Think Scotland Digital Space? Breaking Bread
Rs. 100 Toronto Calling Volume VI Issue 5 May 2015 60 pages A DDP Publication Think Meetings Think Scotland Breaking Bread Top Food Trends for Meetings How to Connect in the Digital Space? editorial PUBLISHER & EDITOR SanJeet EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Deepa Sethi EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Deepa Sethi Dear Reader, DESK HEAD-MAGAZINE A significant amount of money is being spent on exhibitions and travel marts, which is well spent as long as the company goes prepared with an agenda and prefixed appointments for business meetings and with enough information about their own products. MICEtalk brings to you excerpts of our conversation with some experts who organise these events and those organising the groups to attend the events. Pooja Sharma DESIGN Ruchi Sinha PHOTOGRAPHER The hotel industry is also becoming progressively more dependent on the MICE segment… it promotes the experience of a hotel by word of mouth, bringing in more business, leisure or otherwise, say our hospitality professionals. Simran Kaur ADVERTISING Gunjan Sabikhi Karishma Khanna Manoj Barthwal Udit Pandey Bharat Chawla Scotland, known for its beauty and stretches of purple moorland and glens is fast growing into one of the most popular MICE destinations. Read about MICE venues, things to do, interesting facts that you may not have known about and visa procedures. Toronto as a city, despite its distance from India, has grown in popularity for MICE events. With Prime Minister Modi’s recent visit to Canada and direct Air Canada flights starting from Delhi to Toronto, it is bound to attract more and more business and incentive groups. ADVERTISEMENT DESIGNER From our panel of experts: Darren Edwards tells us about how to increase traffic on your mobile app. Carolyn Child explains the importance of online information for travel purchase. Shabnam Mehra, while answering life questions from our readers, tells us about the right balance between being health conscious and disease cautious. Shital Kakkar Mehra gives us tips about what to say if you bump into your boss in an elevator (has that ever happened to you?) PRODUCTION MANAGER Vikas Mandotia Nitin Kumar Anil Kharbanda CIRCULATION MANAGER Ashok Rana MUMBAI: ADVERTISING Harshal Ashar Priyanshu Wankhade Enjoy reading! DDP Publications Private Limited New Delhi: 72, Todarmal Road, New Delhi 110001, India Tel: +91 11 41669575, 41669576 Fax: +91 11 41669577 E-mail: [email protected] Mumbai: 504 Marine Chambers, 43 New Marine Lines, Mumbai 400 020, India Tel: +91-22-22070129, 22070130 Fax: +91-22-22070131 E-mail: [email protected] 4 MICEtalk May 2015 UAE: P.O. Box: 9348, Sharjah, UAE Tel: +971 6 5528954, Fax: +971 6 5528956 E-mail: [email protected] All information in MICEtalk is derived from sources, which we consider reliable. Information is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. The contents of this publication contain views of authors and are not the views of DDP Publications. 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Ltd., B-62/14, Phase – II, Naraina Industrial Area, New Delhi-110028 and published at 72, Todarmal Road, New Delhi-110001 contents MAY 2015 26 08 highlights... 08 Facts Facts and news from the world of MICE 14 COVER STORY 18 Importance of Travel Marts Industry experts tell us about the significance of travel exhibitions and marts in MICE business 18 Country Talk Think Meetings, think Scotland 26 City Talk Toronto Calling 6 MICEtalk May 2015 Over Please send in your suggestions and feedback to [email protected] 600,000 Î You can also read MICEtalk online on Readers www.micetalk.com 34 38 40 42 32 Debate MICE the Cornerstone of Hospitality Business? 36 Aviation Uber luxurious yachts, charter planes and choppers for the MICE segment 44 Guest Column Carolyn Child, Co-founder, MyTravelResearch. com explains the significance of relevant digital assets for Indian businesses 46 Venue Talk Conventions in Borneo Rainforest Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching is the largest green ultra modern and dedicated centre with 5-star services 52 Regular 40 Technology Darren Edwards tells us how to increase traffic on event App usage 50 Expert Talk Shabnam Mehra advises on striking the right balance between a healthy mind and a healthy body 52 Etiquette Talk Shital Kakkar gives tips on a compelling elevator pitch 48 Sample This Top Food Trends for Meetings Cover Photo: Toronto City Hall MICEtalk May 2015 7 facts FACTS Mid-air emergencies: Emirates invests in equipment, trains staff Emirates has invested more than $6 million on equipment and hours in the training of crew for first-aid and emergency medical care to make the travellers feel safe on board. The cabin crew went through a comprehensive initial training programme which is required by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, as well as additional specific training for the use of on board medical equipment, basic life support, medical conditions including asthma, heart disorders, seizures and allergic reactions, trauma-related topics and even emergency childbirth, amongst others. Hotels.com reveals Singapore & Thailand among most popular summer destinations Hotels.com, the online accommodation booking website has compiled a list of top searched destinations for summer travel. Additionally, it compares search results from last year vis-a-vis 2015. It observed that a strong growth for outbound travel this summer, with a YoY two-digit growth on searches for the top 10 outbound destinations on Hotels.com. Singapore, Thailand and UAE are the most popular summer destinations while the demand for Thailand is greater than others; occupying three of the top 10 positions post the unstable political situation in 2014. Given below is a table that lists top preferred destinations for summer travel. Top 10 searched destinations for Summer Holiday (March-June) as of March 16 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2015 Dubai Singapore Bangkok Hong Kong Paris Pattaya London New York Las Vegas Phuket 2014 Dubai Singapore Bangkok Hong Kong New York London Pattaya Paris Kuala Lumpur Las Vegas Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre security detail gets ‘Certificate of Appreciation’ Eight Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) Security team members have been recognised for their efforts to make the Centre and Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) precinct a safer place for the public with the receipt of a ‘Certificate of Appreciation’. For the Centre’s Security & Liaison Manager, Hazali Zakaria, the honour was on top of his success in an International Association for CounterTerrorism and Security Professionals (IACSP) course, making him the venue’s first Certified Counter Terrorism Practitioner (CCTP). 8 MICEtalk May 2015 facts IT&CM China sees 13,000 business appointments The ninth IT&CM China concluded with a new record of over 13,000 business appointments conducted in two days. Participating exhibitors acknowledged the buzz and interest that the show accomplished by delivering close to 500 quality buyers across MICE, association and corporate profiles. Buyers and exhibitors highlighted their business achievements. First-time corporate exhibitor Wyndham Hotel Group shared that they had achieved their sales and marketing objectives through the show. Taiwan’s IDA Executive Committee (IDA Annual Meeting)’s Chief Executive Ethan Wang expressed that the structured appointment scheduling system at IT&CM China was effective in allowing him to quickly connect with potential suppliers to create business opportunities. Dublin Airport revamps brand Irish Airport operator DAA announced the revised branding for Dublin Airport to differentiate it from its parent organisation that also manages Cork Airport in the Republic of Ireland. The new identity revealed the modernised characteristics of the airport and introduced a revised corporate logo as well as innovative technology to boost the passenger experience. The airport is set to welcome six new airlines and 23 new destinations this year and has already seen a whopping increase of 6,70,000 passengers fly in and out of the airport during the first quarter of the year. As the airport celebrates its 75th anniversary it has also boosted transatlantic capacity to North America to 328 flights per week by 10 airlines serving 11 destinations in the US and four in Canada. To make the transfer experience even easier, Dublin Airport offers passengers free unlimited WiFi connectivity and a free DUB HUB mobile service powered by Google, to guide passengers seamlessly to their boarding gate. MICEtalk May 2015 9 facts FACTS Greener Meetings in Asia Pacific with Hilton Worldwide Hilton Worldwide announced Vkonect MICE New Delhi, July 10 & 11, 2015 In India, with a population of almost 19 million travelling overseas, identifying the MICE travellers and players is an uphill task. Vkonect MICE provides an impeccable platform for corporate houses, significant MICE players and suppliers to conduct serious meetings for mutual benefits. The MICE event scheduled to be held in the buzzing capital city of New Delhi on July 10th & 11th 2015 invites your participation! that it will reduce the environmental impact of meetings and events held at its more than 90 hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific through an expanded carbon emissions solution, the Clean Air Programme. Starting on May 1, meeting planners and delegates can play their part in reducing carbon emissions and deliver more sustainable experiences to their customers. When customers choose any of Hilton’s participating hotels as meeting or social event venues, the Clean Air Programme will provide a calculation of the carbon emissions of the event at no cost to the customer. Hilton will then purchase the equivalent carbon credits to finance environmentally-friendly projects across Asia Pacific in partnership with carbon offset solutions provider Climate Friendly. The programme is designed to make it easier for meeting professionals to incorporate environmental solutions into meetings and events. MICE movements across the globe are serious business and in a volatile industry, these are keenly competed for with the assistance of tourism boards, airlines, DMC’s and hospitality partners all pitching in for a slice of the pie! Successful MICE movements contribute to substantial bottom lines and are excellent channels of publicity for the handling organisers, destinations, venues and hotels. Very frequently, it is word of mouth publicity asides of keen networking that gets you significant MICE accounts. Marriott International Asia Pacific unveils 2 new MICE services Marriott International Asia Pacific announced the unveiling of Meetings Imagined (MeetingsImagined.com) and its Meeting Services App to the region’s events planners and organisers. The two digital innovations are the first-of-their-kind in the industry and are intended to assist the planner, from inspiration through execution. Modelled on the user-friendly Pinterest.com, Meetings Imagined is an online platform that will provide expert tips on everything related to meetings, including networking activities, maximising social media exposure and how to create the right meeting environment. The Meeting Services App will provide real-time connectivity to Marriott for meeting planners and features a wide range of functions. 10 MICEtalk May 2015 facts Travel by luxury limousine from office straight to flight gate Fraport’s new Gate Express Service at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) lets business travellers save valuable time – with an exclusive transfer service taking them from their office straight to the airport’s departure gates. Business travellers are driven in a chauffeured luxury limousine to FRA by the shortest possible route. Upon arrival at the terminal, business passengers are welcomed by a service employee who escorts them through a separate security checkpoint and, if necessary, through passport control. Next, the passenger is taken to a Jaguar F-Type limousine to be driven in style across the airport apron to his terminal departure gate. This service is also available in the reverse direction for arriving passengers and is known as the Office Express Service. Wellness travellers spend 159% more than domestic travellers 10 Korean exhibitors take part in KTO’s road show in Mumbai Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) organised its annual incentive road show on April 9 for MICE travel at the Trident Nariman Point Hotel in Mumbai. The event was attended by more than 250 top MICE travel agents and event planners. The road show began with a half day travel mart where 10 Korean exhibitors showcased their new products and offerings for the Indian audience. The exhibitors included two regional tourism boards namely Busan Tourism Organisation (BTO) and Jeju Convention & Visitors Bureau (JCVB). The travel mart served as a platform where more than 100 travel agencies met all the suppliers and received new product information and Korea’s MICE offerings from the tourism boards. New data from the Global Wellness Institute’s “Global Spa & Wellness Economy” report revealed that international wellness travellers spend an average of $1,639 per trip—or 59 per cent more than the average tourist. And domestic wellness travellers spend $688 per trip, which is a whopping 159 per cent more than the typical domestic tourist. The research makes a key distinction between “primary” wellness tourists, where wellness activities are the primary motivation for the destination, and the “secondary” variety, or those who seek wellness experiences as part of a trip. MICEtalk May 2015 11 facts FACTS CIMGlobal takes over shares in CIMGlobal Europe Atlantis, The Palm offers special MICE packages CIMGlobal, which provides meeting management services, has taken over all shares in their European counterpart CIM Europe BV. With this the management team will step down from their positions. This decision has been made based on strengthening current operations and opening the path to further expansion for the company moving forward. Chairman of CIMGlobal, Prasant Saha confirmed that the recent developments will not cause any change of the teams and their clients will be served to the highest standards. In the new structure, Jarno de Boer will continue in an external advisory role. Atlantis, The Palm plays host to some of the largest conferences, high-profile business meetings and fantastic events. To invite more MICE groups, the hotel is offering irresistible MICE rates. Among the special offers for MICE groups are: Dedicated counter for swift check-ins; Complimentary WiFi in guest rooms and conference centres; Complimentary basic Audio Visual equipment for venues upto 150 guests; A special site inspection hosted for two people; one complimentary room upgrade to a lavish Terrace Suite; One complimentary room on booking of 40 rooms. KLM organises Corporate Golf Tournament 2015 Over 100 avid golfers contributed to the success of the Corporate Golf Tournament 2015 held at the Golden Greens Golf Course, Gurgaon. The event was organised by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Played in a double Peoria format, the game concluded with a delectable lunch organised by the event’s hospitality partner The Leela Ambience, Gurgaon. As part of KLM’s CSR initiative, an auction was held for two economy class return tickets to Amsterdam and the amount generated was donated to the NGO Smile Foundation for care and education of the girl child. 