Organizers of the Macao Gaming Show have enlisted trade show giant Koelnmesse to manage the event when it returns in November for its second year.
The announcement by the fledgling Macau Gaming Equipment Manufacturers Association, the show’s founders, came in the wake of a meeting earlier this month between a MGEMA delegation led by Chairman Jay Chun and Geoff Freeman, the new president and CEO of the American Gaming Association, which sponsors MGS competitor Global Gaming Expo Asia, the regional industry’s largest trade show, also held annually in Macau.
It was Mr Freeman’s first visit to Macau and the reception the association accorded him is reported to have been cordial.
“I believe that it is very important that our two associations, which represent the biggest regulated casino markets in the world, have an open and progressive dialogue on matters of mutual concern and interest. I look forward to building further on our positive relationship,” Mr Chun said in a statement.
Mr Freeman “was very interested to learn more about the work of the MGEMA,” Mr Chun said.
The AGA and its G2E Asia partner, Reed Exhibitions, haven’t released final statistics for the 2014 show, which was held 20th-22nd May at The Venetian Macao. It’s been reported that exhibit space was up 20% over the 2013 show, which the organizers say drew 5,800 visitors and 139 exhibitors from 19 countries
The AGA and Reed also sponsor G2E, the industry’s largest show, which is held annually in Las Vegas in September.
The Macao Gaming Show, which debuted at The Venetian Macao last November, attracted close to 9,000 visitors and 102 exhibiting companies, according to MGEMA, and the partnership with Koelnmesse should provide it with a significant boost. Koelnmesse, based in Cologne, Germany, organizes 75 annual trade fairs and 2,000 conferences around the world and operates a convention center in Cologne that is Germany’s third-largest at 284,000 square meters. The company also has a sizable Asian presence via subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Bangkok.
MGEMA said Koelnmesse will focus on conference management, exhibitor services and on-site management and provide advice on the overall event concept and its structure.
MGS will be held at The Venetian on 18th-20th November.
