In addition to Computex Taipei, Taiwan continues to demonstrate its economic strength by hosting a wide range of world-class exhibitions and conventions year after year. 2007's convention calendar has the Taipei International Cycle Show, the largest bicycle trade show in Asia, the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association Show, the world's second-largest printed circuit board expo, and the second Asian Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) Leaders' Forum.
In line with Asia's soaring economic growth, the Taiwanese government has been striving to emphasize the development of its domestic MICE industry and its associated infrastructure. This is in response to the Asia-Pacific region's emergence as a global MICE destination.
"The MICE sector in fact belongs to the service sector," Tiger Lin, general manager of Chan Chao International Co. Ltd. and chairperson of Taipei Exhibition and Convention Association, said Oct. 1. Founded in 1999, TECA is composed of businesses linked to the sector and situated in Taipei, where most of the large-scale expositions and conferences are held.
"The MICE sector offers a wide range of services to other sectors and stimulates further development," Lin said. He classified exhibitions into three major categories on the basis of buyers' orientation. The first is listed as one of the world's leading must-see events, with adequate incentives to attract visitors from all over the globe. The second is a regional fair mainly drawing attention from the event's neighboring countries, while the third is a domestic one, serving local people only, Lin explained.
Established in 1985, Chan Chao is the first private exhibition corporation engaged in organizing large-scale international exhibitions and conferences at home and abroad, publishing exhibition magazines and expanding subsidiaries of Taiwanese companies overseas. "At the time we started, the MICE sector in Taiwan was still a fledgling industry, because the nation's biggest and best venue for trade shows and conventions--the Taipei World Trade Center--had just begun its operations in 1986," he said.
Serving as a multi-function business complex, the TWTC is managed by TAITRA, the nation's foremost trade-promotion organization, and combines exhibition space, conference facilities, offices and hotel accommodation for international business. The exhibition hall inside the TWTC consists of 23,450 square meters and 1,304 standard exhibition booths, hosting over 100 trade shows per year, including 20 international ones.
To elevate Taiwan's conference-and-exhibition sector further with a view to becoming more globally competitive, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung announced a special project in the Sept. 19 weekly Cabinet meeting. As with a locomotive engine, the conference-and-exhibition sector can be a powerhouse, helping to drive trade, transportation, finance and tourism, while generating employment opportunities, Chang said.
The government, therefore, plans to adopt substantial measures to boost the nation's MICE industry in the areas of infrastructure construction and marketing, Chang added. In terms of construction, the government will invest US$670 million to build new exhibition halls in both southern and northern Taiwan to balance development between the two regions. The investment will be spent on the Taipei World Trade Center Nankang Exhibition Hall located in Nankang District of suburban Taipei, which is scheduled to open next March. A new 4.5-hectare conference-and-exhibition hall in Kaohsiung is also scheduled to open by the end of 2010, the premier said.
Moreover, Chang claimed that the government would spend US$17 million on marketing and promotion in 2007 and 2008. Both measures, therefore, are expected to benefit 30,000 Taiwanese companies, attract 22,000 international buyers, and create business opportunities worth US$1.6 billion. The peripheral economic effect created by the MICE sector will total US$120 million, the premier estimated.
"To assist businesses in the MICE industry requires not only government policy, but also an upgrading of the nation's related infrastructure, such as international hotels, transportation systems and tourist destinations," Michael Tu, president of Uniplan Taiwan Corp. and chairperson of Taiwan Convention and Exhibition Association, said Oct. 2. Founded in 1991, TCEA aims to construct an effective supply chain for the convention-and-exhibition industry, while assisting the government to promote the nation's tourism sector.
Entering the local market in 1982, Uniplan Taiwan is a branch of the Germany-based Uniplan International GmbH & Co. KG. Established in 1960, the company has been engaged in hosting trade exhibitions in Germany or arranging for local firms to participate in overseas fairs.
"A nation's exhibition industry is closely connected to the development of its tourism sector," Tu said. In addition to creating suitable venues and facilities under a global standard, the quality and quantity of scenic spots in a country also serve as another factor in the prosperity of the MICE sector. "After participating in business, those flying all the way from other countries like to unwind by tasting local cuisine or enjoying distinct landscapes," Tu said. "Taiwan happens to be famous for its unique delicacies, as well as its natural and cultural beauty."
While Taiwan enjoys many advantages over its regional competitors, Lin pointed out that the nation's exhibition-and-conference industry has been seriously challenged by countries such as South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. He believes that the soon-to-be-completed Nankang Exhibition Hall will increase the nation's competitiveness in the sector. "The TWTC is, after all, a 20-year-old design," Lin said. "We need larger, more modern and more advanced facilities to compete with other countries."
Echoing Lin's opinion, Tu also believes that the new exhibition hall, once finished, would definitely have a positive impact on the Taiwanese exhibition industry. "As a matter of fact, the concept of brand building is as important in this sector as in others," he said. "It requires the public and private sectors working together to lift Taiwan's image as a first-choice destination to host international fairs and meetings."
Before Chang's announcement, Taiwan's government had already launched a four-year project titled "MICE Industry Development Plan," spearheaded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs with an investment of US$33.5 million. In particular, the MICE Project Office was founded to act as a service window for the purpose of integrating and coordinating domestic resources to beef up the market's global competitiveness.
Despite the government's initiatives, Tu believes that the future of Taiwan's exhibition-and-conference sector lies in maximizing cross-strait business opportunities. "In my opinion, to construct more international hotels and create direct links across the Taiwan Strait are priorities in regard to the promotion of the local exhibition-and-conference sector," he said. "By doing so, Taiwan is able to maintain its competitive edge in the face of increasing challenges from other nations."
Write to Allen Hsu at allenhsu@mail.gio.gov.tw