12 MICEtalk May 2015 cover story Travel Marts for MICE Business MICE tourism offers unique opportunities for business development through exhibitions and marts, be it an informal conversation with prospective investors or introduction to new technologies. The conventions and exhibitions industry has emerged as an important sector not only within business travel but for the whole tourism industry. Kim Waddoup CEO, aiGroup Organiser, Annual Moscow International MICE Forum In an important and highly technical business such as MICE, personal contact is essential. Whilst the initial contact can be made by email, faceto-face meetings cement a business relationship for a long time. Most clients remain loyal to the person that they have personally met. A MICE event is an extraordinarily complex arrangement and the supplier accepts a great responsibility to ensure that all components run smoothly and upto the expectations of the clients. At the Moscow International MICE Forum, many participants return year after year with the main aim of meeting their partners, to gain recommendations from existing clients and the possibility of meeting new potential partners. As prices increase, management is forced to look all costs, however if the returns highly exceed the costs for travel and participation, exhibitions enabling face-to-face meetings will continue to thrive. 14 MICEtalk May 2015 Sallie Coventry Portfolio Director IBTM Events The primary objective of all IBTM events is to create a platform where MICE industry professionals can connect and benefit from direct access to business, education and networking opportunities. Each event is tailored to cater to both the MICE industry and markets they serve globally and regionally, ensuring that they provide maximum ROI for every participant. IBTM Events’ Hosted Buyer Programme guarantees the attendance of key decision makers from all areas of the industry, enabling suppliers and buyers to connect face to face and discuss current and future business. At IBTM events, suppliers develop new international business leads, promote their companies and increase their networks with top level buyers. And meeting planners discover new international suppliers, build networks and become inspired to deliver outstanding meetings and events that grow businesses. As part of Reed Exhibitions we are the world’s leading travel and tourism events organiser with 21 events in 14 countries, connecting global and regional industries for business. Our shows not only create a meeting place for all of the key players within the industry, but they also deliver a platform for them to showcase the very best of their products and brands to senior level buyers across the globe. Last year IBTM events connected 5,000 suppliers from over 100 countries, with 19,000 meetings and events planners. The portfolio is a catalyst for over 120,000 face to face meetings, which are pre-scheduled between exhibitors and hosted buyers. cover story did you know? Sanjar Imam X World Travel Market (WTM) is a UK event for the global Founder Director Panache - Essel Leisure Services, Bangalore travel industry where almost 46,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and representatives of the international media, converge on ExCeL London each year in November to attend the event. X Over the last 29 years WTM has held 10,950 conference sessions. X A delegate visiting WTM for the four full days can expect to walk more than 100,000 steps. X WTM has the largest reoccurring Press Centre in the UK; Beaten only by the largest one-off press centre in the UK, which was the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002. X In 2012, WTM won the AEO (Association of Event Organisers) Excellence Awards “Best Use of Social Media” award. Hena Ahmad Director mPower Connexions, Delhi The word ‘travel’ immediately evokes the image of a ‘destination’ and the ‘purpose’ that moves you out of your comfort zone into a different environment. From being a lone traveller, people have now embraced the idea of ‘collective travel’ for a common mission. Often they seek and rely on support of a well-organised and professionally managed agenda pivoting around their market interest and facilitating an environment conducive for their businesses. Besides the exciting array of exotic leisure destinations and imposing hospitality line-ups on display, travel exhibitions and marts have evolved as gateways for the untapped market opportunities. They play a significant role in attracting and bringing in large groups of business travellers seeking geographical, socio-cultural awareness and practicing business ethics. From being just a display platform for logistic planners, travel expos are now actively partnering with their clients to assist and advance their agenda through relevant business meetings and interactions. They are also prolific forums which attract informed industry experts for an interactive and thought-provoking discussion on trends and challenges. In fact, travel expos have now become integral to MICE objectives as they are catalysing structured growth and development of the unorganised tourism industry in India. The travel trade that thrives on relationships is increasingly aware of the importance of personal communication and knows that no other technique can overcome its effect. Travel shows offer an opportunity to multiple existing and potential partners to connect under one roof, one shot. This organised opportunity is mostly focussed on sharing information and experiences, one-onone, with specific target groups or between like-minded buyers and sellers. It is a chance to make an existing or potential client engage in a personal encounter, letting them experience the brand and encouraging emotional appeals. Many companies worldwide have understood the power of such trade shows and are therefore diminishing their expenses on advertising and general PR and instead focus more on this personal communication strategy. It is thus not surprising that the past decade has seen the emergence of ‘customised’ travel shows that cater to select buyers and sellers, specialising in a distinct niche. There are travel shows today that, for instance, IMEX in Frankfurt conclaves only the MICE Experts and Limited Edition Miami reflects the shift in luxury and defines the evolution in contemporary travel by uniting rebellious brands with the creative class. As we go forward, the next few years will see travel shows flourish and get further curated. MICEtalk May 2015 15 study this Business Travel Powers 16.5% of Travel & Tourism The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), a global authority on the economic and social contribution of Travel and Tourism, has released the report Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2015 – India. According to the research by WTTC the Travel & Tourism industry in India will grow by 7.5% in 2015, fuelled by visa reforms. We bring you the highlights from this report. India Contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP Travel & Tourism's Contribution to GDP: Business vs Leisure, 2014 Business spending 16.5% The total contribution of Travel & Tourism to GDP was `7,642.5 bn in 2014 (6.7% of GDP) and is expected to grow by 7.5% to `8,218 bn (6.8% of GDP) in 2015. % of whole economy GDP 8.0 7.0 6.0 Leisure spending 83.5% 5.0 4.0 Business Travel Vs Leisure Travel Spending 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 2014 Direct 16 MICEtalk May 2015 2015 Indirect Induced 2025 Leisure travel spending (inbound and domestic) generated 83.5% of direct travel & tourism GDP in 2014 (`5,502.3 bn) compared with 16.5% for business travel spending (`1,085.1 bn). Leisure travel spending is expected to grow by 6.5% in 2015 to `5,859.3 bn, and rise by 7.1% pa to `11,623.6 bn in 2025. Business travel spending is expected to grow by 7.4% in 2015 to `1,165.8 bn, and rise by 6.6% pa to `2,202.2 bn in 2025. study this % of whole economy employment 10.0 Money Spent by Foreign Visitors 9.0 8.0 7.0 Money spent by foreign visitors to a country (or visitor exports) is a key component of the direct contribution of Travel & Tourism. In 2014, India generated `1,224.4 bn in visitor exports. In 2015, this is expected to grow by 5.2%, and the country is expected to attract 7,757,000 international tourist arrivals. By 2025, international tourist arrivals are forecast to total 15,291,000, generating expenditure of `2,377.2 bn, an increase of 6.3% pa. 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 2014 Direct 2015 Indirect 2025 Induced Foreign visitor exports as % of total exports 6.0 Contribution of Travel & Tourism to Employment 5.0 4.0 The total contribution of Travel & Tourism to employment was 36,695,500 jobs in 2014 (8.7% of total employment). This is forecast to rise by 1.8% in 2015 to 37,365,000 jobs (8.7% of total employment). 3.0 2.0 1.0 By 2025, Travel & Tourism is forecast to support 45,566,000 jobs (9% of total employment), an increase of 2% pa over the period. 2025 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 0.0 Estimates & Forecasts 2014 2014 1 2025 2 US$mn1 India Direct contribution to GDP 40,602.0 2.2 7.6 87,474.5 2.5 7.2 125,211.0 6.7 7.5 271,758.0 7.6 7.3 23,024.1 5.5 1.9 29,019.7 5.7 2.2 36,695.4 8.7 1.8 45,566.0 9.0 2.0 Visitor exports 20,060.1 4.2 5.2 38,946.6 4.2 6.3 Domestic spending 87,864.2 4.7 7.0 187,571.0 5.3 7.2 Leisure spending 90,146.5 1.8 6.5 190,437.0 2.1 7.1 Business spending 17,777.7 0.4 7.4 36,080.6 0.4 6.6 Capital investment 34,523.2 6.2 9.3 71,067.9 6.9 6.5 Total contribution to GDP Direct contribution to employment Total contribution to employment 4 4 % of total 2015 US$mn Growth % of total Growth 3 1 2014 constant prices & exchange rates; 2 2015 real growth adjusted for inflation (%); 32015-2025 annualised real growth adjusted for inflation (%); 4’000 jobs MICEtalk May 2015 17 country talk Meetings, Scotland Photo: Wilderness Scotland Think Think 18 MICEtalk May 2015 Famous for its scenic beauty, vibrant culture and stunning heritage, Scotland offers an immense and diverse range of venues and accommodation, making the most of a lucrative meetings and incentive market. From cutting-edge convention centres, state-of-the-art venues to wonderful hospitality, Scotland has an amazing array of venues to suit any business event. Vaishali Dar country talk S cotland offers the perfect setting for exhibitions, presentations and business events. These raise awareness of the destination and possibilities for MICE events be it conferences or incentives. Given that the primary means to develop MICE business from India is through face to face meetings and presentations at international trade exhibitions such as IMEX and IBTM, Scotland becomes the ideal country for MICE from India. Special incentives for large groups VisitScotland manages a conference bid fund for international, not-for-profit conferences. The key objectives and uses for the bid fund are: ¢ To attract high yield, high spend international conferences linked to Scotland’s areas of expertise in industry, commerce or science and medicine ¢ To enable Scotland’s cities and destinations to be competitive within the international conference market ¢ To attract additional international conferences that may not be attracted without subvention Convention facilities The Scottish landscape is dotted with impressive castles and stately homes, preserving a colourful history. From a small board meeting of 10 to a larger conference of 500, Scotland has a range of hotels with conferencing and meeting facilities to suit clients’ needs, from boutique hotels perfect for incentive groups to resort hotels with world-class golf and spa facilities. The country’s Scotland’s business tourism industry is worth more than £1.9 billion according to the UK Economic Impact Study (UKEIS), commissioned by the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Foundation. compact geography and the positioning of its great cities in close vicinity of its great landscapes makes it perfect for those who wish to combine work with pleasure. Delegates can unwind with a whole range of activities, from wildlife safaris to whitewater rafting and, of course, golf courses galore, are just some of the things on offer. Lindsay Brown Marketing Manager Emerging Markets & Special Projects Business Events VisitScotland Edinburgh International Conference Centre: Situated in the heart of Scotland’s elegant and historic capital city, the EICC is one of the world’s outstanding venues for conferences, conventions and exhibitions. Its outstanding facilities include the spectacular 1200 raked-seating Pentland Suite which offers event organisers the utmost star outlet Andy Murray, Scottish sporting icon and Wimbledon champion, has purchased and revamped the Cromlix House Hotel, near his home town of Dunblane. Complete with meeting rooms and tennis courts, the hotel boasts a Chez Roux restaurant and is bound to be a hit with business and leisure visitors alike. Aberdeen Exhibition and Convention Centre MICEtalk May 2015 19 country talk Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre Bell’s Bridge flexibility, transforming into three separate auditoria at the touch-of-a-button. A further four flexible suites subdivide to create 11 fully self-contained meeting areas, ideal for breakout sessions, organisers’ offices or catering. And the stunning Cromdale Hall offers banqueting for 850 people or 1185 sqm of exhibition space. The purpose-built centre offers the very best in facilities and technology; and an experienced, enthusiastic team helps to ensure a successful event. The centre has a huge team of specialists with excellent industry knowledge to ensure a successful event. With world-class facilities and services, the centre offers ‘Plan-it green’, a sustainable events programme, that implements earthfriendly practices by sourcing and purchasing environmentally sensitive products and services locally, whenever possible. Purchasing organic fresh and sustainable foods locally grown, apply eco-friendly practices in their daily operations, energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems, as well as water-saving devices. did you know? X Scotland was home to nearly 3,000 castles at one point. This figure now stands at around 600. X Scotland is the ‘Home of Golf’. The game has flourished in the country for six centuries. There are over 500 golf courses in Scotland – more per head of population than anywhere else on the globe. X Many of the world’s greatest innovations can be traced back to Scotland or Scots including television, telephone, world’s first cloned mammal, criminal fingerprinting, pneumatic tyre, flushing toilets, penicillin and whisky amongst many others. 20 MICEtalk May 2015 Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre: Located in the district of Finnieston on the north bank of the River Clyde, Glasgow, SECC is Scotland’s largest exhibition centre with 22,355 sqm of flexible space, in five halls, ranging in size from 775 sqm to 10,065 sqm, all at ground level. The 3,000-seat, Clyde Auditorium is not only superbly equipped, purpose-built conference centre, it has become an icon of Glasgow and a symbol of the regeneration of the river Clyde. Two purpose built auditoria and an additional 31 meeting rooms, equipped with technical facilities of the highest standard. SECC is Scotland’s premier national venue for public events and conferences. The Centre provides a wide range of conference and exhibition facilities along with a 4-star hotel. The SECC is the perfect location for any concert or event; the flexible design of the halls, the range of sizes, seating layouts that can be created, means that the space can be enlarged or reduced to suit. Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre: Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre is one of the foremost conference, event and concert venues in Scotland. With an arena which can hold up to 8,500 people and a range of bespoke packages available to help with arrangements, providing the right technical equipment and catering, the AECC’s in-house team provides planning, implementation and administrative support. Whether it is for two people, 2,000 or more, the centre offers AV/IT, catering, event management and exhibition teams inhouse with a variety on taste and budget. The region offers every possible kind of dining experience – from traditional cafés to luxury restaurant establishments. country talk Incentive activities in Scotland: (Clockwise from top) Off road driving, Gleneagles; Gorge walking; Tree top adventures; Rigid inflatable boat ride Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa: Overlooking Edinburgh Castle, the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa forms part of a unique gathering place, together with the vibrant One Square and awardwinning One Spa. Many guests enjoy their own Grand Memories here and it’s easy to see why. Travellers can take part in falconry activities to experience the thrill of handling and interacting with birds of prey. All guest rooms feature opaque glass-walled bathrooms and media hubs, with many enjoying views of Edinburgh Castle, while the bar and restaurant, One Square, serves a delicious range of British classics and over 50 varieties of gin throughout the day. And what better way to reenergise than a soothing spa treatment at One Spa, followed by some time in the 19-metre swimming pool. The flexible meeting and events complex is the largest of its kind in an Edinburgh hotel. It encompasses 1,500 sqm of meeting space, includes 14 meeting rooms and has its own private entrance from the hotel forecourt. Edinburgh is an inspirational place to be and the Sheraton Grand is perfectly placed for exploring this fascinating capital city. Gleneagles Resort: The Gleneagles Hotel, just one hour’s drive from both Glasgow and Edinburgh, is one of Scotland’s most luxurious 5-star resorts and a member of the leading hotels of the world. When Gleneagles opened in 1924 it was 22 MICEtalk May 2015 described as “a Riviera in the Highlands” — today it remains dedicated to excellence, just as it was in its earliest days. Offering guests an unrivalled choice of sports and leisure facilities, Gleneagles is truly a world class resort. Three 18-hole golf course, equestrian school, tennis, squash, swimming, croquet, cycling, off-road driving, are a few of the activities offered in the resort. The activities This summer Scotland will host the Meetings & Incentive Forum Europe at Edinburgh. From June 29 to July 3, over 500 meeting and incentive buyers and suppliers from across Europe will convene in the Scottish capital city for two days of business networking opportunities. In addition to intensive workshop appointments at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, delegates will have the opportunity to mix through a series of networking activities and events to discover first hand locations in and around Edinburgh. Following the event buyers will also have the chance to explore the rest of Scotland on a familiarisation trip. country talk spa at Gleneagles by ESPA is a sanctuary within the hotel. Spacious, calming areas allow you to relax before and after treatments. Arrive early and prepare your skin by exploring the temperature sensations in the heat experiences area. Sink down into the striking vitality pool, sit back in the sauna and steam rooms and then relax by the tranquil pond in the courtyard garden. With 20 treatment rooms and so many ESPA treatments to choose from, not forgetting the delicious range of superfood bento boxes and fresh fruit smoothies from Deseo at The Spa, it is easy to be pampered all day. Trump Turnberry: An iconic landmark on the spectacular Ayrshire coastline, Turnberry is the world’s original golf resort with over a century of hospitality and tradition. It is a place that presents championship golf, award winning cuisine, family adventures and a relaxing spa. With a sparkling selection of accommodation, including family rooms and exceptional suites — overlooking the famous links golf courses and the sea beyond, discover the perfect blend of Scottish hospitality and timeless design of deluxe ocean view rooms. Fairmont St Andrews: Fairmont St Andrews is one of Scotland’s largest hotel conference venues, offering an array of space and flexibility for all meetings and incentives. Their dedicated event planners organise events like product launches, meetings, conferences, gala dinners and incentive getaways. The resort conference centre is one of the largest in Scotland with over 1393 sqm of diverse, state of the art conference space, able to accommodate from 12 to 600 delegates. The largest space measures at 574 sqm and has direct external access. Ten flexible meeting areas are available all with natural daylight and external access and the traditional Founders Boardroom encompasses stunning views over the coast and St Andrews. Our 80 ft high, glass topped Atrium acts as an excellent pre function or main function space, ensuring a wow factor on entry to the event. Cityscape Scotland has a wide selection of purpose-built conference centres in the key cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen with high-tech facilities to cater for all types of events. Scotland draws appreciation for its hubs of academic expertise: universities, colleges and research facilities. Many universities have facilities for conferences and business events. There is a wide array of unique venues for events with a difference. You can hold meetings in historic castles, science centres, whisky distilleries, tree houses and many more! Sharing ideas and finding new ways of doing things is what Scotland does best. This culture of creativity makes Scotland the nucleus of MICE activities. A tour of Scotland is incomplete without listening to the music of the iconic bagpipe, Scotland’s national musical instrument. Edinburgh: The City Centre offers a variety of dining options. One of the beautiful restaurants, The Dome in Edinburgh, is a magnificent building, Photo: David Balfour EICC Exterior MICEtalk May 2015 23 country talk Glasgow: Glasgow is a city with everything to offer. It is Scotland’s cultural capital and one of the most dynamic cities in Europe: steeped in culture, rich in history, with elegant streets, squares, parks and gardens; the name Glasgow actually means “dear green place”. What’s more, it’s one of the UK’s finest Victorian cities with magnificent architecture everywhere you look. Glasgow is home to Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet. It has one of Europe’s finest civic art collections in galleries such as the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery and the Burrell Collection and entry into all 27 of the city’s galleries is free. India – An Evolving Mice Market Over the last few years, there has been a steady rise in the number of enquiries and visits from the Indian MICE market. There is definitely a growing curiosity beyond London, and Scotland is seen as an easy bolt-on to European itineraries. There are 121 direct flight routes to the UK from India, and a growing number of route developments direct from Scotland to the Middle East through Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, are allowing for quicker access. Visa improvements are also aiding in making the destination more attractive. Bollywood Connection Scotland is an adventure playground with several outdoor activities for delegates such as country sports, rafting, kayaking, foraging, etc. located in the heart of Edinburgh and which dates back over 200 years. The site of The Dome was originally the site of the Old Physicians Hall, built and designed by James Craig, the celebrated planner of Edinburgh’s New Town. At one time a former bank, the building has been tastefully restored to provide a stylish setting for dinners and meetings. As guests enter through the Corinthian Portico, they can savour the elegance, comfort and service that the Dome offers today. The Edinburgh Castle is one of the most famous castles in the world. The castle stands on an extinct volcano, which has been a fortress from time immemorial. a rising conference hub Scotland attracts international association conferences covering everything from life sciences and education to food and drink and renewable energy. This attracts target sectors, conference centres and hotels throughout the country. The emerging markets too have turned focus to Scotland, with an increasing number of enquiries from China and India in particular for incentive trips, conferences, and corporate retreats. 24 MICEtalk May 2015 VisitScotland is launching a campaign to encourage Bollywood film fans to come to Scotland. Over the past two decades there have been 23 Indian films that have used Scottish locations. The Bollywood industry, based in the Indian city of Mumbai, is famous for its lavish productions and extravagant song and dance routines. The first Bollywood films to shoot in Scotland were screen legend Dev Anand’s Main Solah Baras Ki and Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998. They featured Scottish landmarks including Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Eilean Donan Castle in the Highlands and Crossraguel Abbey in Ayrshire. Year of food & drink Scotland is blessed with some of the best natural produce in the world, as well as a rich cultural heritage and breath-taking scenery. This year is marked as The Year of Food and Drink Scotland 2015 campaign which is dedicated to celebrate Scotland’s outstanding natural larder further develop Scotland’s reputation as a land of food and drink. Year of Food and Drink Scotland 2015 is a Scottish Government initiative led in partnership by EventScotland, VisitScotland and Scotland Food & Drink. Food and drink is an important part of Scottish cultural identity and heritage and is a key strength in promoting Scotland as a holiday destination. city talk Royal Ontario Museum Toronto Calling The Indian outbound market is showing rapid growt growth, th including large movement on the MICE front. Tourism Toronto is keen on capitalising this boom by highlighting the facilities that it possesses to host large groups. Read on to find out what makes Toronto a unique city for MICE activities and what distinguishes it from the rest. Hazel Jain 26 MICEtalk May 2015 city talk Metro Convention Centre W Toronto witnessed an excellent start by hosting 4,000 delegates of Amway India in 2014 where every single delegate got a visa. It has also been able to extend its hospitality to other corporate giants such as TATA AIA, Ultra Tech Cement and Asian PPG and is in talks with more Indian companies for this year. Convenient facilities Three hotels downtown with 1,000 guest rooms or more and meeting facilities to match also allow for large self-contained groups to meet in Toronto. What makes Toronto a great destination for MICE travellers is that it has a very capable infrastructure with strong accommodation capacity as well as modern, well-equipped conference venues. Apart from this, the city is also home to some of the iconic Canadian attractions making it best suited for MICE trips. MICE groups can choose from a variety of event venues, lodging options and restaurants serving Indian food. Being the most ethnically diverse city in the world and home to one of the largest South Asian communities outside India, Toronto not only boasts dozens of Indian cuisine restaurants but also a large infrastructure of Indian catering options and a true understanding of the importance of delivering authentic, honest Indian food. In 2014, Toronto hosted 4000 delegates of Amway India INFO ith one of the busiest international airports in North America (second only to JFK, New York), Toronto is becoming the top choice for many international corporate group events with a large downtown convention facility and amazing infrastructure in terms of accommodation and nightlife. With respect to India though, Toronto is a relatively new and unexplored destination in this segment. Tourism Toronto is therefore working aggressively with the travel trade fraternity to collectively project Toronto as a preferred long-haul MICE destination for clients in India. MICEtalk May 2015 27 city talk Targeting Emerging Markets Mark Crawford Director, International Business Development Tourism Toronto INTERVIEW What are you doing to get more MICE traffic? We conducted an India sales mission in Mumbai and Delhi this February. We have traditionally been leaders in incentivising large MICE groups but never smaller groups of 300400 people. We have now decided to attract small MICE groups with less than 1,000 room nights. We are launching a programme in India this March, which will be the first international source market to have it. With the launch of non-stop services from Toronto to Delhi by Air Canada, effective November 2015, we hope for the business to increase from India. What about bigger groups? We already have in place an incentive programme for larger groups, which is on a case-to-case basis but it’s substantial. Last year, we had helped Amway India offset some of their costs by putting in some financial incentives. What segments are you focussing on? The agenda for us started about a year-and-ahalf ago when we decided as a city we needed to be more proactive in the emerging markets. We therefore decided to set up shop in India, China and Japan and Brazil to follow. We are certainly the only North American city that I know of that has representation specifically corporate group business. We are not selling association, we are not even after delegates that are taking part in congresses. We are focussed on corporate incentive business from India but also multi-national corporate meetings. Liberty Grand Entertainment Offers for groups Besides being an incredibly inspiring and motivating destination for participants of any incentive or MICE programme, Tourism Toronto can also play a role in assisting groups from India to make the programme the best it’s ever been. For groups producing over 1,000 room nights during the programme, financial incentive offers can be extended to the corporate end user and the amount is dealt on a case to case basis. Mark Crawford, Director (International Business Development), Tourism Toronto, says, “We are also working to develop an incentive scheme that will prove ‘extra’ for groups with smaller room night totals. These offers will be for corporate group business only (mainly incentives) and not in conjunction with an association event or leisure group.” unique venues Toronto has unique event venues and a fabulous nightlife. Its famous ‘Little India’ caters to one of the largest South Asian communities in the world outside India. The Niagara Falls is less than 90 minutes from downtown. The city features various Indian restaurants, venues for seminars and meetings, shopping centres, premium lodging options and heritage locations. 28 MICEtalk May 2015 Tourism Toronto, Toronto’s Convention & Visitors Association, is an industry association of more than 1,100 members established to sell and market the greater Toronto region as a remarkable destination for tourists, convention delegates and business travellers around the globe. Tourism Toronto operates in partnership with the Greater Toronto Hotel Association and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. MICE venues Canada’s largest and most cosmopolitan city of Toronto boasts of having unique event venues and fabulous nightlife. Its famous ‘Little India’ caters EVENT VENUES city talk Here are some of the most anticipated corporate event venues, conference centres, hotels and restaurants in Toronto. Bellwoods Brewery is planning to open a new space this summer in a 20,000-sqft warehouse at Dupont Street and Dovercourt Road. U Lansdowne Brewery which is expected to open by summer will occupy a space in the Bloordale and Brockton Triangle neighbourhood as a selfrunning brewpub. The brewery will house 10 barrels and plans to produce 1,000 barrels in its first year of production. nion Station, Canada’s busiest passenger transportation hub, is undergoing a renovation that will largely finish by this summer to accommodate crowds for the Pan Am Games. It will include expanded transit concourses as well as a restoration and preservation of the station’s heritage elements including three event spaces: the Great Hall (14,000 sqft), the West Wing (4,000 sqft) and the East and West Carriageways. The Mattamy National Cycling Centre, a velodrome that is the official home to Canadian Cycling, has opened this year. The space includes a 250-metre cycling track, a 300-metre walking track, and several fitness and meeting studios. Opening in late 2015, Hotel X Toronto has a prime location on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition and is connected by skybridge to the Allstream Centre. The 406-room hotel will cater to the sports and entertainment markets with a 71,000-sqft sports club and spa and the 11,500-sqft Cinematech, which will include a box office, a 294-seat theatre, two screening rooms, and a film editing suite. Also slated to open this year, Bar Raval comes from chef Grant van Gameren of Bar Isabel fame along with partners Mike Webster and Robin Goodfellow. The space will have a Spanish tavern vibe with coffees, snack foods, and cocktails. It will seat about 40. Inspired by Taiwan’s street food, Kanpai Snack Bar is slated to open in Cabbagetown. From co-owners Trevor Lui and chef Ike Huang, the bar and restaurant will have a beverage menu of classic and playful cocktails and an open kitchen. The historic Maple Leaf Tavern across from Gerrard Square is undergoing a renovation and will reopen in the fall as a gastropub with Toronto chef Eric Wood in the kitchen. Dark Horse Espresso Bar, the indie coffee chain with four locations throughout the city, will open a new spot in the 80,000-sqft Artisan Factory building in Dovercourt Village. to one of the largest South Asian communities in the world outside India. The Niagara Falls is less than 90 minutes from downtown and offers a taste of what defines Canada as large, safe, modern and exciting urban centers on the edge of pristine nature. With the aim to introduce Toronto as a preferred MICE destination, Tourism Toronto organises road shows in metro cities. “The objective of such programmes is to educate travel agents within these cities on various features offered by the destination as well as aid them in planning Niagara helicopter tour A trip to Toronto is not complete without a view of the spectacular Niagara Falls. You can go for a helicopter lift-off to the cascading waterfall. For over 50 years, Niagara Helicopters has been thrilling people from around the world. You will be safe and comfortable in the six-passenger Bell 407 helicopter. The 12-minute tour includes on board commentary in different languages. 30 MICEtalk May 2015 city talk Hockey Hall of Fame handling MICE queries,” Tourism Toronto provides information on various attractions including the recentlyintroduced Edge Walk on the CN Towers, various Indian restaurants, venues for seminars and meetings, shopping centers, premium lodging options and heritage locations that feature in the city. These seminars serve as a promotional platform to engage with travel trade and create awareness about Toronto and its significance as a MICE location. Crawford says, “Our aim has been to introduce Toronto as a preferred MICE destination among the Indian corporates. Since the longhaul destination is relatively new, we have been focusing on educating our trade partners in order to create a comfort level among them to sell it to the MICE market. MICE groups can choose from a variety of unique event venues, exciting nightlife options and multiple restaurants serving Indian cuisines.” Things to do post event Toronto is one of the few cities in the world to have consistently been ranked at the top when it comes to global competitiveness, innovation and quality of life. It has great tourism infrastructure besides being home to one of the largest South Asian communities in the world. Toronto’s ‘Little India’ has over a hundred authentic shops and restaurants catering to Indian tastes and the city is home to some of North flight connections Via Europe through all major European carriers like Turkish Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and British Airways. Air Canada is also starting direct flights from Delhi to Toronto this year. did you know? X Toronto has over 9,000 restaurants and over 43,000 hotel rooms. The Toronto Islands, just a short ferry ride away from downtown Toronto, comprise the largest urban car-free community in North America. They are also a very popular recreational destination and home to the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. America’s best attractions like Ripley’s Aquarium, Canada’s Wonderland, The Royal Ontario Museum and the CN Tower to name but a few. Venues Metro Toronto Convention Centre: This is Canada’s largest convention centre with 55,742 sqm of exhibit and meeting space and two ballrooms. As a multi-award winning green facility, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre also offers green meeting options. Direct Energy Centre and Allstream Centre: Direct Energy Centre is Canada’s largest trade and consumer show facility with over 92,903 sqm of exhibition space. Allstream Centre is Canada’s newest, most environmentally responsible conference facility with 14,864 sqm of meeting and convention space International Centre: One of Canada’s leading multipurpose facilities offering over 46,452 sqm of exhibit and meeting space and a brand new Conference Centre. Toronto Congress Centre (Airport Area) Toronto Congress Centre: One of Canada’s leading trade show and convention venues offering 92,903 sqm of exceptional facilities. Metro Toronto Convention Centre uses green power for all its administrative offices and electronic signage INFO itineraries and Crawford adds. MICEtalk May 2015 31 debate MICE Cornerstone of Hospitality Business? The increase in business travel volume and spend over the last few years has not only meant an added push for tourism industry but for the hospitality sector as well. We spoke to industry experts to find out how the spike in MICE activity has meant better business for the sector. Vaishali Dar Rahul Joshi General Manager, Hilton Jaipur M ICE has indeed become an important segment for the hospitality industry as it contributes significantly to revenue generation in all areas of the hotel, from rooms, F&B to meeting and event spaces. In addition to a positive impact on revenues it also interestingly gives rise to a new thought process where hotels strategise their business models to optimise this segment. To cater to the opportunities provided by the MICE segment, hotels are also customising their design and service styles. For destinations MICE has been a big contributor in driving business to the city. Jaipur is emerging as one of the most popular destinations in India and has captured a lot of attention from national and international conferences and events. To capitalise on such opportunities, Hilton Jaipur offers a fresh and contemporary feel with its well-appointed rooms, flexible and elegant meeting and event spaces, fully equipped with latest audio visual technology, making it an ideal venue for mid-sized conferences and exclusive events. Anil Malhotra General Manager, Vivanta by Taj, Dwarka, NCR Hotels are one of the most important stakeholders in the MICE industry as they provide venues for meetings as well as accommodation for the delegates. MICE business not only translates into revenue with accommodation and convention charges but also allows visiting delegates to experience the facility and capability of the hotel for all future references thereby helping in the best form of promotion i.e. word of mouth. MICE is one of the most important segments in the hospitality business for generating revenue. Vivanta by Taj – Dwarka, New Delhi is a great fit for this segment. It offers more than 17,000 sqft of flexible meeting and event facilities. The nine meeting rooms accommodate anything from discrete board meetings and small, intimate social occasions to elegant cocktail receptions, sophisticated weddings and stylish conferences. The high tech video-conferencing facilities, integrated digital audio systems and soundproofing ensure that every conference is special. The ballroom with its 27 feet height makes it the perfect venue for product launches and elegant social events. 32 MICEtalk May 2015 debate Megha Ajgaonkar Director of Sales and Marketing Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel MICE tourism has evolved in the past years from small corporate groups with planned meetings to professionally organised trade shows. It is often a specialised area with its own exhibition like IMEX, EIBTM and AIME to name a few. MICE Tourism is one of the critical business contributors to the hospitality sector today including hotels, F&B and the aviation industry. As one of the largest convention centre spaces in Mumbai, The Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel enjoys large MICE events through the year accompanied by rooms and catering requirements. The hotel not only benefits commercially by hosting these events but also increases its visibility across a section of customers from industry opinion makers to corporate honchos, which helps in building brand awareness and future MICE business requirements. did you know? X Research suggests that approximately 40% of business travellers will return with their families or colleagues as leisure visitors if they have enjoyed visiting on business. X Based on present trends 13 lakh jobs will be directly added annually on account of business tourism without any intervention from the government. X The total market size of the tourism and hospitality industry in India stood at US$ 117.7 billion in 2011 and is anticipated to touch US$ 418.9 billion by 2022. Pankaj Mathur General Manager, The Suryaa, New Delhi MICE tourism is an integral part of the hospitality sector and is always important for generating revenue. It helps in enhancing and supporting hospitality and the tourism infrastructure by creating an economically important rationale for non-leisure travel. Hosting conferences and meetings are not only very benefitting and contribute significantly to the revenue of the hotel but MICE tourism also helps in building the brand of our hotel, employment creation and infrastructure development. MICE tourism necessarily interacts with many other sectors in the process of carrying out its activities. In particular, it works closely with business, academic and professional communities who represent important users of its products. The tourism and hospitality sectors have always been at the profitable end, supported by incremental demand for travel, accommodation and infrastructure for MICE, with service delivery and destination promotion being added to it. The tourism industry wants to capitalise on MICE and grow the sector. MICE tourism rakes in three times more receipts than leisure tourism with knock-on effects on local hotels in terms of revenue generation. MICE tourism has huge potential to sustain the country’s economy through revenue generation and employment creation while increasing destination awareness. Kingshuk Chakraborty General Manager, Golden Tulip, Vasundhara Delhi NCR With the launch of our premium property in NCR, we are hopeful of expanding into small and focussed incentive groups. At the same time, it is very important to meet the needs and comfort of the present day traveller and offer an array of modern amenities. So, whether the guests are travelling on business or leisure we offer them the best service and facilities. Corporate meeting planners ensure that meetings are productive and the company gets value for the money it spends. From being a contemporary business hotel in Delhi/ NCR that offers 162 rooms along with a multi cuisine restaurant, to rooftop grill restaurant bar and lounge and 10,000 sqft banquet space, we offer all the required elements for a MICE event. A large portion of the hospitality business depends on rooms, food and beverage from the in-house group and this specialised business comes from the small scale industries as well. As a hospitality group, we cater to the choice and preference of the local clientele by offering both vegetarian and non vegetarian options in our outlets, incorporating the local flavours of each region, which no other hotel offers in the vicinity. Thus, meeting the demands of guests in both large and small groups, social and corporate events and making Golden Tulip an ideal choice for business and leisure travellers in the region. MICEtalk May 2015 33 debate Tanya Viegas Mice Sales Manager, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa The MICE segment of tourism specifically in terms of hotels forms one of its most important elements. Apart from assisting with volumes in terms of room revenue, this segment also touches upon incremental business from other streams such as catering, recreation, food and beverage and overall, total hotel revenue. In most cases, it helps in forming a base for the hotel which would assist with yielding and maximising room rates thus driving hotel occupancies. Due to the rise in MICE tourism and growing demand, hotel chains have shifted from traditional models to customisation. Specialised MICE event and sales teams are the need of the hour, thus increasing job opportunities in the sector. MICE tourism will continue to be the cornerstone