MACAO -- The 13th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair closed here Sunday with the signing of 37 business contracts worth an amount of 3.54 billion patacas (443 million U.S. dollars), according to the fair's organizer Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM).

The IPIM said given the sweeping effect of the world-wide financial crisis, the volume of these contracts decreased by 8.29 percent compared with last year though the four-day fair attracted 274 delegations from 57 countries and regions and over 50,000 visitors. The exhibitors set up some 886 exhibition stands at the site, where over 35 forums, meetings and presentations concerning international trade, SMEs (small and medium enterprises), regional cooperation were also held.

The contracts signed during the event covered manufacturing, electronic and technology, MICE (meetings, incentives, conference and exhibitions), etc, which were signed by companies and business institutes from Macao, Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Portugal, Brazil, Japan, India and various other countries and regions.

SMEs were the focus of this year's fair, as the IPIM specifically organized the "SME International Business Days" during the event, with the aim to help local SMEs find their business opportunities through on-site business matching.

In addition, the fair also featured international and regional forums, such as the Macao International Convention and Exhibition CEO Forum 2008, International Trade and Investment Forum 2008, Seminar on EU Market Business Opportunities and Enterprise Co- operation, and the Second Forum of Exhibition Cooperation of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao.