Contributors
Dr. Chloe Lau, Assistant Professor,
School of Hotel and Tourism Management,
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and
PSHE Section, Curriculum Development Institute
Copyright
© The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region All rights reserved.
The copyright of this manual belongs to the Government of the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region. Commercial use is strictly prohibited. Offenders will be liable to legal responsibility.
Schools need not apply for permission to copy this manual in whole or in part for non-profit making educational or research purposes. All other uses should gain prior permission in writing from the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Requests should be directed to the:
Education Bureau
13/F, Room 1319, Wu Chung House 213 Queen’s Road East,
Wan Chai Hong Kong
Acknowledgement
"Airplane Flying Over The Beach" courtesy of cooldesign. Published on 21 March 2013 Stock photo - Image ID: 100148470 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net ( in the front cover).
"3d Earth Globe And Colourful Arrows" courtesy of cooldesign. Published on 23 July 2013 Stock photo - Image ID: 100148470 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net ( in the front cover).
Introduction
A set of curriculum support package of tourism and hospitality learning and teaching materials is being developed by the Personal, Social and Humanities Education Section of Curriculum Development Institute, Education Bureau for the implementation of the senior secondary Tourism and Hospitality Studies curriculum in schools. The curriculum support package is developed to broaden students’ knowledge of the different units of the Tourism and Hospitality Studies curriculum.
The content of this material – Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE), should enhance students’ understanding of the dynamic nature of the tourism and hospitality industry. In addition, the material includes activities to deepen students’ understanding and help them to apply theories and concepts. Furthermore, students should be able to develop enquiry, problem-solving and decision-making skills through these activities.
All comments and suggestions related to this curriculum support package may be sent to:
Chief Curriculum Development Officer (PSHE) Personal, Social and Humanities Education Section Education Bureau
Room 1319, Wu Chung House 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai Hong Kong
July 2016
Table of Content
1 The MICE Business 1
Activity 1.1 1
1.1 Meetings 3
Activity 1.2 4
1.2 Incentives 5
Activity 1.3 5
1.3 Conventions 6
Activity 1.4 7
1.4 Exhibitions 8
Activity 1.5 10
1.5 The Value of MICE 11
Activity 1.6 15
Activity 1.7 15
2 Sectors Involved in MICE Business 16
2.1 Sector Involved – Hotel 17
2.1.1 Roles of Hotel 17
2.1.1.1 Venue Facilities 18
Activity 2.1 19
2.1.1.2 Accommodation 20
2.1.1.3 Food and Beverage 20
2.1.1.4 Facilities on Information Technology 20
2.1.2 Types of Hotel 22
2.1.2.1 Large Properties vs Small Properties 24
Activity 2.2 25
2.1.3 Benefit to Hotels 26
2.2 Sector Involved – Transportation 27
2.2.1 International 27
2.2.2 Local 28
Table of Content
Activity 2.3 29
2.3 Sector Involved – Attractions 30
Activity 2.4 31
3 MICE Planning 32
3.1 The Planning Process Components 32
3.1.1 Organizational Goals 34
3.2 Organizational Structure 35
3.3 How to Start a Project 37
3.3.1 Preparation Stage 38
3.3.2 Programme Subcommittee 38
Activity 3.1 39
3.3.3 Social Subcommittee 40
Activity 3.2 40
3.3.4 Registration, Hotel and Tour Booking Team 41
Activity 3.3 41
3.3.5 Publicity Subcommittee 42
Activity 3.4 42
3.3.6 Sponsorship Subcommittee 43
Activity 3.5 43
3.3.7 Printing and Production Team 44
Activity 3.6 45
3.3.8 On-site Preparation 45
3.3.9 Wrap-up 46
Case Study 1 The ITE (International Travel Expo) and MICE 2016 47 Case Study 2 Competition Faced by Hong Kong and Major Challenges Ahead 48
Case Study 3 Tourism Policy and Strategy - Bali 49
List of Figures and Tables 50
Supplementary Resources 51
Learning Objectives:
Understand how MICE relates to the tourism and hospitality industry
Understand the meaning of each sector of MICE
Identify the types of meetings
Understand the factors behind incentive travel decisions
Understand the difference between meetings and conventions
Identify the purpose of exhibitions
Understand what impacts MICE can bring to a destination
The term MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) represents a sector of tourism which includes business events and activities.
Travellers attending MICE activities have a purpose beyond leisure tourism, and are in fact business travellers. These business travellers are connected to different sectors of the tourism and hospitality industry through their MICE activities. (See Figure1) Think of business
travellers who travel to a city to attend an exhibition. They will need food, drinks, shopping, entertainment, transport, accommodation and more.
Activity 1.1
Based on Figure 1, fill in the cells with what you would need if you were attending a MICE activity.
In general, MICE events are events and activities that involve attendees who share a common interest and gather in a place. The place for the gathering needs to be a venue arranged before hand. The venue will provide space and facilities necessary to satisfy the needs of those who attend the gathering. We can further explain the gatherings by their different formats:
M = Meetings (Corporate) I = Incentives
C = Conventions (Congress, Conferences and Confexes) E = Exhibitions
1.1 Meetings
Meetings bring people together in one place for the purposes of sharing information and discussing and solving problems. Meeting attendance can range from ten to thousands of people. During a meeting, there will usually be food and beverage served. Meeting times vary depending on the meeting type.
Most of the time, meetings refer to corporate meetings which are held by companies in the following ways:
□ Board meetings – Meetings of the board of the directors of a corporation, usually held annually
□ Management Meetings – The managers from different regions of a corporation meet when necessary to make decisions for the corporation
□ Shareholder Meetings – Investors who own a share in a company meet quarterly
□ Training Seminars – A company conducts these to train employees when needed
□ Meetings with partners, suppliers and
clients – A gathering to discuss business deals, usually held with little prior notice
Photo 1: A meeting
□ Product launches – Usually a meeting with clients, the public, and journalists and reporters when new products are announced on the market
□ Strategic planning – Managers meeting with employees to discuss the future of the company
□ Retreats – The entire company staff spends a day or two together to participate in team-building activities, training seminars and strategic planning sessions
Activity 1.2
Visit Hong Kong Tourism Board website (www.discoverhongkong.com) and find out from the MICE event calendar about what meetings have been scheduled to be held in Hong Kong for the coming year.
