China Booth debuts at 2024 IMEX America

LAS VEGAS, the United States, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- China presented a fresh image in the global MICE tourism market, business insiders told Xinhua Thursday when IMEX America 2024 concluded in Las Vegas.

MICE, meaning Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions, is a type of business travel that involves large groups of people gathering for meetings, conferences, incentives, and exhibitions.

According to a report released by the Fortune Business Insights in September, the global MICE market was valued at 904.30 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 and is projected to grow from 970.76 billion dollars in 2024 to 1,932.73 billion dollars by 2032.

It's the reason why China prompted its MICE tourism resource in the most important annual exhibition of the industry by debuting a booth for the first time, Wu Dawei, the China National Tourist Office Los Angeles Director, explained to Xinhua.

China aims at showing the country's new look in the global MICE travel market and providing global buyers with a rich variety of MICE travel options, he noted.

"During the exhibition, the Chinese delegation held several rounds of meetings with hundreds of international buyers to discuss in-depth cooperation in conference planning, product design and event organization in the future, which is expected to inject new vitality into China's MICE market," he said.

Debra Brown from SmartBird World Travel in Atlanta, visited the China Booth on the first day of the exhibition. She planned to discuss with the China National Tourist Office Los Angeles about a conference she is organizing in Nanjing next year.

The China Booth was joined by the cultural and tourism departments of Beijing, Shanghai, Shaanxi, and Chongqing, along with several MICE service providers from China, and Air China that provides flexible and efficient transportation solutions for international MICE groups by leveraging its extensive route network and convenient transfer services.

They held multiple rounds of meetings with buyers from across the globe, showcasing China's rich historical and cultural resources, its modern conference facilities and international business environment while exploring new opportunities for collaboration.

"These discussions are expected to inject new vitality into China's MICE tourism market," Wu said.

Lu Jiangtao, representative from the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, said that the largest city of China is positioning itself as the primary entry point for inbound tourism to the country.

"Participating in the exhibition allows Shanghai to gain a deeper understanding of the latest trends and market demands in the global MICE industry," he said.

Guan Ting from Beijing BTG Tourism Development Co. told Xinhua that he had engaged with several professional counterparts worldwide at the three-day show to explore new markets and opportunities.

"It will positively impact our group's future development in the international market," he said. BTG is a subsidiary of Beijing Capital Tourism Group.

IMEX America is the largest trade show for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry. This year's show, kicked off Tuesday, attracted thousands of buyers and participants.