From: Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute

In order to improve the competitiveness of the MICE industry and grasp the current development trends, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) organised three online training courses for the MICE industry, which attracted more than 200 participants. IPIM hopes to continue supporting the MICE industry under the epidemic, and encouraging the industry to make good use of technology to facilitate the integration of online and offline MICE events. It aims to improve the industry’s crisis management capability in terms of planning and response, promoting the MICE industry to continue towards professionalisation and marketisation.

The online training courses took place respectively on 25 August, 2 and 16 September. The organiser is aware of the changes of how MICE events are presented under the epidemic. So the courses focus on topics like "The New Trend of Business Events – Hybrid Events", "AI Technology Applications for Business Events" and "Crisis Management Planning". Mr Lau Wai Meng, IPIM’s President, delivered the welcome address. The course was moderated by Mr Mike Williams, IPIM´s consultant in the convention and exhibition area. Nine renowned experts in the MICE industry from Mainland China, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macao were invited to share their insights and experience and interact with the participants.

Online-Offline Integrated MICE Events Diversify Participation Experience

In the first online course “The New Trend of Business Events – Hybrid Events”, the keynote speaker introduced the concept of “integrated activity”. It refers to the use of technologies that allows both online and offline participants to experience MICE activities simultaneously, and enables all participants to have interaction in new scenarios. During the course, participants agreed that integrated activities would be the future of MICE industry. They also believed that the content and themes were still the core value of MICE events. Digitalised management enables great flexibility of online MICE events. Yet at the same time, it should be noted that participants may lack immersive experience.

In the second course “AI Technology Applications for Business Events", the speaker believed artificial intelligence can accurately predict preferences and generate corresponding promotion and marketing plans based on the behavior of the targeted MICE customer group, which can effectively save costs and improve efficiency. Some participants were concerned about how to secure the confidentiality of data and information. The speakers thought solutions can be training staff on this specific issue and strengthening data protection through technological means.

Moreover, according to the speaker of the third course “Crisis Management Planning”, contingency plan addressing sudden incidents should be made before activities, and close communication among all operation units should be in place to allow accurate and timely transmission of information.

IPIM will continue to organise all kinds of online seminars and workshops, to where consultants and experts from the MICE industry will be invited, sharing practical knowledge of the MICE industry and introduce the latest trends in international MICE development, so as to strengthen the professionals’ MICE knowledge and facilitate the quality development of the industry.