Macau is being groomed as an attractive destination for hosting business events

By Rebecca Lo
Translation by Jess Lit

On any given day, the number of business people in Macau Tower, Fisherman’s Wharf or The Venetian is beginning to rival the number of tourists. With the 31 July announcement by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) that it is increasing MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) support with an updated budget of MOP44 million, the likelihood of Macau transforming into an Asian convention hub is rapidly increasing.

“The Macau Business Tourism Centre (MBTC), a division of the MGTO, was established in April 2006 to help develop and position Macau as a premier MICE destination within Asia,” says MGTO’s director Joao Manuel Costa Antunes. “The growth in competition in Macau and the need for the leisure industry to diversify its business mix has been a major catalyst for this interest. Despite recent government initiatives, Macau is still a relatively new player in the international MICE market as it only recently developed the appropriate infrastructure to facilitate large-scale conventions and trade exhibitions. Our master plan is to maximise yield from MICE events in Macau by maximising length of stay, numbers of delegates and delegates’ spending.”

The Macau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre (MTCEC) is one of the first properties in Macau that began catering to MICE. Opened in 2001, the complex consists of a tower with observation decks, a purpose-built theatre, exhibition and convention space, restaurants and retail areas. Over the years, it has become a must-see destination for visitors, making it an attractive venue for MICE organisers wanting to provide something extra for their delegates.

“We are the pioneers for MICE in Macau,” says Mark Horan, Chief Operating Officer, Hospitality Division with Shun Tak Holdings, the owner and developer of MTCEC. He feels that business tourism is distinctly different from leisure tourism. “With business tourism, people are on a time schedule and everything has to click into place. The service element is key. After the bridge [linking Macau and Hong Kong] is completed and Skypier is open, business tourism will really take off for Macau. It will grow in the direction that Las Vegas has taken, with conventions rivalling leisure tourism.”

Anne Dellos Le Boutillier is an events consultant with the Singapore office of Questex, and was responsible for organising the first International Hotel Investment Forum Asia Pacific in June. Of all the Asian destinations available, Questex chose The Venetian in Macau to host the inaugural event. “We chose Macau because it was a destination that would draw interest,” she explains. “Macau brings something interesting and unique. Being a hotel conference, The Venetian is a grand venue that would hold particular interest to our audience. It is an icon for people from Europe and the US, and a lot of them haven’t been there before.”

One of the benefits Le Boutillier felt Macau offered was its lack of distractions. “In Hong Kong or Singapore, delegates will have meetings and other things going on,” she notes. “In The Venetian, people have further to go if they want to step out of the conference. And one of Macau’s highlights is the vast number of spectacular venues available for events, even if it is a simple company dinner.”

Horan thinks the increasing competition that MTCEC faces will only help secure Macau’s place as a top class MICE destination the long run. “Competition is healthy for business,” he says. “We can’t rest on our laurels. When Fisherman’s Wharf opened, it had the largest ballroom in Macau. That forced us to adjust to the market. Instead of large expos, we are targeting smaller meetings. We are not as big as The Venetian, but we offer personalised service that encourages repeat business.”

Le Boutillier highly recommends Macau as a MICE destination and feels that MGTO is on the right track. “MGTO’s incentive programme is unlike any I’ve seen,” she says. “It is offering benefits that will absolutely attract conference organisers. MGTO is very good at identifying what works, and has clearly spent some time thinking about what conference organisers are looking for.”

According to data from the Statistics and Census Service of the Macau SAR Government, the number of MICE events held during the first quarter of 2009 increased by 15% over the same period in 2008, while the number of participants grew by 70% – very encouraging, given negative external factors including swine ’flu and global recession. “From 1 to 20 August, MBTC has received eight new applications,” adds Antunes. “It shows that the response from the industry is positive and it helps to attract new MICE events to Macau.”

calendar

9-11 October
Quality of Life – Cultural Festival at MTCEC

22-24 October
Wine & Gourmet Asia at The Venetian Macao

22-25 October
Macau International Trade & Investment Fair at The Venetian Macao

6-15 November
World Beer Festival with Food & Drink Fair at Fisherman’s Wharf

27-29 November
IT Week at MTCEC