As Taiwan continues to lead the way for the safe re-opening of MICE events in Asia, winners of the 2020 Taiwan MICE Awards prove the strength of Taiwan’s events industry.
An annual event organised by the Bureau of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economic
Affairs and implemented by the Ministry's Taiwan MICE Project Office (MEET TAIWAN), the Taiwan MICE Awards were established to encourage MICE organisers to be innovative, improve service quality, and implement environmental principles.
As
well as encouraging service excellence, the award programme works to enhance the industry's overall competitiveness and further Taiwan's brand image and economic development.
Awards for Best Convention, Best Exhibition and Best Corporate
Meeting and Incentive Travel programme are judged according to group size and event type.
Here are the 2020 winners:
Best Convention – more than 500 delegates
The 4th World Conference of Women's Shelters (WCWS) 2019
Organised by the Global Network of Women’s Shelters and hosted by the Garden of Hope Foundation in conjunction with leading PCO, K&A International, the 4th World Conference of Women's Shelters was held in November 2019 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center.
Taking place for the first time in Taiwan, the four-day event featured 1,212 delegates from 81 countries, 112 speeches,
and 146 speakers. The conference is hosted every four years and is part of the global movement to strengthen women’s shelters, build solidarity across borders, and end gender-based violence.
K&A International assisted with developing 10
study tours for delegates to explore to Taiwan.
Winning factors
Delegates had high praise for the planning, execution, and services of the whole event. There was much international media exposure, helping to project
a positive image of gender equality in Taiwan.
Best Convention – 100-499 delegates
23rd Annual Conference of the Asian Science Parks Association (ASPA) 2019
Organised by Round Table Professional
Conference Organiser, the 23rd Annual Conference of the Asian Science Parks Association was held in November 2019 at the Ambassador Hotel in Hsinchu.
Taiwan first hosted the 3rd ASPA conference in 1999 and after 20 years the event returned
with 278 delegates from 16 countries — the largest number in recent years. Key features included a face recognition check-in system, online preparatory meetings, locally-sourced menus, and recyclable decorations, making the conference paperless and
green.
Following the conference, delegates were offered two tours to explore Taiwan. Secretary-general of the Asian Science Park Association, Sunkook Kwon, said the annual conference provides prime opportunities for knowledge exchange and
cooperation among ASPA members.
Winning factors
The 23rd ASPA conference demonstrated the technological power of Taiwan, while post tours were well designed.
Best Exhibition – more than 600 delegates
Art Taipei 2019
Organised by the Taiwan Art Gallery Association, the Art Taipei 2019 exhibition was held in October 2019 at the Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 with 1,044 booths, 141 exhibitors from 12 countries, and some 62,000 visitors.
Since
the inaugural exhibition was hosted in 1992, the event has become increasingly renowned across the globe. With 68 foreign exhibitors this year, Art Taipei proved to be a major player in the Asia region. Moreover, it helped strengthen Taiwan’s international
brand and promote art-related events. The five-day exhibition created NTD1.3 billion (approx. USD44 million) in economic value.
Winning factors
The 27-year-old exhibition only gets better with age, having grown into an
internationally-acclaimed art show that helps to showcase the flair of Taiwan’s cultural and creative sectors on the world stage. The economic value generated across from the five-date event was another impressive accomplishment.
Best Exhibition - 150–599 delegates
2019 Taiwan Smart Agriweek
Organised by MY Exhibition Company, the 2019 Taiwan Smart Agriweek exhibition was held in September 2019 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition
Center, with 175 booths, 156 exhibitors, 3,327 buyers from 27 countries, and 1,865 visitors.
The exhibition focused on SMART agriculture (sustainable, manageable, applicable, reliable, and transformative), introducing many innovative technologies.
Agriweek's opening ceremony coincided with the Fisheries and Seafood Show, which helped to attract more visitors.
Event organisers coordinated with several government departments and related institutes to promote the exhibition, securing
subsidies to encourage buyers to attend. The 360 pre-scheduled appointments generated at least NTD52 million in business (approx. USD1.7 million), assisting with the development of agriculture in Taiwan and promoting Taiwan's agricultural technologies.
Winning factors
The
planning and execution of the B2B exhibition was seamless. The event also created positive outcomes for Taiwan's agricultural sector, particularly with regards to exports to southeast Asian countries.
Best Corporate Meeting and Incentive Travel programme – more than 100 delegates
2019 Starget Incentive Group
Organised by K&A International, 157 top sellers from Belgian insurance company, AG Insurance, visited Taiwan in last March as part of the 2019 Starget Incentive Group. AG Insurance is the largest life insurance company in Belgium, and the
week-long Starget programme is reserved for sales managers who exhibited great performance.
The event marked the first time the group came to Taiwan and also proved to be one of the largest European-based incentive programmes (with more than
100 delegates) to take place in the country in recent years.
Across a seven-day itinerary, the group travelled from the north of Taiwan to the south, exploring the country’s picturesque mountains and seaside activities.
Following
positive feedback, the high-end incentive tour will serve as an example for future incentive programmes.
Winning factors
Attracting such high-end incentive tours from long-haul markets such as Europe is no mean feat,
so the 2019 Starget Incentive Group makes for an ideal case study to showcase the unique experiences the country has to offer. Positive feedback from delegates also helped to strengthen ‘Brand Taiwan’.
Winners of the 2020 Taiwan MICE Awards prove that Taiwan is a prime destination for conferences, exhibitions, and incentive tours. After the global pandemic subsides, consider Taiwan your next international event destination.
MEET TAIWAN is available to assist with the planning and execution of all MICE events.
This article is brought to you by MEET TAIWAN