The Meeting Incentive Conference and Exhibition industry, better known as MICE tourism, has rapidly become one of the fastest growing segments within the tourism industry. According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “MICE Industry by Event Type: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2023” , the global MICE industry was valued at $752 billion in 2016, and is projected to reach $1,245 billion in 2023, registering a CAGR of 7.5% from 2017 to 2023.

According to an Economic Times report, industry experts and analysts attribute increasing MICE events, including investor summits, to an improved economic sentiment amidst growing competition among states to score better ratings in ease of doing business and attract investments. These have directly boosted average room occupancies and returns. For example, Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), India’s largest convention centre managed by AccorHotels, had hosted more than 800 events in 2016, averaging more than 2 parallel events daily, highest in a decade.

This highly competitive sector is known for high-end events, generates significant revenues and has clients that are always on the look-out for a venue to serenade its guest list. Many big players in the hospitality industry, especially hoteliers, are stepping up their MICE game to make the most of this trend.

As a hotelier, how can you increase your MICE sector bookings?

1. Focus on diversity – MICE events can be both big or small. Your hotel may be able to hold large dinners, exhibitions, conferences, and annual summits, but that doesn’t have to mean that you let go off other meetings and regular events that take place quarterly or even monthly. This way you can be assured of guaranteed room sales and revenue, and better manage your hotel’s finances.

2. Plan your marketing strategy well in advance – The MICE market needs to be marketed effectively for it to be effective. Think through your customer experience from the beginning till the end. Pore over details regarding your brand image, your facilities and services, and even the commute to your venue. To be successful in attracting events, you must actively come up with a strategy that highlights all these features and targets the right audience through strong branding, social presence and state-of-the-art facilities.

3. Customize your activities – There is a rising demand for alternative options for team building exercises and incentive programmes, such as horse-riding lessons or even cooking classes. For instance, the African wineland of Paarl has stepped up its game as an attractive MICE destination by not only offering great spaces to host events, but also organizing activities like wine-tasting, to keep guests thoroughly engaged. By offering unique experiences for corporate events, your hotel can cater for clients in a way that other exhibition centres can’t compete with, thus building a strong case for differentiation.

4. Create a seamless experience through technology – With technology playing such an important role in the online booking process, it is vital for your hotel to make it easy for clients to reserve rooms and make other arrangements. Make sure your hotel has a great booking engine that is seamlessly integrated to your website. Respond to any query as soon as possible. Optimize your website to provide the best details about the event destination and your hotel, including blogs and other insider tips, in order to help the event planners with their decision-making.

What are some of the other ways that you can think of?

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The African continent has been home to a growing travel market, and the major disruptions in the region have not gone unnoticed. While a concentrated effort has been on promoting conventional travel and tourism, business trips and MICE events are stealing the stage.

The African economy is on a rise as far the tourism and travel industry goes, and its conference venues are also flourishing, entering a new age of innovation, and representing a fresh image of the continent to travellers.

One such upcoming venue includes The Cape Town International Convention Centre(CTICC), which serves as the host to some of the city’s biggest events, conferences and exhibitions. It is an easily locatable landmark, barely a half hour drive from the international airport, and greeting travellers who are making their way to the spectacular V&A Waterfront and the city centre.

CTICC runs as a partnership between the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Government and Business Cape. The venue excels in presenting its innovative design and sharing of seminars that focus on idea origination and culture. Within its walls are contained quality 5-star accommodation facilities, attended to by knowledgeable and passionate staff. The large trade and show space can be divided into various banquet and conference venues with catering available.

The venue catered to 482 events in 2017 alone. Some notable occasions to have graced its floors include the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. CTICC has been previously awarded the Best Large Conference Venue by Business Traveller Africa, and is all set to host the World Ophthalmology Congress in 2020, with an expected attendance of more than 15,000 delegates.

With many options to fill up and refresh, including the the Marimba Restaurant and Cigar Bar, an African-themed restaurant with set menus or buffet options, the CTICC lives up to its name as the best exhibition space in Cape Town.

Learn more about the venue, here.

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The MICE (Meetings, Incentive, Conferences and Exhibitions) industry is one of the major drivers within the tourism industry and has experienced tremendous growth in the past years, and Africa has gradually begun to join the ranks of the world’s MICE superpowers.

From ultra-modern halls to scenic convention centers, and historical meeting spaces, you’ll find a venue as unique and amazing as your event in this continent. Babylonstoren is one such venue that boasts of world-class MICE facilities.

A bird’s-eye view of the farm

A historic Cape Dutch farm that boasts of one of the best preserved farmyards in the Cape (South Africa), Babylonstoren is barely a 40-minute drive from Cape Town. The best part about the venue is that it caters to all aspects of your events and not just the meeting itself, much like its neighbouring wineland of Paarl.

