Meetings, Incentive, Conventions, and Exhibition (MICE)
Industry is a big industry outside of the country. In fact, in Australia it is
bigger than other industries like mining. It only proves that tourism has a big
potential in stirring up the economy. I guess there is no argument to this
conclusion. The problem is doing the necessary actions to really make Tourism,
and MICE as part of it, reach its potential.
Here are the top 5 reasons why MICE Industry must be
bolstered by the government:
1. MICE
has a multiplier effect
An average MICE attendees will spend 6x compared to a
typical tourist. So, if for example, a backpacker tourist spends $100, our MICE
tourist will spend $600 during his stay. This is a huge contribution that our
government officials must realize.
2.
MICE
is more about Business and Trade
A company or an association that gather for a meeting in
a particular country always have attending members that will look for business
opportunities. In fact, it is not rocket science but a simple observation because
International attendees in a convention and exhibition have higher purchasing
capacity as compared to FIT (Free Independent Traveler) tourists.
Of course there are exceptions to the rules, if we are to
discuss those who are into the leisure and high end travel but that is another point for discussion. In general, MICE has higher value that FIT.
This is the reason that JAPAN has a promotional display
ad that I saw in TTG that has a statement that goes like this” Thank You Very
Much for Putting MICE in Japan”
International Congress & Convention
Association (ICCA) statistics show, that a
Total of 400,000 conferences and exhibitions
are held worldwide every year at the total outlay of US$280 billion. The Global
Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) points out that as annual MICE
industry output value has already reached US$1.16 trillion (including US$400
billion for conferences and US$760 billion for exhibitions), MICE could be
counted on to bring enormous economic benefit to the countries and cities that
host them. [Department of Investment Services, Ministry of Economic Affairs,
Taiwan].
3.
MICE
is a platform for Transfer of Knowledge and Technology
The country that is able to secure an International
Convention or Exhibition is indeed lucky. It will not only benefit in terms of
economic value but the knowledge and technology transfer that International
speakers, participants or exhibitors bring is immense.
I remember a story by one of my trainer in Singapore
where I took up a MICE Master class; she said she has a client doctor who
spends a lot of money in order to win a particular medical event. She asks why go
for it considering the financial risks. The doctor just smiled and told her
that financial risks is nothing compared to the knowledge and technology
transfer that can be gained by the local medical practitioners in the country
in that particular field.
4.
MICE
benefits multiple industry suppliers
A conference or exhibition that is International in
nature involves Hotels, Airplanes, Buses, Travel and Tour Operators, Production
Houses, Exhibition Venues, Catering, Corporate Giveaways, Entertainment,
Freight Forwarders, Booth Suppliers and Designers and the lists goes on.
This is how MICE create a snowball effect to the economy
and industry related to it. In this industry the players compete but
collaborate in different projects. In MICE, an entity cannot do it alone and
needs a lot partners in order to make a MICE event a success.
5. MICE
provides positive Image to the country
Every bid won by a local organizer or association makes
me proud because I know it will have a positive effect that will redound to our
country.
I know that if a MICE event is staged well the
international visitors that participated will tell their experiences to their
countrymen and the cycle starts all over. Another MICE event will again be
staged in the country, all because of the past successes fellow local
organizers or associations performed.
This is a simple case of word-of-mouth marketing or
creating a purple cow in the midst of all the white cows.
A country that has a positive international image will
attract investors and a lot of opportunities that will be felt by the people
that comprise that particular country. It is also a source of pride for the
people of that country.
One example, maybe ambitious, what will you feel if we
won the bid for the Olympics?
I hear gasps and revelries and emotions that you can only
see from a person that won a lotto draw. Precisely, that is the feeling that a
won MICE bid gives to the country and the people that loves the country.
MICE have all the good reasons that our country and
government must realize and pursue relentlessly.
