Information from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that a total of 271 MICE events were held in the first quarter of 2012, down by 6 events year-on-year, of which 250 events were held in paid venues. Total number of participants and attendees went up by 26% to 161,781. There were 12 exhibitions held in the first quarter, attracting 106,474 attendees, while 259 meetings and conferences had 55,307 participants. As regards subject of event, 129 MICE events focused on Commerce, Trade & Management (48% of the total), as well as Medical & Health (31). In accordance with information collected from organizers of 11 exhibitions, a total of 10 were repeated exhibitions that had been previously held in 2011. The 11 exhibitions attracted 1,098 exhibitors and 4,255 professional buyers. Apart from local exhibitors (34%), most of the outside exhibitors came from Hong Kong (22%) and Mainland China (19%). The majority of professional buyers came from Macao (53%) and Mainland China (26%). Expenses of exhibitions, including Government organized, amounted to MOP 24.65 million in the first quarter of 2012, up by 670% year-on-year. Expenses on Production, Construction & Decoration Services, Advertising, Promotion & Public Relations and Accommodation accounted for 31%, 22% and 17% of the total respectively. Revenue amounted to MOP 3.53 million, up by 43% year-on-year, mostly were Rentals of Exhibition Booth (76% of total). Information from 141 exhibitors interviewed in the first quarter showed that 77 had participated in the same exhibitions in 2011. Besides, revenue of the interviewed exhibitors soared by 396% year-on-year to MOP 15.56 million, with the majority (96%) coming from Sales of Products. Expenses surged by 98% year-on-year to MOP 2.26 million.
