Franchise Expo to be held in July

The Macao Franchise Expo 2011 (2011MFE) will be held between July 8 and 10 at the Venetian, providing record high exhibition area of 5,000 square metres to international brands to promote their products in the territory.
Macau’s small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) can make use of the expo to establish business relationships in franchising and chain operations with enterprises from neighbouring countries or regions.
Enterprises from Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Macau have already expressed intentions to exhibit their products at this year’s MFE, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) said.
The three-day event will include an exhibition, forums and seminars, business matching sessions as well as brands/services promotion. Supporting services such as Macau trade and economic enquiry services and legal and marketing consultancy will also be arranged.
According to IPIM, the government will continue to provide incentives to local SMEs and eligible Macau enterprises can apply for a subsidy amounting to 60 percent of exhibition costs.
Businesses mainly engage in retail services, fashion/fashion accessories, food and beverage and education, including Chinese and foreign brands.
Acting president of IPIM, Echo Chan, said a survey showed that most of the visitors at the 2010MFE - which had an exhibition area of 3,800 square metres - were “young working-class people interested in the franchise business”.
She also said franchising business in the catering and retail industries received the “highest attention” last year.