Millennium & Copthorne’s vice president sales & marketing, MEA, Naeem Darkazally has said that the MICE segment will grow to represent 15% of the company’s revenue over the next two years.
Currently, between 7-10% of the company’s revenue comes from MICE and Darkazally believes that the opening of the 307-room Millennium Hotel & Convention Centre Kuwait, to open in Kuwait City by quarter four this year, will be key to achieving growth of the segment.
Speaking exclusively to Hotelier Middle East, Darkazally commented: “We’re embarking on a very important MICE opening before the end of the year in Kuwait; it will have over 4000m² of Mice facilities. I think the MICE segment will grow to become 15% of our total revenue, at least. It is currently sitting at less than 10% but I see the next two years growing big time on this.”
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Additionally, Darkazally said that partnerships with MICE tour operators such as Infinite Global Convention Association (IGCA) and the evolvement of the way in which MICE trips are booked have helped put Millennium & Copthorne on the global MICE map.
“Our industry has evolved; today people are more skilled at finding the best venues for meetings. We are online with these global players in the MICE market through contracts, and placing our products on the right MICE websites and with the right MICE tour operators and travel agents. Some companies have discovered that they can use an online RFP system within the same city so the whole segment is developing.”
In addition to the Kuwait opening this year, Darkazally highlighted Grand Millennium Hotel Muscat, to open in 2015, as a project that will attract incentive business.
“It will be another good property to attract corporate meetings,” Darkazally commented. “Muscat is not overwhelmed with tourists and I think they culture has been preserved – you can see the Omani touch everywhere, so it’s a very interesting cultural destination that attracts incentive business.”
The 253-room Grand Millennium Sulaimani, which opened early this month has also boosted Millennium & Copthorne’s MICE offering according to a spokesperson who said: “It has first class meetings facilities – corporate and MICE business are key to that market and that particular property has premier facilities including a first-class ballroom and stand-alone auditorium, so it will really add to our MICE offering.”
The company recently announced it will enter Saudi Arabia with 20 hotels to open within the next three years. This comes as part of a wider plan to operate 50 properties throughout the Middle East & Africa by 2017.
Millennium & Copthorne currently has 120 operating hotels across Europe, the USA and the Far East.
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