What makes Babylonstoren unique as a conference venue is the fact that you have everything you need in the same spot. From unique accommodation, to fine food and wine, a sense of well being and a place of inspiration, as the farm sits at the heart of the wine country with breathtaking backdrop of Simonsberg.

Babylonstoren provides two exclusive conference venues – the Wheat Barn and White Studio. The décor in both venues includes delft tables and chairs in the pre-drinks area, and carefully selected seasonal flowers, fruits, vegetables and blossoms from the garden. Both the venues have a PA sound system and microphones are made available for speeches, along with projector and screen, flip chart, small booklet with pencils.

A view of the kitchen, overlooking the gardens

The conference venues are reserved for one function at a time, thus giving guests an exclusive use of the areas around the venues. At R12,500 per day during high seasons, and R10,000 per day during low season, the venue is definitely a steal. Additionally, lunch at Babylonstoren’s ‘Harvest Table’ is a feast that celebrates the fruit and vegetable garden, which includes fresh-farm produce like fresh garden lettuce and garden crudité, freshly baked wood-fired oven bread, marinated olives, a selection of cheeses with seasonal preserves and a variety of charcuterie and garden chutneys, costing R 650 per person.

Lunch at the venue

Watch the video to get a glimpse into the beauty of this historic town.

Earlier in February this year, the African continent was abuzz with 13th edition of Meetings Africa hosted in Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The premier business event in the region gave a fascinating overview of MICE business opportunities in South Africa and the continent, and included exhibitor from over 21 African countries drawing more than 3000+ business delegates. The event was not only professionally organized, but the facilities were also world class and gave the business-world a real insight on how the continent is gearing up to increase MICE trade.

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For long, Africa’s tourism potential – the scenic landscapes, wildlife, beaches and wineries – have kept luring travellers to the continent. However, business tourism is now also on the rise, acting as a key contributor to the tourism industry’s growth. For instance, in recent years, the global meetings industry has begun to recognize Africa as a sought after destination; it currently accounts for R155 billion of the South African GDP, thereby leading to immense growth of the tourism economy in the African continent. By targeting business travel, the number of meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions, Africa is leaving no stone unturned to make sure that MICE events increase over the coming years.

South Africa’s third oldest town of Paarl has also joined the MICE bandwagon and is eyeing the market in a big way. Located an hour’s drive from Cape Town in the Drakenstein Municipality, Paarl is famed for its age-old wine farms, top performing schools, and a stretch of land where former President Nelson Mandela took his first steps of freedom after being incarcerated for 27 years. Drakenstein Municipality itself is the largest local municipality (outside the City of Cape Town) in South Africa’s Western Cape province, and has been rated the 18th top municipality in the country and adopted secondary city status in 2017.

An aerial view of Paarl

A fast-growing, progressive region and investment destination, Drakenstein’s main economic sectors include finance, insurance, real estate and business services. Paarl has become internationally renowned for its award-winning wines and its unique terroir has proven to be ideal for creating world-class Chenin Blanc and Shiraz. Additionally, between 2016-2017, the municipality submitted R2.2 billion in building plans, setting the stage for major growth of the region.

However, Paarl is not just about the ambiance; it makes good business sense, too. The easy flight access to the airport at Cape Town allows the region to position itself as an attractive MICE destination for international conference and incentive organisers. Moreover, it has ample facilities like convention centers, good transportation, along with good accommodation in the form of luxury stays, with great sightseeing, entertainment and hospitality.

A heritage conference venue at Paarl

From the Diamant Estate in the heart of the Cape Winelands, to the Domain Brahms with its spectacular surroundings and friendly personnel, from the luxurious Freedom Hill that caters specifically to events, to the Historium Conference Centre located right in the heart of Paarl; the city has no dearth of historic, hospitable accommodations that not only cater to leisure travellers, but have also stepped up their game as formidable MICE destinations. (Also read: What the global MICE industry needs to learn from the Meetings Africa 2018 show)

Paarl’s hospitable accommodations have stepped up their game as formidable MICE destinations

For instance, the Diamant Estate can host up to 100 guests for events, amidst a dramatic background of the Paarl mountains, while also providing organizers with projectors, boards, and refreshments required for any meeting. On the other hand, a venue like Nantes Estate can host close to 200 people in an exquisite historical setting, at affordable full-day rates of R460 for each delegate. Paarl has more than 20 such event venues that cater to every need of event organizers and business travellers, including leisure activities to keep them thoroughly engaged.

The meetings industry is now evolving around developing events that integrate business needs and entertainment, and engage delegates in new ways. From pushing innovation to acting as brand marketing platforms, business meetings and events are moving away from being simply networking hubs to becoming more experiential centres. Paarl’s unique appeal and its booming infrastructure are coming together to fulfil all these needs and develop as a comprehensive MICE destination.

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