Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 240 MICE events were held in the third quarter of 2014, up by 14 year-on-year. Total number of participants and attendees increased by 16% to 725,000. Total floor area used for the events was 161,000 m2, and the average duration of events was 2.2 days. There were 214 meetings and conferences held in the third quarter of 2014, drawing 29,000 participants; in particular, 4 of the conferences each attracted more than 1,000 participants. Concurrently, 26 exhibitions were organized, up by 5 year-on-year; number of attendees increased by 17% year-on-year to 695,000. The average duration of exhibitions was 3.4 days, and the floor area used totalled 76,000 m2. In accordance with information gathered from 24 exhibition organizers, 9 exhibitions were held for the first time in Macao, while the other 15 were repeated exhibitions having held in 2013. The interviewed organizers had 333 full-time staff engaged in the organization of these exhibitions. Receipts of the exhibitions amounted to MOP 37.33 million, up substantially by 81% year-on-year. Receipts from rental of exhibition booths doubled compared with the same quarter of 2013, at MOP 18.96 million; meanwhile, financial support from government or other organizations rose by 64% to MOP 18.37 million. Expenditure increased by 41% year-on-year to MOP 55.22 million, of which expenses on production, construction & decoration services (MOP 15.45 million), publicity & public relation (MOP 14.79 million) and accommodation, food & beverages (MOP 7.32 million) rose by 29%, 38% and 35% respectively. There were 1,429 exhibitors participating in the exhibitions, with those from Macao, Mainland China and Hong Kong accounting for 40%, 24% and 23% respectively. Professional visitors totalled 39,632, coming mainly from Macao (64%) and Hong Kong (20%). Information from 243 interviewed exhibitors indicated that sales of products took up 82% of the Receipts, while rental paid for exhibition booth shared 84% of the Expenditure. Regarding interviewed exhibitors' comments about the MICE venue and services, 69% were satisfied with the organization of the exhibition and 67% were satisfied with the hospitality arrangement, up by 23 and 15 percentage points respectively quarter-to-quarter. However, 13% and 12% of the exhibitors considered that event promotion and venue facilities needed improvement. In the first three quarters of 2014, a total of 743 MICE events were held, bringing 1,551,000 participants and attendees, up by 9% and 48% respectively year-on-year. There were 57 exhibitions and number of attendees totalled 1,460,000.
