MICE AND TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD

The MICE – Meetings, Incentives, Congresses and Exhibitions – industry forms a substantial component of both the tourism industry as well as of the economic development in destinations and is growing at a tremendous pace. MICE travel involves a number of components, and agents working in this field must provide a full range of travel and conference services for large and small groups and events of shorter and longer duration. Personnel and businesses involved in the MICE market include corporate meeting planners, meetings and convention departments of hotels, conference centers or cruise ships, food and beverage managers, logistics firms, private tour operators and transfer companies, incentive houses, professional trade organizations, tourism boards, tourism trade associations, and travel-selling professionals.

 

With this industry being extremely dynamic, MICE trends continue to shift gears every now and then and as 2019 heading to its finale, we figured out this year’s hottest MICE trends.

 

New event formats

There is a clear shift from the traditional speaker and delegate roles to more interaction and involvement from the audience. This is achieved through various ways like conducting activities, learning and information exchange sessions where delegates play a highly vocal role.

 

Bleisure Trips
Business travellers are now more open to the idea that a work trip can double as a holiday, leading to the growing popularity of “bleisure” trips that combine business with leisure. Bleisure travelers extend their stay in a country or incorporate sightseeing and other activities within a business day.

Adventure-based team-building exercises
These activities not only allow co-workers to learn the value of teamwork, but also enable them to share adrenaline-pumping moments together and build camaraderie.

 

Social engagement before and after events
Event organisers are also hosting pre- and post-conference social tours, including tours around the city or in a particular area of interest. These trips allow delegates to meet and network with like-minded peers in a relaxed environment outside of the event. Participants also get to experience the local culture of the country.

 

Educational tours
Companies are increasingly concerned about getting more bang for their buck from business trips. To offer more value, conference organisers are arranging relevant educational or training tours out of the event venue.

 

Technology thrives
Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, and the events industry needs to keep up. Virtual reality walk-through presentations are already popular, but they will become even more of the norm as clients find the convenience, accuracy and even the interactive novelty appealing as an integral part of their decision-making process.

 

The more memorable, the better
Bigger, grander events which make a statement but are held less regularly is a growing trend. Hospitality businesses are receiving high level of requests for more intimate and high-end affairs, usually being put on to seduce potential investors and top influencers within our clients’ industry.