Sands China and the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Wednesday at The Londoner Macao during their co-organised symposium on conventions and exhibitions.
The statement noted that the signing and symposium were held with the goal of “strengthening collaboration between academia and the integrated resort industry”. It aims to strengthen the development of local MICE talent and the sustainable development of Macau’s MICE economy through “deepened exchange between academics and professional industry practitioners”.
The one-day symposium, the statement added, was the first initiative of the Sands China Academy’s new sub academy, Sands MICE Academy. Through its establishment, the company aims to enhance the Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) overall competitiveness as a “preferred international MICE destination” by using the company’s resources and therefore contributing to the nation’s economic development.
The statement quoted Sands China President Wilfred Wong Ying-wai as saying that the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences/conventions and exhibitions/events) industry is a “major pillar” of the company’s business model. He added: “we are committed to expanding, improving and optimising the scale and quality of our convention centres and related amenities”, including “the proposed development of a new MICE facility of approximately 18,000 square metres in the coming decade”.
He added that Sands MICE Academy was inaugurated with the aim of incubating “much-needed talent for large-scale meetings and conferences to be hosted in Macau”. Moreover, he said that the company plans to further its cooperation with tertiary institutions to hold professional academic seminars in support of the government’s goal to turn Macau into a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure, and promote its appropriate economic diversification.
Moreover, IFTM President Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan said in the statement that the institute and Sands China will “use MICE as a platform to leverage the strength of both parties in the academic and industry partnership”, aiming to “nurture talents and promote the sustainable development” of the local tourism industry to achieve appropriate economic diversification.
The MOU, according to the statement, affirms both parties’ existing cooperation, while also proposing new ones. As the “relying unit” of the Tourism Education and Training Base for the GBA, these collaborations between higher education institutes and the integrated resort industry are important for IFTM, the statement added. It is also an important contribution to the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
The MOU will also have the company’s senior management staff deliver lectures at the institute as guest lecturers.
Meanwhile, the event, which was attended by 210 participants, had representatives of the symposium’s advisory entities share their ideas about the status quo and the MICE industry’s future development. Topics such as training and development, as well as sustainability were also featured.
This undated handout photo provided by Sands China on Wednesday shows Sands China President Wilfred Wong Ying-wai (right) and IFTM President Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan (left) posing during the Memorandum of Understanding signing and MICE Symposium.