Incentive travel is a management tool for rewarding and motivating sales representatives, dealers, distributors, production workers, support staff, and in some cases, customers. The company rewards sales representatives who reach sales targets by sending them on trips.
Usually, the incentive trip comes with hotel stays, tour packages and planned activities such as dinners, parties and games. Basically, incentive travel does not have any business-related activity. The incentive travel market is mature in the U.S. and Europe, and is developing in Asia;
especially in Singapore and Japan.
Factors behind Incentive Travel Decisions
□ Incentive budget economy – How strong is the economy in the country in which the sponsoring group is headquartered?
□ Buying power – Strength of the exchange rate in the countries being considered as the destination for the trip
□ Political climate – Travel alert for destinations with political turmoil
□ Safety and Security - Terrorist alert levels after the 911 incident
□ Value - How do facilities and services compare with other choices of destination
□ Uniqueness of experience – Takes into consideration whether these participants have experienced this type of trip before
Activity 1.3
Check out the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) website to find out what activities can be included in an incentive trip to Hong Kong.
TIP 1 - For an overview of incentives acitivities in Hong Kong, visit the website of HKTB – Explore Hong Kong : http://mehongkong.com/eng/meetings-incentives/mice-activities/explore- hk.html
TIP 2 - For more specific information about incentives activities in Hong Kong, visit the website of HKTB – Team Building: http://mehongkong.com/eng/products-and-offers/inspiring-
ideas/inspiring-mice-ideas/team-building.html
1.3 Conventions
Similar to meetings, conventions are gatherings of people with common objectives, organized to exchange ideas, views and information of common interest to the group. An organization, usually an association, will organize a convention each year with a theme related to the organization’s topic. Those interested in registering for the convention can pay the association a fee for all the sessions, discussions, food and beverage, dinners, and site visits.
In particular, conventions consist of a variety of events include congresses (large-scale regular trade gatherings ), conferences (small scale gatherings aimed at information sharing), confexes (conferences with small exhibition attached), and one to one events (premium networking). All conventions can be organized into different levels: international, national, regional.
The major differences between a meetings and conventions is that a convention:
□ Is a large event often lasting for several days and involving a social programme
□ Is organized by associations:
o Professional and trade associations, e.g. the Dentist Association o Voluntary associations and societies
o Charities o Political parties
□ Usually conducted once a year
□ Generates income for the association
□ Considerable amount of time spent on site selection of the convention
Photo 2: A general session of a convention (Courtesy of WFMH & NLPRA)
Activity 1.4
Choose a particular conference and meeting held last year in Hong Kong. Fill in the following table to describe their characteristics.
Convention Meeting
1. Can you find out the background information or history about the event?
2. Who was the contact person?
3. How long did it take to plan this event?
4. How often does this event occur?
5. Who decided where to have this event?
6. Why attendees chose to attend this event?
7. Were there any criteria on site selection?
8. How many people attended this event?
9. How long did this event last for?
10. What kind of hotels did the attendees tend to stay in?
11. What kind of venues or facilities did this event need?
For more information about meetings and exhibitions, refer to Supplementary Resources (1).
1.4 Exhibitions
Exhibitions are activities organized to show new products, services and information to people who have an interest in them, such as potential customers or buyers. The company showing their new products, the exhibitor, typically rents an area from the organizer and sets up a booth to meet with potential buyers. The buyers or the public need an invitation or a ticket to be allowed into the exhibition.
Purpose:
o Get sales leads
o New product introduction
o Build a network for influential contacts
o Gather latest information about the competitors o Build the company’s image
Industry Associations:
o International Association for Exhibition Management (IAEM) o Centre for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR)
o HKECIA , Hong Kong -
www.exhibitions.org.hk
Depending on the size and type, exhibitions could be categorized into:
For the public namely business-to-consumer (B2C):
o Show – e.g. Hong Kong Car Show (New Edition) o Fair – e.g. Hong Kong Book Fair
o Exposition or expo – e.g. HKTDC Food Expo
Open only to business buyers namely business-to-business (B2B):
o Trade show – e.g. Global Sources Gifts & Home o Trade fair – e.g. Fashion Access
o Trade expo - e.g. HKTDC Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo
A combined or mixed show
o It is an exhibition that combines both trade and public together and is open to both corporate and public attendees. Most combined or mixed shows will have different specific visiting time for each group of attendees. Example – International Travel Expo, Hong Kong (ITE, Hong Kong)
Current supply of major convention and exhibition facilities in Hong Kong:
According to the Legislative Paper dated on February 10, 2015 prepared by the Legislative Council Panel on Commerce and Industry - Development of Convention and Exhibition Industries in Hong Kong, there are currently two major dedicated convention and exhibition facilities in Hong Kong, namely HKCEC (Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre) and AWE (AsiaWorld-Expo), as well as other smaller** and non-dedicated venues.
HKCEC is a dedicated convention and exhibition venue in Wan Chai. It offers about 91 ,500 M2 of rentable area, including about 66,000 M2 of purposely-built exhibition facilities.
AWE is a dedicated convention and exhibition venue on Lantau Island. It offers more than 70,000 M2 of exhibition and convention space.
** Other venues such as Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre, high end hotels in the downtown or the Kai Tak cruise terminal can also host convention and exhibition events. However, these are rather niche, less frequent and smaller in size.
Photo 3: Exhibition Booths
Activity 1.5
Recount the experience a show or fair you attended recently by answering the following questions.
1. What was the show?
2. When was it?
3. Where was it?
4. How much was the ticket?
5. How many days did the show last for?
6. How many people did the show attract?
7. How many exhibitors were there?
8. Why were you participating?
9. Did you buy anything?
10. Will you join the same show next year?
11. Were there any activities besides exhibition’s booths?
Many cities would like to develop MICE because of the benefits MICE brings to a city.
According to the Legislative Paper dated on February 10, 2015 prepared by the Legislative Council Panel on Commerce and Industry, the Hong Kong convention and exhibition industries are currently estimated to worth about US$0.5 billion, which is about 1% of the global
convention and exhibition industries. The majority of the convention and exhibition industries in Hong Kong is centred around exhibitions, in particular, the majority of exhibitions in Hong Kong are currently business-to-retail (B2R) export trade exhibitions.
□ Higher expenditures – A business traveller usually spends more than the average tourist, as they stay in better hotels and dine at fine restaurants since they are meeting with business clients. According to the 2014 Annual Report of HKTB, the per capita visitor spending of MICE tourists are more than HK$9,400 which is 17.5% more than the regular visitors to Hong Kong.
□ Even out travel demand – Many destinations have different travel seasons. Because the business traveller travels to a destination with the main purpose of attending a MICE event, the MICE event does not have to be scheduled during the peak season when most tourists tend to travel. The business traveller can help the city by taking up some of the empty hotel rooms available during off seasons.
□ Prior arrangement– A MICE event is usually planned one to two years in advance, and even three to five years for international events due to the number of participants at the event. The event planners also need to book well before the event in order to select their preferred rooms and venues.
□ Large scale – Most MICE events may have a large number of attendees. An
international convention usually requires 500 hotel rooms per night and big conference rooms in the day. An exhibition, either local or international, expects to have over thousands of attendees and requires several large exhibition halls.
□ Standardized services – All attendees for the same MICE event will have very similar requirements as to service standards while similar MICE events would usually have similar programmes and thus standardized services are required
□ Enhance secondary businesses – Many suppliers are needed for MICE events. Booth set-up companies and decoration experts are necessary for the exhibition.
Entertainment agencies are needed for incentive travel parties.
□ Improve host city image – The city which holds the international MICE event can give travellers a professional image
□ Independent of tourism attractions – Business travellers travel primarily for the purpose of attending a MICE event, not for the attractions of a destination. Even if a city does
not have unique attractions, it can still be chosen to hold an event due to other reasons, such as ease of access
□ No fixed destination– Many MICE events are not fixed on a host city or country. As long as a city has adequate MICE venues and facilities, it is possible for the city to be selected to hold the event
□ Flexibility of venue selection – Other than traditional venues such as exhibition centres or conference halls, MICE events can make use of existing facilities that may originally have other purposes, e.g. universities.
2012 2010 2006 Expenditure contributed to the Hong Kong’s economy in HK$(billion) 40.8 35.8 26.4 Fiscal contributed to the Hong Kong’s economy in HK$ (billion) 1.4 1.1 0.97 Employment generated ( number of full-time jobs) 69,600 69,150 58,500
Table 1: The economic value of MICE (2006 – 2012) Source: HKECIA 2013
Figure 2: The growth rate of business visitors and MICE visitors
Economic impact of Hong Kong’s MICE’s industry in 2006 and 2010
2006 2010
HK$26.4 billion of economic impact to the Hong Kong’s economy 1. Expenditure:
Direct expenditure (expenditure specifically by exhibition organizers, exhibitors and visitors)
•
HK$13.2 billion 62% from visitor spending.
38% from spending by event organizers &
exhibitors.
International visitors were responsible for HK$8.2 billion.
Most visitor spent cash on food, accommodation and shopping of around HK$7 billion.
Indirect expenditures (when
exhibition suppliers purchase goods and services from elsewhere)
•
HK$7.9 billion. Induced expenditures (spending in the local economy by those employed in and supplying the industry)
•
HK$5.3 billion.2. Fiscal impact: HK$970 million Tax
This tax estimate is based on HK$26.4 billion.
Profits tax of HK$510 million.
Salaries tax of HK$280 million.
HK$35.8 billion of economic impact to the Hong Kong’s economy 1. Expenditure:
Direct expenditure (expenditure specifically by exhibition organizers, exhibitors and visitors)
•
HK$17.9 billion 62% from visitor spending.
38% from spending by event organizers &
exhibitors.
International visitors were responsible for HK$8.8 billion.
Most visitor spent cash on food, accommodation and shopping of around HK$7.3 billion.
Indirect expenditures (when
exhibition suppliers purchase goods and services from elsewhere)
•
HK$8.1 billion. Induced expenditures (spending in the local economy by those employed in and supplying the industry)
•
N.A2. Fiscal impact: HK$1.1 billion Tax
This tax estimate is based on HK$35.8 billion.
Profits tax of HK$650 million.
Salaries tax of HK$418 million.
Economic impact of Hong Kong’s MICE’s industry in 2006 and 2010
2006 2010
Hotel tax of HK$130 million.
Airport tax of HK$50 million.
The industry accounts for 1.8% of Hong Kong’s GDP.
3. Employment: Equivalent to 58,500 full-time jobs across related industries:
Only 2,100 full-time jobs were directly provided by event organizers and venue providers.
56,400 full-time jobs in support sectors.
Services provided to events and visitors, included retail, transport, food and beverage, hotel, exhibition stand design and construction, freight forwarding, and advertising
The sectors benefiting most were food and beverage, hotel and retail responsible for 76% of the jobs.
24% were spread across other sectors: Stand construction, advertising and logistics / freight services.
(Source: HKECIA 2007)
Hotel tax waived**
Airport tax of HK$59 million.
The industry accounts for 2.1% of Hong Kong’s GDP.
3. Employment: Equivalent to 69,150 full-time jobs across related industries:
Only 2,650 full-time jobs were directly provided by event organizers and venue providers
66,500 full-time jobs in support sectors.
Services provided to events and visitors, included retail, transport, food and beverage, hotel, exhibition stand design and construction, freight forwarding, and advertising
The sectors benefiting most were food and beverage, hotel and retail responsible for 61% of the jobs.
39% were spread across other sectors: Stand construction, advertising and logistics / freight services.
** started from July 1, 2008 (Source: HKECIA 2011) Table 2: The economic impact of MICE business in 2006 and 2010
F&B Accommodation
MTR Taxi
Flights
Transportation Visitors to
Hong Kong
Visit the website of the HKSAR Government http://www.legco.gov.hk/research- publications/english/1415rb06-hong-kongs-tourism-industry-20150805-e.pdf for more information on the average spending and length of stay of leisure tourists to Hong Kong, and compare the data listed in Table 1, Table 2 and Figure 2 for a discussion of the value of MICE to the tourism industry in Hong Kong.
Activity 1.7
Brainstorm the possible benefits that MICE can bring to Hong Kong. Then draw a mind map to link them together. The mind map may start with the arrival of the tourist. Add to it and keep expanding to further levels. You may end up with a map with many levels, allowing you to see the complex effects and interrelationships.
2. Sectors Involved in MICE Business
Learning Objectives:
Describe how sectors are involved in hosting MICE
Identify the roles and types of hotel
Look at the contribution of MICE to hotels
Describe transportation management in relation to MICE
Outline the roles of different types of transportation
Explain the importance of supporting infrastructure to planners and attendees
There are industry sectors directly involved in the MICE industry, such as hotel, and
transportation industries. These industries may benefit from MICE business by offering their services and facilities to the planner and attendees of MICE events. There are a range of participants in the event (i.e. convention and exhibition) industry, including event organisers, venue operators, marketers and event attendees:
Event organisers organise and run events for marketers and attendees. This includes developing the event concept, sales and promotion to potential marketers and attendees, operational planning and event execution.
Venue operators own and manage venues, and take bookings from event organisers.
Marketers include companies which exhibit products/services at events, and event sponsors. Exhibitors use exhibitions to build and maintain business relationships,
generate sales opportunities through acquisition of new customers, and to conduct sales.
Event sponsors use conventions and exhibitions for brand promotion.
Attendees refer to convention and exhibition attendees. Convention attendees mainly use conventions for networking and learning. Exhibition attendees use exhibitions to source and evaluate the products and services offered by marketers, networking and learning.
For more information about sectors involved in MICE business, refer to Supplementary Resources (2).
Hotel Rooms Hotel Restaurants
Other Restaurants
Hospitality Suites
Retail Stores
Local Transportations
Entertainment
Other Items
2.1 Sector Involved – Hotel
Hotels are the main suppliers of MICE and are the main beneficiaries as well. Business travellers who attend MICE events spend over 65% of their money on hotels for rooms and hotel dining while 15% is spent on other restaurants outside the hotel. Around 10% is spent on shopping and another 10% on local transportation.
2.1.1 Roles of Hotel
One of the most common sites for a MICE event is a hotel. Hotels can provide facilities, space and function rooms for MICE activities; accommodations, housing for business
travellers who attend the MICE event; and food and beverage services at the event, as well as meals for travellers who stay in the hotel. Typical hotels have accommodation rooms,
restaurants, ballrooms, meeting rooms, swimming pools, a business centre and more. In relation to MICE activities, a hotel plays different roles depending on its facilities and the size of the MICE event:
Figure 3: Where attendees spend their money?
1. Inclusive residential conferences and meetings
□ All the activities related to the convention are held and delegates stay at the same hotel
2. Facilities for associated receptions, banquets and support events
□ When some of the convention activities are held elsewhere and delegates stay in other hotels
3. Accommodation and meals
□ When all the activities of the convention are held
2.1.1.1 Venue Facilities
The facilities in a hotel vary in size and set-up, ranging from a small meeting room for 10 people to a large theatre for thousands. Different types of facilities can be suitable for the different functions of a MICE event.
Photo 4: Accommodation ( SHTM Hotel of PolyU )
Photo 5: Food and Beverage ( SHTM Hotel of PolyU )
Activity 2.1
Match the activities on the left with the suitable facilities on the right. Can a hotel provide all of the above facilities?
Activity Facility of a hotel
Meetings
Incentives
Conventions
Exhibitions
Meeting room
Ballroom
Exhibition hall
Conference room
Theatre
Accommodation
Reception area Photo 6: A Theatre
( SHTM Hotel of PolyU )
Photo 7: A Ballroom ( SHTM Hotel of PolyU )
2.1.1.2 Accommodation
When providing accommodation for business travellers to stay during the MICE event, the hotel needs to provide the following services for the delegates or attendees, the business travellers who attend the MICE event; and entourage, persons who travel with the delegates, usually the spouse, children, personal assistants, secretaries etc.
1. When delegates and their entourages stay in the same hotel where the convention activities are held:
□ Large hotels can take advantage by housing all related activities (in the case of a convention), including all accommodation and food and beverage services
2. When delegates and their entourages stay in other hotels where the convention activities are not held, the hotel or convention/exhibition centre which holds the convention activities should:
□ Provide a range of facilities, such as transportation
□ The hotels and main event venue must keep in close contact
2.1.1.3 Food and Beverage
Other than supplying meals such as breakfasts, lunches, afternoon teas and dinner banquets for different sessions included in a MICE event programme, and hotels also need to provide delegates and entourages with food and beverages through its restaurants, cafes and coffee shops, as well as through room service.
2.1.1.4 Facilities on Information Technology
To facilities a smooth running of the event, hotels install the most advanced technology, such as
□ registration networking – to support the on-line registration system
□ attendee e-mail kiosks – a centre for attendees to access their e-mail
□ attendee messaging centre
□ office and press room communications centres
□ live Web conferencing for sessions – streaming audio and video via the Web
Photo 8:
A comfortable messaging centre fully equipped with telecommunication facilities are provided for attendees.