of hotel business for the future. Arindam Chakraborty General Manager Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Ludhiana The MICE market has benefitted hotels exponentially as certain hotels have geared up their strategies to suit the specific needs of corporates with meeting requirements. It’s a win-win for both the hotels and the corporates who partner together for the success of such events. The organisation ends up giving a value event to their team which goes a long way in securing employee motivation and teamwork, while the participating hotel gets to showcase their product to a new set of people whose chances of visiting the property would’ve been low otherwise. This secures the possibility of future visits by team members who are part of the MICE event in their individual capacity. The MICE segment has grown significantly as corporate big-wigs are pushing for off-site team-building exercises, rewards and recognition programmes to build team morale and tackle the larger problem of “organisational attrition”. Pulkesin Mohan General Manager The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake Gurgaon MICE is the fastest growing segment in Asia. The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake generates 50 per cent of the revenue from offsite, conferences and training sessions. Everyone wants to travel outside the city limits yet stay close. Corporates understand the importance of staff retention by way of conducting motivational programmes/conferences that allows them to break through mundane routines at the work place and feel fresh. The world is extremely competitive and all companies want to have an upper edge, they want their employees to work hard and party even harder. While these conferences and training sessions are one-time, the participants of these conferences return with their families for leisure allowing hotels to maintain a constant momentum. Opinion X MICE tourism helps promote hospitality business through venue and room bookings for meetings, and hotels do their best to make it a perfect combination of business and pleasure. With the rising demand, hotels are catering to both large and small meetings and incentive groups. The prospects for the MICE industry indicate a quick comeback with the improving economy, which is showing a renewed demand for exhibitions, meetings and events to showcase latest products. 34 MICEtalk May 2015 yours officially Focus Dubai Incentive Destination Harsha Krishnan The presence of top class DMC’s like Pacific World ensures that clients get excellent service, bespoke programmes and 100% client satisfaction. With the rise in incentives at global trade shows and the increase in the number of flights by Emirates to accessible incentive destinations, Dubai has come into spotlight. Harsha Krishnan, Strategic Development Director at Pacific World, tells us how Dubai has emerged as a premium destination for meetings and what makes it the most sought-after region. What has lead to a rise in incentives in Dubai? The recent rise in interest for this region has been influenced by two key factors. Primarily, the exemption of Eastern European countries from UAE tourist visas has enabled meeting planners from countries including Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, Malta, Cyprus, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria to consider Dubai as a more realistic and less complicated destination for their events in terms of logistics. Second, Emirates has opened several new routes, including Chicago, Boston, Oslo, Brussels, Kiev, Taipei, Kano, Abuja has also placed Dubai as a much more accessible incentive destination. The airline has also increased its number of flights to destinations including San Francisco, Houston, Doha, did you know? Q&A X Pacific World’s Destination Index Special Report has revealed that Dubai has become an increasingly popular and preferred destination for incentive travel programmes. The research has identified India, USA, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Benelux as key source markets placing business in the region with the majority of clients coming from the pharmaceutical, IT and automotive industries. Frankfurt, Karachi, Mumbai, Delhi, and the Seychelles. The airline currently flies into 142 destinations covering six continents. This definitely provides a huge advantage for clients looking to plan both international and regional events. Other factors contributing to the increased appeal of Dubai as a high-end luxury incentive destination include new city infrastructure such as the opening of Dubai Tram and the opening of a number of new hotels like The Four Seasons Jumeirah, the Sheraton Grand Hotel and the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights. How is Dubai encouraging MICE groups? Does the government offer incentives for large groups? The MICE infrastructure in the destination is the best in the world. This in conjunction with the presence of top class DMC’s like Pacific World ensures that the clients get excellent service, bespoke programmes and 100% client satisfaction. Dubai as a destination has been very focused on the MICE sector, and has demonstrated this through promoting the destination at various forums including major global trade shows. In addition to this, Dubai Business Events – The Convention Bureau has been actively promoting the destinations’ advantages and MICE infrastructure to key stakeholders who are planning international conferences and large scale events. MICEtalk May 2015 35 aviation Taking MICE to new heights Move beyond extravagant hotels and exotic destinations because meetings and events can now be organised in uber luxury. Accretion Aviation caters exclusively to the MICE and the HNI segments and offers classy yachts, charter planes and even choppers as unique backdrops for events across India. Hazel Jain I ndore-based Accretion Aviation, has started exclusive services for the corporate sector that were either difficult to obtain or not available a decade ago. With its unique and tailor-made services, the private luxury aviation company has made travelling and organising meetings and events effortless and easily accessible. According to Rahul Muchhal, Director, Accretion Aviation, the demand for exclusive luxury services has grown with the rise in the per capita income of Indians. “We have seen a surge 36 MICEtalk May 2015 on offer Private charters Helicopter tours as incentive for dealers or employees Yachts for corporate parties or board meetings Luxury cars for top management travelling within India Sailing yachts Air ambulance aviation in demand for such luxurious services which we found difficult to obtain in the past and we would like to offer hassle-free options for those people who want to enjoy such services at an affordable cost with excellent service.” A graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, Muchhal’s ultimate goal is to provide a unique way of travelling through his company. Amongst the few companies in India that provide luxury travel options, the services at Accretion Aviation range from helicopters, business jets to commercialsized airliners for corporate, group travellers and individuals to any destination within India and across the globe. “We get a lot of demands from companies when their top management needs to visit multiple cities in a couple of days. We identify the itinerary with the client and make it possible for them to achieve what they want without wasting time did you know? X Accretion Aviation has come up with a concept of “Joy Plan your work Meet on yachts Rahul Muchhal Accretion Aviation caters exclusively to the MICE sector. We spoke to Rahul Muchhal, Director, Accretion Aviation to know more about the advantages of using the tailormade services. Do you offer team-building activities? We have a sailing programme where people are divided into teams of four. We give them a basic lesson on sailing which ends with a race. Sailing is a great team-building sport since every person must do the job right in order to win the race. Many corporates also conduct business meetings on our yachts. Do you offer any special deals for bigger groups? We have special pricings for corporates and since the products are customised, the price varies according to the needs. Rides”. Clients can take a joyride for 20 minutes or more and get a bird’s eye view of the city. X Most clients take this service to celebrate a special occasion, conduct real estate surveys or aerial photography. Special services like cutting a cake 10,000 feet up in the air are also available. Flying over Mumbai costs `7,500 per person for 20 minutes. and making their experience a luxurious one. For instance, we did a three-store opening in less than two hours for one of the leading jewellery stores in Mumbai. Their aim was to inaugurate all their stores in Mumbai on the same day,” Muchhal stated. Apart from aircraft and helicopters, the company also provides yachts on rent in Mumbai, Goa and Chennai. It also rents out a wide variety of vintage cars in most parts of India. “We book yachts for private parties and provide a guitarist as part of an extended service. We have all the amenities required for a corporate meeting including WiFi through 3G, mobile connectivity, on-board serving staff, private butlers and a chef,” Muchhal added. Which are your most popular products? Our most popular products are helicopter tours and yachts for two-hour sailing. The company is working with a lot of travel agents and is looking to expand its network in the travel trade. MICEtalk May 2015 37 exhibition talk Extraordinary E Extravaganza 2015 Global nutrition company Herbalife is gearing up to host its Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2015, to be held from June 12-14 at Impact Exhibition and Convention Centre, Bangkok. The annual event is expected to attract more than 20,000 independent Herbalife members from 13 countries and promises to be one of the largest and most exciting mega events in Thailand this year. xtravaganza is Herbalife’s annual regional event for its members to celebrate their business success, as well as to receive the latest training in products and business building initiatives from Herbalife leaders and nutrition experts. This is the seventh time Herbalife has chosen Thailand to host this large-scale training event for its members from across Asia Pacific, representing Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Macau, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, President, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau said, “Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2015 is a perfect example of the kind of exciting, large-scale mega events we are passionate about supporting. Thailand is a key healthcare hub in Asia, so the country’s infrastructure and MICE facilities are keenly attuned to the needs of leading industry players such as Herbalife. As the Thai government’s official flagship body for the business events sector, TCEB is proud to foster the ongoing success of leading industry events such as Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2015.” TCEB extends both financial and non-financial support in the lead up to the event, such as venue rental subsidy, VIP management and 38 MICEtalk May 2015 exhibition talk airport arrival assistance. It gives advice on venue, accommodation and transportation options. TCEB also assists in coordination with the government agencies for public relations, promotion and access to exclusive venues as well as state-of-the-art facilities, skilled people who share the brand’s passion for creating events. TCEB is highlighting these traits in its recently launched “Thailand CONNECT The World” campaign, which highlights three key fundamental pillars of Thailand’s MICE industry: ¢ Destinations: Thailand’s five top tier business events cities are emphasised, offering limitless options both inside and outside the event venue. ¢ Business: It highlights how, as a world leader in industries such as food and agriculture, energy, automotive and machinery, healthcare and more, Thailand continues to harness regional integration to offer global prospects and opportunities to businesses seeking a springboard for success in the AEC. ¢ People: It emphasises Thailand’s proficient professionals who serve with effortless simplicity, gracious smiles and signature Thai service, as well as the benchmark-setting industry standards covering everything from meeting spaces to security. prominent events of 2015 in Thailand As a leading business event destination in Asia, Thailand will play host to a diverse line-up of confirmed major events in 2015: INTERMACH 2015: 13-16 May PROPAK Asia 2015 : 17-20 June Food & Hotel Thailand 2015: 2-5 September FDI 2015 Annual World Dental Congress: 22-25 September TBEX Asia 2015: 15-17 October One Young World Summit 2015 Bangkok: 18-21 November Thailand is a key healthcare hub in Asia, so the country’s infrastructure and MICE facilities are keenly attuned to the needs of leading industry players such as Herbalife. Thailand’s capability to hold mega events of this scale is also underscored by TCEB’s recently launched strategic direction to become Asia’s hub for festivals and mega events. The strategy emphasises the importance of strong partnerships between public and private sector counterparts, and outlines TCEB’s comprehensive support to win bids, promote Thailand as a preferred destination, and develop the capabilities of all industry participants. “We are confident that with leading events such as Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2015, the Thai business events sector will continue to grow strongly. This year, Thailand expects to welcome 1,036,300 business events visitors, generating revenue of approximately AUD 3.55 billion,” Nopparat concluded. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai President, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau has taken the lead on behalf of the Thai government in the development and success of Thailand’s MICE sector. Established in 2004, TCEB works to drive growth, elevate quality standards and inspire creativity in the industry. TCEB offers a range of advisory services and attractive support packages to contribute to the success and productivity of business events held in Thailand. This includes global outreach to build collaboration across a global network of MICE players. TCEB strives to create new business opportunities and lay the foundations for long term, sustainable industry growth. MICEtalk May 2015 39 technology Driving the traffic: Methods to increase Event App use Although mobile Apps for events have become increasingly popular, increasing the application use is still a hard task. Read on to find out how four key steps can increase traffic on your mobile App. Darren Edwards Darren Edwards is the founder of Invisage Creative Services in Australia. With more than 22 years’ of experience in the meetings and events industry, Darren continues to explore and develop creative design and innovative technology products to the benefit of the global event industry. Contact: [email protected] A mobile App for your event (trade show, convention, meeting, festival, etc) can be useful, valuable, and fun for attendees. It can provide you with a source of revenue and sponsorships. It can reflect well on your brand. Although, the App is helpful only if it is actually used. Here are the four necessary steps for a user to download and use your mobile App: 1 Participants must know the App exists Release the App well before your event: Give yourself plenty of time to promote the App along with the event itself. It’s easier for participants to download at their leisure rather when they arrive at your show with a million other priorities competing for their attention. Market and promote your App: Mention your App on your website, newsletter, and blog. Use social media like Twitter and Facebook to announce the App. Help it Go Viral: Give your exhibitors and sponsors a reason to spread the word by giving them the link to “their” page within the mobile web app. If your app includes “rating”, “like”, “favouriting” or “my schedule” functionality, suggest that exhibitors encourage their fans to download the app. Your App should include integrated social media allowing attendees to check-in or tweet about your event. Incentivise attendees to spread the word with a simple raffle entry in exchange for a tweet or a “like” with a link to the app. 2 Participants must want to use the App A Better Guide: Perhaps it goes without saying, but, the best way to encourage downloads of your App is to provide an App that participants find valuable and understand the benefits. More than Just a Guide: A mobile App provides intrinsic value by replacing paper guides with always-up-to-date searchable interactive location-aware mobile versions. A map of the surrounding city can lead attendees to restaurants and tourist attractions (and provide you with another source of sponsorship revenue). Weather information and flight status can help attendees plan their arrival and departure. The options are limited only by your imagination. After the Event: After the show, an App should still be a useful resource – a directory of key information about exhibitors and sessions, a collection of notes taken during the show, a contact list of networking connections, and more. As a connection between you and your attendees it can deliver relevant news and encourage them to return next year. 3 Participants must be able to find the App Make your App easy to find in the app stores: Increasingly people simply expect an app to exist for every large event and venue. Before they even look at your website they are likely to search in their app store. If yours isn’t a native app, they won’t find anything in the app stores. Similarly, if you use a generic event guide rather than a custom branded App for your event, participants won’t find your App in the app stores by searching for the name of your event. Make Your App Easy to Find Online: The other likely first step for participants is a Google search. Create a webpage describing and explaining the benefits of the app. If someone searches for “YOUR EVENT NAME mobile app”, there should be something to find. More lead time before the show means more time for Google to find and index your page. App developers will often provide this “landing page” as part of their service. 40 MICEtalk May 2015 technology Through the App, a map of the surrounding city can lead attendees to restaurants and tourist attractions. Weather information and flight status can help attendees plan their arrival and departure. Make Your App Easy to Find On-Site: Provide signage on site promoting the App. Have an interactive kiosk version of your app on site including a simple “take it with you” feature. Include an “up sell” of the App right in the printed guide. Pitch the additional benefits over paper – search, sort, interactivity, social media integration, calendar integration, contact list integration, etc. If you greet attendees at the door with a welcoming committee or have an on-site information booth, make sure they promote the app and are ready to answer any questions about it. A little face-to-face advice can go a long way. 4 The App must be easy to download Include a link on your Website: Installing the App should be accomplished with a simple link from the webpage about your App or directly from your website. 4 key steps to leverage the success of App usage Î Launch and Promotion Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter rule the promotion world. The best advertisement of the App will be through the user himself. Î Incentives The user should be given enough reasons for downloading the App. Useful benefits of usage for the user must be mentioned. Î Accessibility The user should be able to locate the App with no trouble. The App must be easily available on various App stores and your website. Î Installation The App should be easily downloaded. QR codes and text version of URLs should be mentioned on your website. URL easily. Your App developer should provide you with a QRC that helps participants install your App. This is possible only if the user has a QR code scanner. So it’s advisable to include a text version of the URL below the QR code – let the user choose which is easier for them. Use SMS to install App: On your website you can include an option to “send app to my phone” when the user enters their phone number. A simple “Text ‘ShowName’ to 5551234 to get mobile App” on your printed material and signage will provide an easy alternative to searching or QRC scanning. Deploy a native and mobile web App: The mobile web version provides quick easy-to-access content and the native App can be installed with a single click. QR Code to Install App and for Data Within the App: Create QR codes leading to an introduction page that includes a link to download the native App. Your App provider often creates these for you. Include them on your website, on on-site signage, in newsletters – anywhere you promote your event. Also, include QR codes for each exhibitor, each scheduled session, and each session room or venue. Post a QRC at each room to show the schedule of events within that room. Your App should include integrated social media allowing attendees to check in or tweet about your event INFO Use QR Codes and a text version of the URL: QR codes make it easy to get exactly the intended MICEtalk May 2015 41 hotel talk Conference in Comfort Hilton Jaipur Hilton’s first hotel in Rajasthan, Hilton Jaipur is a business and recreational property that exudes creativity, elegance, luxury and professional service. Located in the heart of the city, the hotel is positioned close to popular monuments, restaurants, shopping centres as well as corporate hubs. Read on to find out what makes it ideal for business and enjoyment. Location The hotel is strategically located and is a 20-minute drive from Jaipur Airport. Major tourist attractions like the City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Albert Hall Museum Civil Lines and MI Road are easily accessible. Hilton Jaipur is a 15-minute drive from Jaipur’s central business district, numerous banks, government offices and the industrial areas of Gopalpura and Vishwakarma. Convention areas MICE Hilton Jaipur offers 10,000 sqft of space for meetings and events. With the strategic location, state-of-the-art audio-visual facilities, specially designed customised menus and attentive service, Hilton Jaipur provides the perfect venue for exclusive mid-sized and intimate business meetings, as well as social gatherings. The four features that make Hilton Jaipur the ideal choice for all corporate affairs are: ¢ The pillar-less Turquoise Grand Ballroom is elegantly designed and features a 21-ft high ceiling with striking light fixtures and warm colours, providing ample space for mid-sized meetings and social gatherings. This ballroom is divisible into two areas and has a large prefunction area along with open-air patio to it. ¢ The Lavender Room is ideal for small social gatherings, business meetings and training sessions with an adjacent pre-function area to serve lunch or dinner. ¢ Naturally lit, The Boardroom comes fully equipped with an attached 24-hour Business Centre and is well-suited for successful and uninterrupted meetings. ¢ Meeting Rooms I and II can accommodate upto ten and six people respectively and are connected to the Business Centre. directions Distance from the airport: 11 km Drive time from the airport: 20 minutes Distance from railway station: 3 km Drive time from railway station: 8 minutes 42 MICEtalk May 2015 The MICE segment is growing rapidly and Jaipur being one of the favourite destinations in India has captured a fair amount of attention from this segment. This gives us the opportunity to be flexible with our service design and deliver unique experiences to guests with customised offerings. Accommodation The spacious and elegantly stylish guest rooms decorated with dark wood accents boast of private balconies ideal for lounging in the open air. The rooms offer total comfort and convenience as well as the scenic beauty of the city skyline and the magnificent Aravalli Hills. Dining Don’t miss out on the dining options where you get innovative and nutritious light bite, lunch and exotic dinner. Aurum is the global cuisine restaurant that provides a theatrical culinary experience with live stations and a tandoor kitchen. Chaandi brings Capacity of Meeting & Event Spaces MEETINGS & EVENTS SPACE AREA Turquoise 3,239 Turquoise-I 2,091 Turquoise-II 1,148 Pre-function AreaTurquoise 1,785 Pre-function AreaLavender 1,054 Lavender 1,012 Gardenia 3,250 Boardroom 440 Meeting Room-I 176 Meeting Room-II 144 (sqft) the best of contemporary Indian cuisine with open kitchen and al fresco poolside cabana seating especially open in the evenings. Krystal Bar is a trendy lounge bar with premium spirits and drinks. Recreational facilities If you wish to rejuvenate yourself after a daylong meeting, energise in the complimentary fitness center that overlooks the outdoor swimming pool. Treat yourself with a massage in the luxury spa or a haircut in the salon. Things to do The hotel is minutes away from popular tourist attractions and shopping hubs, as well as business and commercial districts. The location and the reassurance of the ‘Hilton Hotels & Resorts’ brand with Hilton HHonors guest loyalty programme is an added advantage. Rahul Joshi General Manager Hilton Jaipur The nearby shopping destinations like Bapu Bazaar, Johari Bazaar are famous for traditional Rajasthani handicrafts, clothing and gold and silver jewellery. Green standards Hilton as a brand ensures that sustainability measurements are taken and analyses for improvement at all times. Hilton Jaipur practices various green initiatives like rain water harvesting, use of biodegradable chemicals, use of LED lights, sensor taps, etc which help in reducing the negative impact on the environment during daily operations. MICEtalk May 2015 43 guest column How to Connect in the Carolyn Child Co-founder MyTravelResearch.com Digital Space? For Indian outbound travellers, it is very important to have travel-specific information on the Internet. Carolyn Child explains the importance of good digital assets for Indian businesses and how online information plays a significant role in both the traveller’s and travel organiser’s path to purchase. O ne of the great benefits of participating in Australia Business Week in India earlier this month was the chance for some ‘ethnographic’ observation of this exciting source market. One of the most noticeable observations we have made has been around the tech-savvy Indian market. on year growth of 32 per cent in Internet usage, from 2013 to 2014. Much of this increase can be attributed to the decrease in hardware costs and the resulting increase in mobile penetration. This is reflected in the penetration of smartphones: according to Nielsen 36 per cent of Indian mobile phone users are using smart phones. You can bet that many of the key decision-makers in the MICE space will be in that group. A jointly-published report from the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB (Indian Market Research Bureau) International stated that India was expected to surpass the US as the second largest internet user base globally, behind China, in December 2014. This same report indicated that India had shown a year Our research shows that in targeting the incentives market, a reputation as an inspiring destination is important. So having good and relevant digital assets for Indian businesses is important. Online information plays a significant role in both the traveller’s and travel organiser’s path to purchase. Amadeus estimates that a whopping 42 per cent of Indian business travellers used their smartphones for travel-related arrangements – again you can be very sure that key MICE decision-makers will be among them. Amadeus also indicated that Indian travellers love to use social media, during and after their travels. The report stated that approximately 47 per cent of Indians used social media frequently during their travels – a figure that was forecast to increase to almost 60 per cent by 2030. Their assertions have since been backed up by research undertaken by several National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), including the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) and our own Tourism Australia (TA). Tourism Australia 44 MICEtalk May 2015 The CTC, in their Global Tourism Watch study, established that a large percentage of Indian travellers share experiences both during and after their trip, with social media, blogging and online review sites being among the most popular guest column forums. These can form vital collateral for meeting planners, so make sure you are getting the most out of platforms like Google+, Facebook and Instagram. Pinterest is a tool that meeting planners (everywhere) are increasingly using to plan and create assets for proposals – so think about how you can facilitate that. Once safely back on home soil: ¢ 70% talked to friends and family about their trip ¢ 63% shared photos with friends and family either in person or via email ¢ 56% shared photos, messages and information about their trip on their social networks ¢ 31% submitted reviews about the attractions, hotels and restaurants they had patronised TA discovered that about 74 per cent of all active internet users in urban India used social media, with its usage ranking only behind email (80 per cent) in terms of online activities. The most accessed social website in India is Facebook, followed by Google+ and LinkedIn. But, before you move your entire marketing spend to online distribution channels to attract the lucrative Indian inbound market, note that travel agents remain extremely influential in India, with 80 per cent of travellers at least consulting with an agent at the planning stage (according to the CTC). So it is vital to make sure that you have both a sound digital strategy and good relationships with the trade. And, while approximately 50 per cent of Indian internet traffic for travel-related purposes now goes to online travel agencies, many of these agencies have recently established bricks-andmortar agencies or call centres, as additional distribution channels. In India more than most markets there is convergence between the online and offline worlds. Leveraging India’s tech-savviness ¢ Make sure you are digitally ready and well connected to the trade. Get