CEI Asia talks to Todd Cai, president of the newly launched Macau Meetings, Incentives and Special Events Association (MISE) on what the future holds for Macau’s business events industry.
You have been in the exhibition and events industry for 18-plus years, how have you seen it evolve in that time?
A great deal of emphasis has been placed on the exhibition and events industry from 2001 onwards when we saw the first government blueprints of the local economic diversification plan. At the time, the kind and size of exhibitions and events were not significant. And it was not until 2007 (the year The Venetian Macao opened for business) that we saw large-scale exhibition venues in the territory.
Today, there are several UFI-approved events like the Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition (MIECF) and Macao International Investment & Trade Fair (MIF), which are organised by the government. The Global Gaming Expo (G2E) Asia has also become a signature exhibition in the city.
The exhibition and events industry has grown steadily over the years but not without challenges and adjustments in response to the business environment. More recently, for example, we saw the government placing meetings (and incentives) higher up in its priority list and adjusting its policies when Macau witnessed a continued drop in the level of attendance by visitors. This suggests the government is steering the industry in the right direction.
What other challenges does Macau face in achieving the goal of developing its business events industry?
Macau has the right hardware in place for the business events industry. What’s critical is the software. We still need more professionals working in the MICE sector to further develop the industry and set the stage for more international events.
It is not easy to change the mindset of many of the players, especially when they have been focused on gaming. We need the right mix of government policies to make it happen with confidence and determination, so that the MICE business itself can make sense to these industry stakeholders.
Why did you and other leading industry figures in Macau form MISE?
The existing local MICE associations are very much focused on exhibitions and do not sufficiently cover incentives and special events. MISE was formed to fill that gap, and create an industry voice to represent those particular segments.
How will MISE work to promote Macau as a leading MICE destination in the region?
One of our priorities is to create online and offline marketing collateral. Moving forward, we will need to participate in more international travel fairs and establish new networks to promote Macau along side other stakeholders in the industry. As MISE uses English language as a medium, we can create a broader international reach, and thereby increasing the opportunities of attracting more international events, professionals and recognition.
What events of strategic international importance will you be looking to attract to Macau, and why?
Cultural and entertainment events are on the top of our list, as are meetings related to the pharmaceutical industry, direct marketing, banking and insurance. Macau has enough space to accommodate over 1,000 guests under one roof. This is a unique advantage.
Todd Cai is president of Powerhouse Convention and Exhibition and president of MISE
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Source: CEI Asia
Author: Elizabeth Wood
Date: 8/07/2016
Link: http://www.cei.asia/article/60-seconds-with-todd-cai/427482