The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) launched the MICE² Macao x Hengqin joint promotion platform in June this year.
Macao’s stellar MICE hardware and distinctive heritage has long been the cornerstone of its popularity among corporate groups. By the end of 2023, the Special Administrative Region will have hosted 1,000 MICE events, welcoming more than 700,000 attendees. Now, an exciting development is set to further elevate Macao’s status as a global MICE hotspot – the MICE² Macao x Hengqin joint promotion platform, which expects to host over 1,500 events in 2024.
Launched in June, the brand logo of “MICE² Macao x Hengqin” builds on the “multi-venue event” model: by holding their exhibitions, conventions, or meetings in both regions, event organisers can gain access to more venues, accommodation options, and attractions, thereby making it easier to scale and achieve success.
More ways to meet, in just five minutes
Located on the southern tip of Zhuhai city and right next to Macao, Hengqin is a mere five minutes’ ride from the Cotai Strip. Travel between Macao and Hengqin is also hassle-free: Macao offers visa and entry permit exemptions to citizens of 81 countries and regions, and foreigners visiting for conventions and exhibitions are also eligible for a simplified multiple-entry visa to Hengqin.
Hengqin is located right next to Macao, with convenient travel connections between both regions.Macao’s generous 240,000sqm of event space makes it a top choice for meetings on every scale. The latest expansion by resorts in Macao, for instance, saw the addition of the 16,000-seat Galaxy Arena and 40,000sqm of event space. With an abundance of world-class venues and hotels in Macao, event organisers will have more possibilities to explore when it comes to growing their events, especially large-scale exhibitions and conventions.
With its diverse array of MICE offerings, Macao has the capacity to host large-scale events and meetings for more than 10,000 pax.Hengqin offers around 21,000sqm of event space through venues like the Hengqin Bay International Convention Center and Hengqin International Financial Center. To add to Macao's 48,000-room hotel inventory, Hengqin's 8,000 hotel rooms feature established international names like the Hyatt Regency Hengqin, Hilton Garden Inn Zhuhai Hengqin, and the new Angsana Zhuhai Hengqin, which opened in July 2023.
The region’s hotel pipeline is also set to grow in coming years with the addition of properties like the Artyzen Habitat Hengqin Zhuhai complementing Macao’s own crop of stellar properties, like the 557-key W Macau - Studio City and the 700-key Andaz Macau.
Novotown, an iconic tourism and entertainment complex in the heart of Hengqin, is just 10 minutes away from Macao.All-rounder appeal
Macao and Hengqin’s selling points go beyond its infrastructure and welcoming economic policy. With the growing prevalence of bleisure travel, both regions have that vital ingredient to draw event attendees and delegates: tourism appeal.
Macao’s dining scene is a gastronomic adventure, with 17 Michelin-starred restaurants and plenty more local gems. Its vibrant retail and entertainment landscape is also a big draw, but jet-setting delegates can also discover a different side to the region through its unique Portuguese-Chinese heritage and local cultural experiences. The UNESCO-inscribed Historic Centre of Macao, for instance, comprises no less than 22 principal buildings and public spaces.
Hengqin adds to this appeal with attractions like the Legend Ponto Square, a Latin-style shopping mall, and Xiangzhou Cultural Center, which features 136 traditional Chinese courtyards and examples of traditional Chinese architecture.
The 66-hectare Hengqin Mangzhou Wetland Park, boasting a diverse wetland ecosystem, presents an excellent venue for events focusing on sustainability, engineering, and environmental conservation.Hengqin is also poised to become leading destination for eco-tourism and green MICE, with attractions like the Hengqin Mangzhou Wetland Park, Hengqin Erjingwan Wetland Park, and the 13.6km long Hengqin Flower Corridor. Together, these three ecological sites house dozens of species of plants, birds, and coastal animals, and can be utilised in conjunction with events related to sustainability, engineering, and environmental conservation.
Macao, boasting 240,000sqm of event space, stands out as a prime choice for meetings of all sizes, with recent expansions including the 16,000-seat Galaxy Arena.Seamless support at every stage
Hosting a multi-venue event in Macao and Hengqin is simpler than anticipated. Partnering with the Economic Development Bureau of Hengqin, The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) offers a one-stop MICE service for bidding support and financial assistance, including liaising with other government departments or authorities across both regions to complete administrative procedures, event promotion and marketing, and even green event arrangements.
When it comes to attracting event attendees from China as well as the rest of the world, there’s no better destination than Macao and Hengqin. With the Macao x Hengqin MICE platform, both regions will also help to connect event organisers with business associations in Greater China, and will promote qualified events both within and beyond China.
Discover how you can take your events to dazzling new heights in Macao and Hengqin. Visit Meet @ Macao and invest-hengqin, or email [email protected] to learn more.
This article is brought to you by Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute.