The 25th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (25th MIF), the Macao Franchise Expo 2020 (2020MFE) and the 2020 Portuguese Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao) (2020PLPEX) will be held concurrently at The Venetian Macao from 22 to 24 October. Based on the past experience, the three exhibitions will combine inheritance and innovation, giving full play to their respective advantages. Being held both online and offline, the exhibitions will leverage the synergistic effect that arises to help exhibitors and traders negotiate future co-operation and seek common development through the Macao platform.

Strengthened online exhibition platform to enhance cross-regional participation

MIF, MFE and PLPEX are exhibitions accredited by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI). In addition to physical exhibitions, forums, meetings, business matching sessions and special sessions, the three exhibitions have strengthened the online exhibition platform and enriched the online presentation of products and services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, cloud matching for the online expo, live-streaming of the exhibitions, online contract signing, and online promotion seminars will also be available. As of 19 October, the number of online expo exhibitors has exceeded 1,100, with a total over 3,700 online exhibits. The exhibitors are from Mainland China, Portugal, Brazil, Canada, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, and Macao.

An online business matching zone and a live-streaming room will be set up, offering “online-offline” and “online-online” business matching sessions during the exhibitions. There are already more than 450 matching session registrations.  The participating enterprises are from the fields of food and catering services, hotel supplies, technological products, Portuguese-speaking countries’ products, etc. Exhibitors may approach suitable exhibitors, suppliers or buyers for co-operation, by using their accounts on the online business matching service platform (https://bm.ipim.gov.mo/). In order to facilitate business matching, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) has developed a mobile application Scan2Match, which allows traders to inquire about the matching schedule at any time. To enable a smoother and digitalised use, users only need to scan a designated QR code before business matching session, and relevant records will then be stored in the app. Moreover, an online matching session for Portuguese-speaking countries will be held, utilising Macao’s influence as a trade and economic co-operation service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Three exhibitions join forces to produce a synergistic effect

This year the three exhibitions cover an area of 25,000 square metres and offer over 1,200 booths, covering project investment, modern financial services, science and technology innovation projects, food and catering services, cultural and creative industries, Portuguese-speaking countries’ specialty products, professional consulting services and franchise industries. The three exhibitions join hands with Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, and other cities in the Greater Bay Area to further deepen the ties with twelve regions of Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Jilin, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hubei, Hainan, Zhejiang, Liaoning and Tibet to expand markets through the exhibition platform.

The three exhibitions pay equal attention to exhibitions and forums. During the three-day exhibitions, over 50 forums, meetings, exchanges, and promotion sessions will take place, including the “2020 International Trade and Investment Forum and Forum on Chain and Franchise Business Opportunities of International Brands”, the 17th World Summit of Chinese Entrepreneurs”, and the “Portuguese-speaking Countries Wine and Food Business Matching Seminar”, so as to enhance the interaction among participants and help them seize developmental opportunities.

Standard control measures to ensure the safety of participants

The three exhibitions will be open to trade visitors on 22 October and to the public on 23 and 24 October. To ensure the safety of participants, disinfectant coating, disinfecting measures and on-site hygiene guidelines will be applied at the exhibition venue. All people entering and leaving the venue are required to undergo temperature checks, show health codes and wear face masks. Participants may register for a Macao MICE Pass on the website (https://mice.ipim.gov.mo) beforehand. To encourage green transport, free shuttle buses travelling between the exhibition venue, the North District, the Central District, Taipa and other areas in the city will be available.