IPIM revises schemes for exhibitions

Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) has revised two support schemes to stimulate the development of the local exhibition and fair sector.
The two amended schemes – the Exhibition Encouragement Scheme and the International Conference and Professional Exhibition Support Scheme – will provide financial assistance to organisers, with the changes effective February 21.
The main changes to the content involve a 20-day increase for the presentation of the candidacy for the programme, from 90 days prior to the event to 70 days, introduction of subsidies for the management expenses and in that of local convention organisers, and the introduction of a transportation subsidy to ‘incentivise more visiting fair professionals to get in contact with the local community and various neighbourhoods.’
An explanatory session by IPIM held on Wednesday attracted some 90 participants from the local and international exhibition industry.
IPIM also provides support to the industry through the Support Programme for Professional Training and Education in the Convention and Exhibition Sector, which was launched together with the aforementioned schemes on the first day of 2016 to promote and assist with the development of the exhibition and conference sector in the city.
According to official data released by the Statistics and Census Services (DSEC), some 905 MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) events were held in the first three quarters of last year. Of the total, 843 were meetings and conferences, 39 were exhibitions and 23 incentive events.
The DSEC data also reveals that some 1.23 million participants and attendees of MICE events were recorded in the first three quarters of 2016.