Gloomy MICE

2017/6/14

The number of participants and attendees at Macau’s MICE [Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions] events decreased by 50.4 per cent to 124,960 in the first three months of this year, according to information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).
DSEC data also indicated that a total of 191 MICE events were held in the first quarter of 2016, down by 20 year-on-year. According to the information, four of the exhibitions held in the first quarter of 2015 were scheduled to be held in the second quarter of this year, resulting in a significant decline in the number of MICE participants and attendees in the first quarter of 2016.
There were 187 meetings and conferences held in the first quarter, down by 7.0 per cent year-on-year; the number of participants dropped by 28.7 per cent to 15,457. The average duration of the meetings and conferences was two days, and total floor area used was 74,876 square meters. Over the same period, four exhibitions were held, down by six year-on-year; the number of attendees declined by 52.4 per cent to 109,503. The average duration of these exhibitions was 2.8 days and total floor area used was 10,130 square meters.

Making losses
DSEC’s information indicates the four exhibitions held in the first quarter were organized by non-government organizations, of which two exhibitions were held for the first time in Macau and two were repeat exhibitions.
According to information collected from the organizers of the four exhibitions, receipts of these exhibitions amounted to MOP5.44 million, with 81.2 per cent coming from rental of exhibition booths, and financial support from the government or other organizations accounting for 17.2 per cent. Expenditure on the exhibitions totalled MOP6.17 million, mainly incurred by production, construction and decoration (28.4 per cent), publicity and public relations (22.3 per cent) and rental of venues (20.5 per cent).
The exhibitions attracted 267 exhibitors, coming primarily from Hong Kong (77.5 per cent); professional visitors totalled 420, of which 52.4 per cent were from Macau.

Less satisfactory
Information from 121 interviewed exhibitors in the first quarter indicated that 98.4 per cent of their receipts came from the sale of products, while rental paid for exhibition booths accounted for 70.5 per cent of their expenditure.
Regarding comments about the MICE venue and services, 76.8 per cent of the interviewed exhibitors were satisfied with the venue management, up by 1.0 percentage point quarter-to-quarter.
In regards to the planning and organization of the exhibitions, the proportion of interviewed exhibitors who were satisfied with the arrangements increased by 2.2 percentage points quarter-to-quarter to 64.5 per cent. Meanwhile, 35.8 per cent of the exhibitors were satisfied with the promotion of the exhibition, down by 7.6 percentage points, while 28.3 per cent considered that improvements were needed, up by 11.1 percentage points. Furthermore, the proportion of interviewed exhibitors who were satisfied with the work efficiency and attitude of the venue staff decreased by 9.7 percentage points quarter-to-quarter to 68.8 per cent.

Copyright@Macau Business Daily