2.1.2 Types of Hotel
Certainly, different types of hotel are suitable for different types of MICE activities. In general, hotels can be grouped into five types, based on the hotel facilities:
Types of hotel Location Distinctive Features Example 1. Large city
business hotels
□ Central location
□ Commercial business districts nearby
□ Good access with public transport
□ Parking
□ High standard of business services
□ Large ballroom
□ Spacious lobby
□ Room service
□ Leisure/fitness centre
The Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
Conrad Hong Kong
Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
Island Shangri-La
JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong
Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong
The Peninsula Hong Kong
The Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong 2. Suburban
hotels
□ Near major junctions
□ Access to highway routes and downtown
□ Meeting rooms for 25- 100 max
□ Work stations in guest rooms
□ Easy access and parking
□ Leisure/fitness centre
The Royal Park Hotel
Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel
Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin
3. Large resort hotels and integrated resorts
□ Nearby attractions
□ Spacious
□ Large ballroom(s)
□ Extensive meeting and function rooms
□ Pools and recreation facilities
□ Golf course (features vary according to local property)
The Gold Coast Resort
Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel
4. Airport hotels □ Linked to or near an airport terminal
□ Easy access to city and regional transport and highways
□ Signposted
□ May have purpose- built theatre
□ Usually provides a range of medium- sized and small function rooms
□ Leisure/fitness centre
□ Extensive glazing and soundproofing (features vary according to local property)
The Regal Airport Hotel
Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel
Novotel Citygate Hong Kong
5. Boutique resorts
□ Remote locations
□ Spacious grounds
□ Small meeting rooms and suites
□ High-quality service
□ Leisure/fitness centre
□ Golf course (features vary according to local property)
Auberge Discovery Bay Hong Kong
Noah's Ark Resort
6. Others Le Meridien Cyberport
L'hotel Nina et Convention Centre
Table 3: Types of Hotel
Source: Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong - Venue and Hotel Search at http://www.mehongkong.com/eng/planning-tools/venue- hotels.html
2.1.2.1 Large Properties vs. Small Properties
Hotels of different sizes are suitable for different types of MICE activities.
□ Large properties
o can cater to a wider range of MICE activities, from small corporate meetings of 30 to international association conventions of 1,000
o tend to host international MICE activities
□ Smaller properties
o can take advantage of nearby convention and exhibition centres by hosting all food and beverage functions such as banquets and housing supplementary sessions such as small talks
o tend to hold local MICE activities such as local corporate meetings and small local shows
Quick Fact: Hong Kong had 257 hotels with 74,000 rooms by end of March 2016 http://www.gov.hk/en/about/abouthk/factsheets/docs/tourism.pdf
Complete the table below to specify which type of hotel is suitable for what kind of MICE events.
It is suggested to visit the website of Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong - Venue and Hotel Search at http://www.mehongkong.com/eng/planning-tools/venue-hotels.html for additional information in completing this activity.
Types of hotel Suitable for MICE activities because:
Large city business hotels
M I C E
Suburban hotels M I C E
Large resort hotels and integrated resorts
M I C E
Airport hotels M I C E
Types of hotel Suitable for MICE activities because:
Boutique resorts M I C E
Others M I C E
2.1.3 Benefit to Hotel
MICE activities contribute the following to the hotel sector:
□ MICE accounts for up to 65% of total sales in major hotels
□ MICE attendees tend to use other services of the hotels, such as restaurants
□ Spouses and entourages bring in additional business
□ MICE events allow a hotel to forecast advance bookings and can help fill gaps during low seasons
□ MICE customers have an excellent chance of becoming repeat guests
The cost of the hotel will in turn affect the attendance of a MICE event. Particularly for incentive trips, many activities take place in a hotel or resort and the company is responsible for the cost of a few nights’ accommodation. For international conventions and exhibitions, the cost of staying a few nights is part of the total travel cost.
Transportation management covers routing, vehicle use, staff requirements, maps, signage and preparation. The cost of transportation will also have an impact on the number of
attendees. For incentive trips, transportation management is crucial, as most trips will involve large group travel. Group air tickets and ground coach bus tickets are also frequently used.
2.2.1 International
Major international transportation methods, such as flights, cruise ships and trains are commonly used by MICE travellers.
For MICE events that involve international attendees, transportation plays a major role in determining the success of an event. Cities located near major air or land transport hubs have the advantage of being able to draw in more attendees. For example, travellers can fly directly from New York to Hong Kong on a direct flight using Cathay Pacific, they will need to tack on a ferry trip to reach Macau. In such cases, Hong Kong is more convenient due to its sophisticated and well-developed transportation network.
Map 1: Hong Kong is a well-established international air transportation hub.
Quick Fact: Hong Kong is …..
* Easily accessible worldwide with 100 airlines operating about 1 100 passenger and cargo flights every day, providing services between Hong Kong and around 190 destinations worldwide, including about 50 mainland cities.
* Allows visa-free entry from citizens of over 170 nations.
* The gateway to Asia and the mainland.
2.2.2 Local
Once the travellers arrive at the airport, they can be connected via the local transport system.
This includes transportation from:
□ airport to hotel
□ hotel to MICE event venues
□ venues to various site visit spots
□ hotel to different attractions
□ hotel to client’s office
□ hotel to central business district
□ hotel to airport
Cities offering different vehicles of public transportation enhance the travel experience.
Local public transports include:
□ Water – ferries
□ Land – limousines, taxis, buses, shuttle buses, trains, trams, cable cars
Map 2 is a local transportation map that shows you the different ways to reach the airport from any location in Hong Kong.
Photo 9: Travelling in a coach
Referring to Map 2, and lists the ways in which attendees can travel to the airport from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.
Map 2: Public transport to Hong Kong International Airport
(Source:http://www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/access_to_hong_kong_international_airport/index.html)
2.3 Sector Involved – Attractions
Although the main purpose for business travellers is to attend a MICE event, they would usually prefer to visit some of the local attractions. Most of the time, a post-conference tour is
organized after the convention for international attendees to visit the attractions in and near the host city. For incentive travels, visiting local attractions might even be the objective of the trip.
The MICE attendees are also good potential future visitors to these attractions. Therefore, when deciding whether or not to attend the MICE event, business travellers may also keep local attractions in mind.
An official travel agent will usually be contracted to organize the post-event tour. This travel agent also takes care of the travel arrangements of the attendees, if necessary, by providing a local guide.
Map 3: Attractions in Hong Kong
1 1 1 2 3 2 3 2 3
4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8
9 9 9
111000 11111 1 111222
11133 3 111444
11155 511166 6111777 111888 11199 9 22200 022211122222 2
22233 3 222444
22255 5 22266 6
22277 7 222888
222999 333000
33311 1 333222
33333 3 33344 4
333555 333666 333777
333888
333999 44400 0
44411 1 444222
444333 444444
(Source: http://www.gohk.gov.hk/eng/welcome/index.html )
Activity 2.4:
Referring to Map 3, plan a one-day post-conference tour for the attendees to experience Hong Kong. You can:
1. Draw the route on the map by linking different attractions 2. List out the number that represents the different attractions 3. Plan out the time required for each point of interest
For more information about Hong Kong’s enviable array of pre- and post-event activities, visit the website of Meetings & Exhibitions Hong Kong (MEHK) – Inspiring MICE Ideas -
http://www.mehongkong.com/eng/products-and-offers/inspiring-ideas.html
3. MICE Planning
Learning Objectives:
Understand the planning process components
Introduce the aims and objectives of a MICE event
Explore the basic tasks or components involved in planning
3.1 The planning process components:
What to achieve?
Organization’s mission and objectives.
Which types of activity namely meeting, incentive, convention or exhibition best works for the organization?
Conduct feasibility study.
Who to ask for direction？
Identify stakeholders / hierarchical organizational structure Identify those deciding factors?
Conduct external and internal analysis
Identify the risk factors as well as the challenges?
Look for opportunities and threats.
Is it ready to move forward with the plan?
Select appropriate strategy and operational plan.
Who is/ are in charge?
Take up the roles and responsibilities.
Ensure doing the right thing?
Adhere to the control system.
How to do it better next time?
Evaluation and feedback are collected to enhance the planning process.
Figure 4: The Planning Process Components
2 3
4 5
6 7
8
9
1
pecific
focus on goal and purposes, in other words, what are the outcomes.easurable
express in a way that it is quantifiable, in other words, how much or how many.A
greeable
agree by all stakeholders.elatistic
ensure the needed resources must be available to achieve the objectives including human resources, financial resources,etc.ime specific
ensure all the working stages must be completed within a particular time frame.Table 4: The “SMART” Objectives
The following diagram illustrates the application of SMART in the first stage of planning, in addition, it shows the workflow of completing the event from the planning stage to the final stage. Each subcommittee is required to fulfil its roles throughout the staging process.
3.1.1 Organization Goals
Different types of organization have different goals when producing events.
Figure 6: Organizational goals for producing events Private for Profit
Not for Profit Government Agencies, Public Groups
or Private Groups
Companies producing events on their own or under contract
Corporations creating events for marketing reasons
Hotels, resorts, facilities using events as attractions and image makers
Leisure and social agencies, to foster sport, arts, or community integration
Arts / cultural groups to foster appreciation and participation
Economic development and tourism, to create jobs and income
Charities and causes, to attract revenue and support
Community-based societies and informal groups, for multiple community benefits
BOARD OF DIRECTORS FINANCE
•
Fund raising•
Sponsorships•
Budget•
ControlsPERSONNEL
•
Volunteers•
Employees•
Committee assignments•
Records MARKETING•
Market plan•
Research•
Theming•
TicketingADMINISTRA- TION
•
Secretarial•
Reports•
Supplies•
General records PLANNING•
Strategy•
Research•
Policies•
EvaluationPROGRAMME
•
Entertainment•
Activities•
Awards/prizesCONCESSIONS
•
Food and beverages•
MerchandiseOPERATIONS
•
Venues•
Equipment•
Security•
Parking•
Hospitality•
Clean-up3.2 Organization Structure
Planning a MICE event or any event involves different teams working on different functions.
Depending on the type of organization, these teams can be entire departments or committees.
Regardless of organizational background, each team must perform its specific function.
Sometimes, the organizational structure can be monitored by a governing committee;
especially when the event is organized by a membership association.
Figure 7: Organizational structure – Functional-Based (Not for Profit)
However, it may not be easy for a corporation to identify the structure of an event planning group. This is because the planner can be the secretary, personal assistant or an executive whose main duties do not involve event organization. If the corporation does not have a dedicated team of individuals to organize events, the structure will be similar to an ad hoc and functional-based one as displayed in Figure 8.
3.3 How to Start a Project
The checklist for starting a project.
□ Confirm members of the organizing committee
□ Confirm date and venue (submit requests for proposals (RFP))
□ Decide on conference theme and logo
□ Appoint Professional Congress Organizer (PCO) or event planner
□ Invite and confirm members of the various subcommittees
□ Set up a work plan – e.g. Critical Path Method (CPM) or Flow Chart
□ Set up a budget (confirm registration fees)
□ Set up a bank account
□ Set up a conference website and e-mail account
□ Produce conference stationeries -- letterhead and envelopes
RFP is a Request for Proposal. The event planner needs to send out a RFP to ask hotels, restaurants, convention and exhibition centres, and other venues to draft a proposal based on the organization’s requirements. By comparing different RFPs, the planner and organization representatives can then decide on their choice of suppliers. Therefore, the key of the RFP is to clearly state to suppliers the event planner’s expectations.
3.3.1 Preparation Stage
A typical MICE event will have the following subcommittees to perform different functions:
1. Program subcommittee 2. Social subcommittee
3. Registration and hotel and tour booking team 4. Publicity subcommittee
5. Sponsorship subcommittee 6. Printing and production team
For more information about the different types of committees, visit the following websites:
http://www.apdc2016.org/congress-information/committees/
http://www.ha.org.hk/haconvention/hac2016/en_scientific.html
3.3.2 Program subcommittee
The responsibility of program subcommittee:
□ Set up programme schedule
An Example of a Setup Programme Structure:
o Opening ceremony o Keynote presentation o Plenary session o Committee programs o Breakout sessions o Closing ceremony (if any)
□ Nominate guest of honour and speakers / call for paper
□ Follow-up speakers with bios, photos and/or abstracts
□ Fix the program rundown
□ Ensure following the protocol
□ Ensure security
□ Invitation to VIPs
□ Confirm venue setup, decoration and A/V requirements (on stage/off stage) Usually, it takes around 12 months or more to plan for a MICE event. (For large international
examples:
http://www.ha.org.hk/haconvention/hac2016/en_program.html
http://www.ha.org.hk/haconvention/hac2016/download/Leaflet_Pgm_at_a_glance_en.pdf
Activity 3.1:
Plan the above tasks. Think about which task should be done first and the best time to complete the tasks that are not as important.
For more information about the duties and functions of the subcommittees, refer to Supplementary Resources (3).
3.3.3 Social Subcommittee
The responsibility of social subcommittee:
□ Set up the type/nature/quantity of social programs
□ Confirm date/time/venue
□ Decide on the program rundown
□ Invite guest of honour
protocol
entertainment
transportation
security
□ Confirm venue set-up, decoration and A/V requirements (on stage/off stage)
□ Confirm food and beverage plan
Menu (Chinese or Western)
Drink package (wine, beer, juice, soft drinks)
Special meal requirements (no beef/pork, vegetarian etc.) Activity 3.2:
Plan the above tasks. Think about which tasks should be completed first and the best time to complete the tasks that are not as important.
The responsibility of registration and hotel and tour booking team:
□ Prepare registration forms (on-line/hard copy)
□ Set up registration database
□ Identify and reserve hotels
□ Set up optional tour program for:
Accompanying persons during the conference
Pre/post-congress tour
□ Send confirmations to delegates as registrations arrive Activity 3.3:
Plan the above tasks. Think about which tasks should be completed first and the best time to complete the tasks that are not as important.
3.3.5 Publicity Subcommittee
The responsibility of publicity subcommittee:
□ Keep contact with individual and past conference delegates
Direct mail - send registration brochures by mail
Group e-mails - organize regular e-newsletters
□ Keep contact with professional associations
Regular publications
Event calendars
Group e-mails
□ Use Event Marketing
Promote own event in similar events
Media
o Ad/Inserts in publications o Press releases
Sales Promotions
o Complimentary/discounted registrations Activity 3.4:
Plan the above tasks. Think about which tasks should be completed first and the best time to complete the tasks that are not as important.
3.3.6 Sponsorship Subcommittee
The responsibility of sponsorship subcommittee:
□ Prepare a sponsorship and exhibition prospectus
□ Appoint official contractors for exhibition floor plan and booth set-up
□ Identify and recruit potential sponsors and exhibitors
□ Send technical and instruction manuals to confirmed exhibitors
□ Monitor all terms and conditions stated in the sponsorship contract Activity 3.5:
Plan the above tasks. Think about which tasks should be completed first and the best time to complete the tasks that are not as important.
3.3.7 Printing and Production Team
The responsibility of printing and production team:
To prepare the following materials
□ Registration brochures
□ Invitation cards
□ Conference proceedings – a book or CD that contains all written articles for presentation
□ Conference program
□ Delegates' list
□ Badge
□ Name plates
□ Conference satchels
□ Pens and pads
□ Souvenirs - guests of honour, speakers, delegates
□ Tickets
Photo 10:
Proceedings prepared in books and CD
Photo 11: Pen, Pad & Souvenir Photo 12: Name badges and tickets
Plan the above tasks. Think about which tasks should be completed first and the best time to complete the tasks that are not as important.
3.3.8 On-site preparation
On-site preparation includes the followings:
□ Set up an on-site work and manpower plan
□ Prepare the venue operation order and food and beverage plan
□ Buy insurance
□ Arrange photographer/videographer
□ Arrange transportation for on-site equipment
□ Arrange on-site staff briefing
□ Timeline: Six to eight weeks before conference start
3.3.9 Wrap Up
The followings should be carried out upon the end of the event:
□ Send relevant thank you letters with photos
□ Settle all payments
□ Prepare an income and expenditure report
□ Prepare a final report with statistics and recommendations
□ Finalize all matters
□ Timeline: Within two months after conference end
For more information about the time required to plan, organize and execute an event, refer to Supplementary Resources (4).
The ITE (International Travel Expo) and MICE 2016
Name of the Event: The 30th International Travel Expo / 11th MICE Date of the Event: 16 - 19 June 2016
Venue of the Event: HKCEC, Hong Kong
About ITE & MICE
Market - With only 7.2 million people and her citizens can visit some 140 destinations visa free, Hong Kong in 2014 spent US$22.8 billion on international travel and ranked Asia's 4th largest source market; and her residents made over 86 million departures.
Exhibitors & Visitors - Asia's long established and Hong Kong's only travel fair, ITE & MICE 2015 drew from 50 countries and regions 607 exhibitors with 85% from abroad; 11874 buyers and trade visitors (around 75% from Hong Kong & 25% mainland China and abroad) in two trade days; and 78116 public visitors (over 85% FIT or private tour group). Among its buyers and trade visitors, 6198 (52.2%) were from travel agents, 2534 (21.3%) from MICE and corporations, and 907 (7.6%) from media etc.