your ducks in a row! A large percentage of Indian travellers share experiences both during and after their trip, with social media, blogging and online review sites being among the most popular forums. These can form vital collateral for meeting planners. ¢ It is important that your content is mobile friendly. Indian travellers are comfortable with browsing on the Internet and with receiving and responding to mobile ads. The good news is that there are two strategies – either keep it very simple (a straightforward text) or make it very engaging. ¢ Like everyone else, Indians judge brands by the speed with which their sites download. So make sure you know that your content can reach them quickly. ¢ Similarly, make sure your users can find their way back to where they were when they found you. More than half the Indians surveyed in the Nielsen study said that they were less likely to use or be influenced by sites that took them away from their original start point. ¢ Finally, once they are in destination (or close to a travel agent in India) use geo-location. Indian travellers are very open to ads or promotions that are relevant to the location they reach their. Tourism Australia found that about 74% of active Internet users in urban India used social media INFO ¢ 52% used a computer during their trip to help determine what they wanted to see or do and to share photos or messages to their social networks ¢ 41% used a mobile phone to share on social media ¢ 31% used a mobile app to help decide what activities they wanted to do ¢ 27% submitted reviews and opinions about specific attractions, restaurants and hotels to review sites James Horan at Destination NSW The CTC study noted: MICEtalk May 2015 45 venue talk L ocated at the riverfront on The Isthmus, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) is just 8 km from the centre of Kuching and commands a magnificent view of the world-renowned Borneo rainforest beyond. Kuching has frequent and convenient air links from Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia, as well as Singapore and Brunei. The recently renovated terminal complex is capable of handling five million passengers per annum and is the third largest airport in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Location Borneo Convention Centre Kuching is a unique convention centre created among the tranquility of the tropical rainforest. The centre is equipped with the latest in communication technologies how to reach? Taxis and car rentals are easily available in Kuching. It is about 15-20 minutes by car to BCCK from Kuching International Airport. with wireless Internet enveloping the whole area, cutting ledge LAN infrastructure and the latest in audio/visual technology. Design With a total built up space of 37,958 sqm, BCCK’s innovative design is both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sensitive. The building’s roof is designed after the “ririk leaf” which has been used by the indigenous people of Borneo for centuries and represents the jungle canopy which effectively disperses water. The building has been Themed Conventions in Borneo Rainforest One of Asia’s conference and convention hotspots, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching is the first purpose built international convention centre located on the mystical island of Borneo. With a rainforest themed architecture, the Centre is located in the eco-friendly state of Sarawak and is a very well-known MICE destination within Malaysia. Right next to the meandering Sarawak River which runs through the city, is the largest green, ultra-modern and dedicated centre boasting state-of-the-art facilities and 5-star services. venue talk AOCOG 2015 The Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Malaysia will host the 24th Asian & Oceanic Congress of Obstetrics & Gynaecology to be held at the Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia on June 3 – 6. cleverly designed to limit sunlight penetration and thereby reduces air-conditioning requirements. Facilities It has 14 meeting rooms, one great hall (that can be divided into four halls) with a total size of 2,793 sqm and pre-function areas. The Great Hall offers flexible space capable of seating almost 5, 000 people both on flat floor and tiered seating and can be quickly transformed into an exquisite banquet area for over 2,000 people or an exhibition area capable of hosting over 300 booths. An additional 14 meeting rooms cater events for 20 to 500 people while The Raintree Restaurant can seat up to 120 guests. Other facilities include VIP suites, prayer rooms, 800 car park spaces and a spacious registration foyer. Eating out Eating out in Malaysia is a real gastronomic adventure. The Raintree Restaurant at BCCK is no exception. Situated close to the Great Hall and Meeting Rooms, the restaurant offers a modern food concept of “Global Cuisine” – a combination of ethnic ingredients, the use of the classic basics of French cooking techniques and paired with Japanese food presentation skills. Headed by Chef de Cuisine, Virginia Kedit, the restaurant offers global cuisine prepared in French classic cooking method and Japanese presentation skills. Hotels in vicinity If you are planning an event at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, boarding and lodging is close at hand. A slew of hotels in the vicinity provide logistics support and services such as dedicated event planning teams and 5-star culinary production teams that provide a wide variety of menu options with ISO certification. Leisure activities Kuching has plenty of bars and restaurants (variety of Asian cuisines, fusion and international) to help attendees relax and unwind after the event. For those extending their visit, the city gives easy access to several nature parks and conservation areas, including Bako National With strong backing from the state government of Sarawak, BCCK offers an attractive proposition to conference buyers – pairing world-class convention facilities, international-branded hotels and modernity with culture, nature and adventurebased tourism – at favourable prices to conference buyers and delegates. These offerings are all within comfortable reach from the heart of Kuching. Eric Van Piggelen Chief Executive Officer Borneo Convention Centre Kuching Park and the Kuching Wetlands National Park, as well as the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, which operates an orangutan orphanage and rehabilitation programme. Convention support BCCK work very closely with Sarawak Convention Bureau that is an independent business travel destination marketing organisation – established by the Sarawak State Government. Their primary role is to assist meeting planners to present competitive bids, develop new meetings, maximise attendance through delegate boosting and develop tailor-made incentive proposals. did you know? X Inspired by the shape of the “Ririk Leaf”, the roof canopy is supported by a series of exposed structural elements resembling the trunks and branches of rainforest trees. The roof is shaped in the form of a ‘Ririk’ leaf, a rainforest plant that plays an important role in the local indigenous cultures. With environmental preservation in mind, rain water will automatically be channeled down the central vein of the leaf on the rooftop and collected for irrigation in the Centre’s gardens and grounds. MICEtalk May 2015 47 trends Breaking Bread Top Food Trends for Meetings As a key component of any meeting or conference, food not only breaks the monotony of a formal event but also becomes an ice breaker for the attendees. The recent years have witnessed a significant shift in the preference of healthy and gluten free food from the traditional greasy and heavy foods. The International Association of Conference Centre has discovered useful tips for meeting planners towards healthier conferences by announcing the Top 10 Conference Food Trends. Take a look. F ollowing extensive research among members of The International Association of Conference Centres (www.iacconline. org), the association released its Top 10 Conference Foods Trends for 2015, which are influencing catering choices of meeting planners across the globe. Mark Cooper CEO, International Association of Conference Centre Mark Cooper, CEO, International Association of Conference Centre said, “People are always looking for new and interesting ways to cater for their conference attendees and food has become so much more than just fuel. Recently there has been an enormous shift towards health and the impact that food can have on concentration and productivity. The trends identified in our research take this knowledge to the next level and will help meeting planners to deliver the ultimate experience when it comes to catering for conferences across the globe.” 1 48 MICEtalk May 2015 Go local The importance of adding a local feel to meetings has been identified as a major trend as attendees want to experience as much as they can about the meeting or event area. Friendly dining reception mid way through the event allows guests to meet and bond in a causal environment and build relationships while enjoying their meal. 2 Network your heart out Small plates of food items, continuously served in a reception format add a nice break to an extended event. Another popular choice is to hold a more substantial networking friendly dining reception mid trends way through your event as it provides a great way for guests to meet and bond in a casual environment and build relationships while enjoying their meal. 3 Small is the new big! 4 In with flavour, out with fats Bite size desserts have overtaken larger portions in popularity. Conference delegates turn their backs on the big slice of cake and head for the easy to handle signature bite size dessert station. Warm house made donuts, chocolate truffles, French macaroons and mini cupcakes top the list for planners. Healthy choices don’t need to resemble rabbit food and conference chefs work with exciting new ingredients including whole grains, protein alternative (quinoa, amaranth, tofu, beans) green vegetables (kales, spinach), low fat and low sugar foods which sound, look and taste great! 5 Cooking classes 6 Contrasting environments 7 Finale NOT gala Bite size desserts have overtaken larger portions in popularity. Conference delegates prefer the easy to handle signature bite size desserts. Nothing brings the team together like food. The opportunity to cook collectively can bring out hidden talent of a colleague. Culinary teambuilding has all the ingredients to cook up a winning team! Utilising outside space to create a change in scenery and a casual dining experience will revitalise attendees, especially during multi-day meetings and events. Make sure the last night of your event has all the components to create a dynamic environment and bring people together to celebrate the end of a great conference. Be creative and choose your room seating layout and dining style to deliver that finale. 9 10 Go micro for max effect With the explosion in microbreweries offering brews that appeal to all tastes, ask your conference planner if they can make pre-dinner drinks a local affair! Infused tea cocktails The English may drink a lot of it and now the World has caught on to the latest trend, infused tea cocktails. Combine this with trend number nine and you can have a double brew at your next reception! did you know? X The Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly (GFAF) Expos are 8 That’s theatre darling! Adding a chef interactive station can also highlight the menu with freshly prepared items (panini, clubhouse or slider); remember to ask for gluten free options. the largest and fastest growing special diet consumer events in the US. Started in 2007, the Expo welcomes those with gluten sensitivities, auto-immune/inflammatory diseases and autism. MICEtalk May 2015 49 expert talk POSITIVE Attitude To Health In an increasingly health conscious environment we tend to become paranoid about diseases. This negative attitude in turn affects our health. Read on to find out how to achieve a right balance between being health conscious and disease cautious. ‘L ive healthy’ is the most consistent mantra trending today. Almost everybody has a health regime and even if they can’t follow it entirely they are conscious of it and do at least talk about it. There have been major awareness campaigns and information uploaded to help people recognise what is healthy for them and what’s not. Plus there is no dearth of wellwishers either who are ready to offer advice at every single sniffle. INFO As the awareness level goes up, people often find themselves alternating between the merits and demerits of the same food, so if one month coffee is harmful, the next month scientists discover its virtues and another food is put on the hit list. And as the world struggles with these mysteries, newer and more advanced versions of diseases keep popping up from various corners of the world leaving people flummoxed with how to deal with it. 50 While the basic recipe for a good immune system is a mix of diet and exercise, a key ingredient is the mental and emotional state and outlook. MICEtalk May 2015 In a way it’s like the IT industry, where newer versions of software and hardware are churned out and hackers still manage to introduce viruses into them. Taking a leaf from technology, just like a good anti-virus programme needs to be installed to protect the machine, a strong immune system needs to be developed to protect the body from the diseases. While the basic recipe for a good immune system is a mix of diet and exercise, a key ingredient is the mental and emotional state and outlook. This outlook determines the body’s actions and reactions which in turn trigger stress creating hormones. Each time this hormone is triggered, the brain triggers the fight or flight syndrome and in a reallocation of blood supply, one of the first systems to shut down is the immune system. Repeated cycles of shutdown naturally reduce the body’s immunity. Working on the mental state is driven by an individual’s own intent and it’s important to create a healthy frame of mind. With constant bombardment of do’s and don’ts to maintain health and watching out for symptoms of one illness or the other, appears to be tuning the frequency of people to becoming sickness conscious. People are talking about how tired they are, how bad the cough is and generally how under the weather they feel. It doesn’t help that over the counter medicines mostly just suppress the symptoms, allowing the root cause to linger on. Even the non-controversial topics of health and weather in a conversation have become disturbing with talks of climate change and pollution impacting our lives. And it is only natural that every time a person reads or hears about symptoms of an illness, they start checking their own body for the same. There are some people who benefit with the attention when acquiring some rare ailments with a “cool quotient” but mostly no one wants to be sick. Then why not create an environment which focusses on being healthy rather than what can happen when you are not healthy. Giving this thought a positive intent will do half the job of creating a healthy body and mind. expert talk If you can prove your abilities at the