MICE sector calls for more high-end international events

Macau’s meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) sector recorded strong growth last year, with industry representatives calling for further efforts to attract more high-quality international events to strengthen the city’s positioning as a global business hub.

Hong Yu Tak, head of the Youth Committee of the Macau Federation of Commercial Associations of the Convention & Exhibition Industry, said Macau hosted more than 1,700 MICE-related events last year, an increase of over 300 compared with the previous year.

“The figures highlight Macau’s growing maturity and competitiveness as an international MICE destination, with expectations that the city will continue to draw more large-scale conferences, exhibitions and incentive travel programmes,” he said.

He noted that Macau’s tertiary institutions provide structured training in fields such as exhibition management and hospitality, offering students both academic and practical experience through internships. “This ensures a stable pipeline of talent for the industry,” he said.

On employment prospects, Hong described the situation as “generally stable.”

Most graduates in relevant disciplines are willing to enter the sector, although long-term retention in Macau varies, as many students come from mainland China and other regions and ultimately decide based on individual career planning.

Hong also noted Macau’s competitive advantages in the regional MICE sector, pointing to strong policy support, well-developed venue infrastructure, extensive hotel capacity and efficient transport links. He said these factors make Macau well suited to hosting large-scale international events.

However, he stressed that there is room for further development.

He urged “stronger efforts to attract more international conferences, particularly in high-growth sectors such as technology, energy and biomedicine.”

He added that such events would help raise the industry’s professional standards and broaden its international profile, adding that cooperation between government and the private sector will be essential in securing more flagship events and enhancing Macau’s long-term competitiveness in the global MICE market.