Themes - which are particularly attractive to affluent travelers, FIT and travel trade serving them, highlighted in ITE & MICE included MICE / Corporate Travel with 180 related exhibitors, Sport, Adventures, Eco-tourism, Honeymoon Overseas Wedding, Travel Photography, Culture and Heritage each with around 50 exhibitors; Cruises and Wellness etc.
Seminar - In trade days, which require registration for admission, were 15 seminars for the travel trade, 10 on MICE & Corporate Travel and Business Matching etc. In public days were around 100 travel seminars with the most popular ones drawing over 200 audiences, great offers by some exhibitors as retail sales are allowed on and only on the public days.
Supporting Organizations
Supporting Associations
Discussion Questions:
1. Identify the nature of ITE?
Case Study 2
Competition Faced by Hong Kong and Major Challenges Ahead
Despite the high and growing venue capacity across Asia and South East China, Hong Kong only competes directly with a subset of these cities for events.
For conventions, Hong Kong mainly competes with large Asian cities with similar international background, such as Shanghai, Beijing, Macao, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Jakarta. For conventions with greater Mainland Chinese participation, Mainland cities are the main competitors, while for conventions focused on wider Asia delegates, South East Asian cities are the main competitors.
For exhibitions, Hong Kong mainly competes with cities targeting at the Mainland market. The main competitors are Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macao (direct competitors for B2R export exhibitions in consumer goods), and to a lesser extent Shanghai and Beijing (less focus on B2R export exhibitions, mainly shows for Mainland Chinese buyers).
Hong Kong currently has a strong competitive position, but its advantages will likely be diluted in the coming years as competing cities are improving their infrastructure, transportation links and business environment, and are developing more MICE friendly policies. Countries like Singapore and Thailand are implementing various measures to attract event organisers, such as offering incentives and subsidies. While venue and city costs may not be the major concern, the growth of the convention and exhibition industries in Hong Kong is hampered by the lack of venue capacity especially during peak seasons of the year. To maintain its competitive position and to capture its share of the growing convention and exhibition industries, Hong Kong will need to increase its venue capacity.
Discussion Question:
1. Using a comparison table and identify the friendly policies, incentives and subsidies offered by each of the competing cities mentioned in the case study.
Source: 2015 Legislative Council Discussion Paper No. CB(1)512/14-15(05)
Case Study 3
8th UNWTO Asia/Pacific Executive Training Program on Tourism Policy and Strategy Bali
Refer to the case study prepared by UNWTO in Supplementary Resources (5), and apply the content of the case study to other cities with the aim to promote themselves as MICE cities.
Discussion Question:
It is suggested to apply the concepts in the case study to a city listed below:
1. Beijing 2. Shanghai 3. Guangzhou 4. Shenzhen 5. Macao 6. Singapore 7. Kuala Lumpur 8. Bangkok 9. Jakarta
Source: UNWTO http://cf.cdn.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/10_laospdr.pdf
List of Photos, Figures and Maps
PHOTOS
1 A MEETING 3
2 A GENERAL SESSION OF A CONVENTION 6
3 EXHIBITION BOOTHS 9
4 ACCOMMODATION 18
5 FOOD AND BEVERAGE 18
6 A THEATRE 19
7 A BALLROOM 19
8 A COMFORTABLE MESSAGING CENTRE 21
9 TRAVELLING IN A COACH 28
10 PROCEEDINGS PREPARED IN BOOKS AND CD 44
11 PEN, PAD & SOUVENIR 44
12 NAME BADGES AND TICKETS 44
FIGURES
1 NATURE OF MICE 1
2 THE GROWTH RATE OF BUSINESS VISITORS AND MICE VISITORS 12
3 WHERE ATTENDEES SPEND THEIR MONEY? 17
4 THE PLANNING PROCESS COMPONENTS 32
5 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLANNING, OPERATIONS AND THE SUBCOMMITTEES 33
6 ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS FOR PRODUCING EVENTS 34
7 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE – FUNCTIONAL-BASED (NOT FOR PROFIT) 35 8 FUNCTIONAL-BASED ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE WITH GOVERNING COMMITTEES 36 TABLES
1 THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF MICE (2006 – 2012) 12
2 THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF MICE BUSINESS IN 2006 AND 2010 13-14
3 TYPES OF HOTEL 22-23
4 THE “SMART” OBJECTIVES 33
MAPS
1 HONG KONG IS A WELL-ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION HUB 27
2 PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 29
3 ATTRACTIONS IN HONG KONG 30
Remarks Source of Information
1. This is an example of confexes (conferences with small exhibition attached). Visit the website of the “38th Asia Pacific Dental Congress”
http://www.apdc2016.org/congre ss-information/about-apdc/ for image appears on the right column.
http://www.apdc2016.org/congress-information/about-apdc/
2. Examples of sectors involved in MICE business
http://hkbookfair.hktdc.com/en/Exhibitor/Exhibitor-Supporting-Services.html
3. The roles and duties of the subcommittees - Exhibitor’s manual.
Example of
subcommittees.
Exhibitor’s manual:
http://hkbookfair.hktdc.com/en/Exhibitor/Exhibitors-Manual.html
Example of subcommittees
http://www.apdc2016.org/congress-information/committees/
4. For more information about the workflow of organizing an event, visit the website of HKTDC. The information can help students to understand the objectives of Activity 3.1 to Activity 3.6
Hong Kong Book Fair organized by HKTDC http://hkbookfair.hktdc.com/en/Exhibitor/Important-Dates.html
5. Apply the content of the case study to other cities with the aim to promote themselves as MICE cities.
8th UNWTO Asia/Pacific Executive Training Program on Tourism Policy and Strategy Bali
http://cf.cdn.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/10_laospdr.pdf
