MACAO — Sands China has expanded its non-gaming meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) infrastructure to more than 1.6 million square feet, reinforcing the sector’s growing role in Macao’s economic diversification strategy.
The company said its MICE facilities, centred around Cotai Expo at The Venetian Macao and supported by meeting and convention spaces across its integrated resort portfolio, have helped attract nearly 12,800 events and more than 15.7 million MICE visits since 2007.
The expansion reflects the increasing importance of business events within Macao’s long-term development plans. As the city seeks to reduce its reliance on gaming revenue, policymakers have identified MICE as a strategic industry capable of generating broader economic activity across hospitality, retail, transportation and professional services.
Since opening Cotai Expo in 2007, Sands China has played a significant role in increasing Macao’s capacity to host large-scale international exhibitions, conventions and corporate events. Today, its integrated resort portfolio includes some of the largest purpose-built MICE facilities in the region, allowing the destination to compete for events that require substantial exhibition and meeting space.
According to Sands China, international business events continue to contribute to Macao’s global connectivity and visitor diversification efforts. In 2025, the company recorded approximately 380,000 room nights from international guests across its integrated resorts, highlighting the role of MICE in attracting overseas visitors beyond traditional leisure travel markets.
Chief Executive Officer Grant Chum said the company would continue supporting the Macao SAR Government’s “Tourism+” strategy through ongoing investment in non-gaming attractions and business events infrastructure. He noted that MICE has become an increasingly important component of Macao’s broader tourism and economic development agenda.
As destinations across Asia invest in convention and exhibition infrastructure to attract higher-value visitors and international events, Macao’s experience illustrates how large-scale MICE facilities are being used not only to support tourism growth, but also to advance wider economic diversification objectives.
