to 7 local companies
l To assist pre-registration and invite local association and SMEs delegation to visit the exhibition and it’s side-event, in total there is 6 companies, 11 individuals registered with IPIM to participate at the 4th World Heritage forum.
l To set up IPIM’s booth in terms to promote the local business investment environment and offer on-site enquires services to oversea visitor by staff at Department of Activities Promotion (IPIM).