Logistics costs stand in way of local MICE industry

The China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) announced the reduction of participation fees for exhibitors. However, according to representatives of the local MICE industry, Macau does not anticipate reducing entry fees,
Macao Daily News reported that the famous Canton Fair will charge between RMB3,000 to RMB5,000 less than the last edition, as an act of support for Chinese international trade companies. Some Macau MICE businesses view this reduction as a token gesture rather than a necessity for the fair.
According to a Macao Daily News report, the local MICE industry can demand approximately MOP10,000 per exhibitor, a price considered reasonable by some customers since it is one third of the heretofore amount required by the Canton Fair.
However, according to a source, the two major obstacles when attending exhibitions in Macau are logistics and accommodation. The source indicated that since local hotels have been lowering their prices, the reduction of costs on the logistics front is now the focus of the industry.
In order for mainland goods to get to Macau, they need to pass through Shenzhen, then through Hong Kong, from where they are shipped to Macau. Zhuhai still lacks a special department which could supervise goods, whereas in Shenzhen and Guangzhou an optimized, smooth operation has already been established, despite the associated high costs.