current job you will automatically invite the trust of the senior management making it easier to make a lateral shift should you do if you receive a job offer from a oneQ: What of-a-kind company with great repute, a place you have always dreamt to work – but not in your ideal role? The role does build on your previous experience. However, it’s a very niche role that a lot of companies need but do not have. If you work hard, you could be a manager in a couple of years. Should you accept the offer? A: It’s a tough call when you find the organisation of your choice but the role is not, however it may be a good idea to do a SWOT and understand the opportunity you have given your background to excel at the job you are getting. If you can prove your abilities at the current job you will automatically invite the trust of the senior management making it easier to make a lateral (or even upward and lateral) shift to the role of your choice. Even if that role doesn’t exist in the organisation at present, after understanding their vision and style of operations you can make a case for it. Judge for yourself, the probability of getting your dream job from where you are placed today versus the probability of making it happen by taking the other job and I am sure you will find the answer. about the author works better in the long run — being a specialist in a particular field or being an all-rounder? Can being a specialist turn boring in a Q: What few years and does an all-rounder face stagnation over the years? A: The long run is full of change both expected and unexpected, so you shouldn’t be surprised if your view about being a specialist or an all-rounder itself may change. Nowadays job functions and responsibilities change very frequently and many a times people with no technical experience or specialist skills can find themselves placed at the head of a team. This could be because of their ability to adapt and learn or their inherent management / organisation or leadership skills. The days of classifying people as generalists or specialists may itself be numbered. It’s more important to pursue a career where you enjoy yourself and connect in terms of aptitude and skill. And finally the ability to adapt and being open to different roles is what will help you avoid stagnation and boredom in your job. Shabnam Mehra Life Coach & EFT Practitioner Do write in with your views and feedback. And if you have any queries or feel any limitations in your own journey, please write in to the Q&A column care of the editor at the Micetalk and I will be happy to respond. You can also o write directly to me at [email protected] or via my website www.reflectingangles.com MICEtalk May 2015 51 etiquette talk Elevator Pitch Elevator can be an odd place to meet your boss, but it may be all you need to make an impact. Here are some quick tips to keep you prepared for that surprise meeting and to make sure you don’t fail to rise up to the moment. H ave you ever bumped into your company’s CEO in the elevator ride up and realised that you had nothing smart to say? Or, when he tried initiating a conversation, you were tongue-tied? Legend says that Steve Jobs’ favourite question to Apple employees in the office elevator was “So, what are you working on?” leaving them petrified for days after the ride! While entrepreneurs and salesperson are familiar with the ‘elevator pitch’, others need it when meeting with the Big Boss at internal networking events, at office parties, during overseas visits and of course the elevator. For a compelling elevator pitch: Shital Kakkar Mehra Practitioner of Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol in India 52 MICEtalk May 2015 ¢ Prepare: Although extroverts display ability to effortless ‘wing it’, like stand-up comedy, an elevator pitch is not impromptu – you have to prepare for an hour to create impact in a minute. To prevent being caught off-guard, prepare a crisp response to “What sets you apart from the others in the company?” ¢ Topics: Using these time-tested topics, add a compelling nugget which makes you memorable: 1. Your work: Mention your name, department and a recent accomplishment which highlights your abilities e.g. “Hello. I’m Arati Gupta from the marketing team. I am currently working on the latest ad campaign for our successful xyz” – he’ll remember you, as in his mind you get linked with a profitmaking product. 2. Your CEO’s achievements: Always works! e.g. “Yesterday, your speech at our leadership academy was very informative and thought-provoking”. 3. Make a social connect: Conduct small talk to create a social relationship that stretches beyond your work e.g. Boss’s hobby, a common interest or your similar background (same school / college/ hometown). ¢ Rehearse: Visualise this meeting, focus on your performance and rework, if needed. Keep it conversational-style and concise (CEOs meet several new people in their work day). Lastly, speak with energy and enthusiasm, displaying your love for your job. new apps App to cut queues at airports The Airports Council International (ACI) has launched a first-of-its-kind application in collaboration with the Customs and Border Protection (CBP), to boost the efficiency of passenger processing. Read on to find out how this new App will improve travel facilitation and reduce passenger traffic. T he Airports Council International (ACI) is collaborating within and outside the industry on passenger facilitation solutions and supporting implementation of Automated Border Control (ABC) solutions that use interoperable equipment and common international standards. Angela Gittens Director General, ACI Representing airports which handle 95 per cent of the world’s passenger traffic, the ACI has collaborated with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to launch a first-of-its-kind application to expedite travellers’ entry processes into the US. This new technology App allows eligible travellers to submit their passport information and customs declaration form via a smart phone or tablet prior to CBP inspection, complete the required travel documentation at kiosks, increasing the efficiency of passenger processing and freeing passport control/immigration officers to focus on their security tasks. The increased throughput from this technology will allow passengers to move more quickly through the did you know? X Dubai International became the sixth busiest airport in the world in 2014. It also overtook London Heathrow as the world’s top airport for international passengers. X The world’s airports last year handled 6.6 billion passengers. X Airports Council International (ACI) has 590 members operating 1,850 airports in 173 countries. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) process, thereby improving travel facilitation. Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI, spoke at the Future of Borders Conference in Dubai about the growing concern of passenger traffic and the method to reduce it efficiently. “The current concentration is on gaining reductions in the visa process, going country by country to help them understand the impact of their visa requirements on their tourism and travel market,” she said. “Smart Security, Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) and Airport Service Quality (ASQ) are among programmes that will help airports get there, along with collaboration on multiple facilitation projects,” she stated. A-CDM consists of sharing information among the various players whose operations affect the movement of planes, passengers, baggage and ground vehicles. Angela observed, “We can put more efficiency and reliability into the system by sharing information among the players. This is especially critical during periods of irregular operations— either of a particular aircraft, airline or the airport as a whole.” 54 MICEtalk May 2015 visa talk Scotland equire ;Passport: Original Passport with validity of minimum six months and minimum two blank page for visa stamp. a) Attach all old passports to show previous travel history (if any). ;Financials: a) Company and personal Bank statements for last 6 months b) Company and personal ITR for last 3 year ;Accommodation Proof: Hotel booking along with the ;UK Visa Application Form: Visa application form has to be filled online by the applicant. Follow the instructions to fill the form. Kindly log on to the link given below: https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/Account/login naming list and passport no of all applicants (on tour company letter head) ;Airline Reservation: photographs with matt finish, 60%-80% face coverage, white background and without border (Size: 35mm x 45mm) Please note: Photograph should not be more than 3 months old, scanned/stapled and should not be used in any of the previous visas. ;Cover Letter: a) Cover letter from company on its letterhead with naming list and passport details of all applicants. The letter should be duly signed by the authorised signatory mentioning his name and designation along with the company’s stamp. A UK Visa is also valid for Scotland b) Brief company profile c) Individual covering letter from applicant stating his/her name, passport number, purpose and duration of visit in brief Cover letter on letter head if self employed or on plain paper if employed Please Note: The letter should be addressed to The Visa Officer “British High Commission, New Delhi” 56 MICEtalk May 2015 Ticket itinerary ;Passport Collection Procedure: Applicant has to ;Photo Specification: Two recent passport size Source: Udaan t n me s V isa R personally collect the passport or can opt for courier service at the time of submission of documents at VFS Please Note: The below mentioned can collect the passport on applicant’s behalf provided they have an authorisation letter from the applicant a) A parent collecting for a dependent child b) A member of a family group collecting the passports for the whole family c) Government Ministry representatives and a Business Express Programme (BEP) company representative, approved by the company’s authorized signatories Please Note: a) Prior Appointment has to be scheduled for the submission of application b) Personal appearance is mandatory on the appointment date, as Fingerprints & facial photograph (known as biometric information) are required by the UK Border Agency as a part of application for UK visa Jurisdiction: Applications can be submitted at any of the UK visa application centres in India as per the appointment Fees: Single Entry / Multiple Entry up to 6 months`8300 per applicant events event calendar July 2015 10 24 31 Vkonect MICE Travel & Tourism Fair (TTF) Travel & Tourism Fair Hyderabad Kolkata Holiday Inn Aerocity New Delhi August 20155 18 28 IT&CM India New Delhi India International Travel Mart Mumbai 5 China Incentive Business Travel Market (CIBTM) Beijing, China Sept 2015 3 6 11 18 24 India International Travel Mart PATA Travel Mart TTF TTF TTF Ahmedabad Surat Mumbai 15 19 22 24 28 30 Bangalore Gurgaon 12 15 International International International World Routes Luxury Travel Meetings Trade Fair Mart Travel Expo Durban Industry & For Luxury South Africa Kiev, Ukraine Ho Chi Minh City Business Travel Travel Vietnam Exhibition Moscow, Russia Moscow, Russia 24 25 Astana Leisure Luxury Travel Mart Astana, Kazakhstan Almaty, Kazakhstan Ukraine JATA Tourism ILTM Americas Travel Market Expo Japan Mexico Tokyo, Japan Kiev, Ukraine MICEtalk May 2015 57 Hotels high on MICE Hermann Wegmueller Chief Executive Officer Meeting Point Asia Saeid Heidari General Manager JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar Hermann Wegmueller has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Meeting Point Asia with headquarters in Bangkok. Prior to this posting, Wegmueller worked for Go Vacation Thailand for two years as Executive Director Product & Contracting. His other stints include Contracting Manager Asia at TUI, Resident Manager Indonesia at Voegele Reisen and Destination Manager Maldives at Meier’s Weltreisen. Saeid Heidari has recently been appointed as the General Manager for the newest edition to the Marriott Mumbai portfolio – JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar. Heidari, a German national, brings with him 25 years of hospitality experience with Marriott hotels across Middle East and Europe. Heidari holds a graduate degree in Chemical Engineering and Law. His first position in the hospitality industry was that of a Security Manager, after which he changed his field of expertise to Food & Beverage. JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi Aerocity has appointed Dilpreet Singh Bindra as the Director of Operations at the hotel. Bindra started his career as a management trainee in 1996 at Taj Mahal Palace and Towers Mumbai and worked as Assistant Manager in Food and Beverage operations at the hotel for two years. Following that, he was part of the preopening team at Taj Extoica Bentota, Sri Lanka and worked there to set up the Food and Beverage department. He came Dilpreet Singh Bindra back from Sri Lanka and worked with Director of Operations JW Marriott New Delhi Vivanta by Taj till March 2005. Aerocity 58 MICEtalk May 2015 Anil Chadha Area Manager South & General Manager ITC Grand Chola Athena Salim General Manager Four Points by Sheraton Bengaluru, Whitefield Kallol Saha Training Manager The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel and Residences ITC Grand Chola has appointed Anil Chadha as Area Manager South and General Manager for ITC Grand Chola. In his new capacity, Chadha will oversee the hotel’s Operations, provide insight about the nuances of the ITC Grand Chola Dynasty and its Responsible Luxury as well as elevate the hotel to a world class luxury hotel. He will also oversee operations of other ITC Hotels in Bengaluru, Kerala, Hyderabad and Chennai. His previous roles span successful terms with other ITC hotels including ITC Maurya, New Delhi and ITC Gardenia, Bangalore. Four Points by Sheraton Bengaluru Whitefield, has announced the appointment of Athena Salim as General Manager. At Four Points by Sheraton Bengaluru Whitefield, she will be responsible for the entire hotel operations. She has over 13 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She has been General Manager with Keys Hotels & Resorts and Olive bar and kitchen. Prior to this, she was the Training Manager at The Claridges, New Delhi. She has been associated with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts for more than nine years. Kallol Saha has joined The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel and Residences as the Training Manager after eight years of experience in Training & Development. Saha has completed his Bachelors in Hotel Management from the PES Institute of Hotel Management, Bangalore. He started his career as a Management Trainee with Park Hyatt Goa and moved on to IHG as a Training Executive for a preopening property. He then moved on to The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon as an Assistant Manager and worked there for two years. Postal Reg. No. :DL(ND)-11/6150/2014-15-16 WPP No.:U(C)-305/2014-2016, Posting on 29th-30th of Advance Month PSO, Market Road PO, New Delhi-110001, Date of Publication:22/04/2015 RNI No.:DELENG/2010/34144
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