Xiamen to strengthen intl MICE cooperation

The 2017 International (BRICS) MICE Cooperation Forum kicked off in Xiamen, Fujian province on Nov 6. [Photo/ news.xmnn.cn]

The 2017 International (BRICS) MICE Cooperation Forum kicked off in Xiamen, Fujian province on Nov 6. The forum is part of the 2017 Xiamen International MICE week lasting through Nov 10.

The forum gathered delegates from the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sector from Brazil, Russia, India and China. They were briefed on the development of MICE industries in the BRICS countries before jointly exploring ways to enhance international MICE cooperation.

The MICE forum follows a BRICS Summit held in Xiamen in September, where it was acknowledged that MICE cooperation would significantly forward the economic and trade agenda in BRICS.

Han Shengjian, an official with the Ministry of Commerce of China, attended the forum and delivered a speech in which he introduced a series of influential MICEs jointly organized by China and other BRICS countries.

China has issued a series of policies to stimulate consumption and organized shopping festivals in major Chinese cities through cooperation with foreign embassies in China. The measures facilitate expansion of foreign products in the Chinese market, according to Han.

Han believed that China and other BRICS countries share a bright future in MICE cooperation. He pledged to conduct more international MICE cooperation in major MICE cities in China.

Andrew Binning, the immediate past president of the Exhibition and Events Association of Southern Africa also addressed the delegates at the forum. He briefed the audience on the development of MICE industries in South Africa. He noted that customization and application of big data are the development trend of the MICE industry.

A matchmaking session for enterprises involved in the MICE industries from home and abroad was also held on Nov 6. Several Xiamen-based enterprises involved in the sector promoted themselves at the event.

Based on its geographic advantage as a major port city in China, Xiamen's MICE industries have achieved considerable development in recent years, according to Qiu Guoyue, deputy head of the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Convention and Exhibition Affairs.