The MICE Trap

With GIBTM set to stage its fourth installment in Abu Dhabi, ATN finds out why agents should attend and offers hints and tips on selling MICE.

The Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition (GIBTM) has come a long way since its first installment in 2007.

Staged at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from March 29-31, the event has grown by 56% since its inception and has built a reputation as the largest gathering of meeting industry professionals in the Gulf, all of whom are intent on networking, exchanging ideas and doing business.

Final numbers are yet to be confirmed for this year’s event but exhibition director Graeme Barnett said the show would be attended by 300 international hosted buyers while exhibitor content continued to grow.

Exhibitor stalwarts coming back for more include the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the Egyptian Tourist Authority, Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority, Etihad Airways, the Government of Dubai, Oman Ministry of Tourism and Rotana Hotel Management Corporation, while regulars such as Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority and the Jumeirah Group have increased their presence.

Recent signings include Visit London, Dragonfly Africa, Beijing Tourism Administration, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Indonesia, Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions, Turkey, Cape Winelands District Municipality, Yas Hotels and Tourism Ireland.

Other exhibiting companies include the Seoul Tourism Organisation, Meet Taiwan, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, the Costa del Sol Convention Bureau, Czech Tourism, the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and Silversea Cruises.

Exhibitor offering
Visit London head of event solutions and UK sales Zanine Adams said she would be showcasing the new London offerings at GIBTM, with phase two of ExCeL due to open as well as several hotels including Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, The Jumeirah Hotel at Beetham Tower in Blackfriars and the Shard of Glass Shangri-La property.

“We will also be sharing information on London’s luxury Michelin-starred restaurants and shopping venues such as Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, while highlighting the major business objectives and hospitality offerings for London both pre- and post-2012 Olympics,” she said.

Sean Cullen, director of sales and marketing at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, said he would be promoting the property as “a fresh alternative destination for the regional MICE market”, while Robin Mcleod, sales and marketing manager at Dragonfly Africa, said he would be extolling the growth potential for ‘concentives’, described as “a combination of conference and incentives, programmes with a corporate social responsibility element and ‘green’ programmes”.

All hotels exhibiting told ATN they had experienced strong growth in MICE sales over the past few years and exhibiting at GIBTM ensured they capitalised on further growth potential in this sector.

Rotana CEO Selim El Zyr cited Egypt as a key market for expansion: “We are forecasting, or in fact working on, increasing the MICE business within the coming two years to 18%,” he said, citing Sharm El Sheikh as an “emerging conference paradise,” he said.

“In Abu Dhabi, the increase will be very significant; up to 14%, which is a growth of over 60%, and this is due to the initiatives taken by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority to promote the destination for MICE.”

He continued: “Hosting important exhibitions such as GIBTM assists hugely in the overall tourism development taking place and plays a major role in nurturing further growth in this sector.”

Newcommers such as Cape Winelands District Municipality are looking to the Middle East as a prospective market and attending GIBTM is a way to analyse its potential.

“There are various conference venues within the Cape Winelands and the focus it to get the market to recognise the strong MICE features of this destination,” said senior marketing officer Bongiwe Nzeku.

Why should agents attend?
This year GIBTM has run a dedicated campaign to attract agents to the show, informing them of the opportunities to increase business, provide clients with added value services and to remain competitive.

“Those that visit GIBTM will find everything that they need to organise and plan their next meeting, conference, incentive trip or event on behalf of their clients,” said Barnett.

“Additionally, professional education features highly with a programme of seminars and workshops presented by international professionals who will debate and tackle key issues and give practical advice.”

He said the role of the travel agent had become increasingly important within the MICE sector as clients look to them to book their business travel.

“There is also a great opportunity for travel agents to get involved in offering a wider service that could lead to planning and creating events and incentives,” Barnett added.

The future of MICE
GIBTM exhibition director Graeme Barnett: “I am looking to the next 12 months with optimism and excitement.

The enthusiasm of governments [across the region] to recognise the increasing economic benefits and potential of business tourism shows no sign of abating.

A strong and clear vision, significant investment allied to private enterprise and constantly improving facilities and access for international business travellers have made the region highly competitive in a very short time.

After all, it is predicted that 300,000 jobs will be created in the next two years in the hospitality sector alone — 20% within the meetings and events sector. That’s 60,000 meeting professionals. So recruitment and training will continue to be a major influence on performance.”

Tips to make MICE work

TIP 1: Product knowledge is key to be able to effectively sell. We encourage our travel agents to visit the properties, meet with the teams, and experience the service.
Christian Pertl, director of sales & marketing, IHG Dubai Festival City

TIP 2: It is imperative that travel agents have an in-depth knowledge of the destination to understand the opportunities and value for money that it offers to buyers. They can only really do that by visiting the destination and talking to the tourism bodies and hotels based there.
Sean Cullen, director of sales & marketing, Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea

TIP 3: Know your client and what their requirements are — are they a young, funky group or perhaps one that is more interested in cultural elements? These factors will influence what destinations appeal to the client. Look for unique selling points in the destinations you are proposing.
Robin Mcleod, sales & marketing manager, Dragonfly Africa

TIP 4: It is important to be creative with the product you are offering your client and one of the most important elements of this is to promote venues, activities and services that reflect the culture of the destination. As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, and here in Dubai, the emphasis should be on providing a true Arabian experience for the guests.
Carl Palmlund, director of sales — groups, Jumeirah Group

TIP 5: Explore new and interesting destinations and work closer with the hotels to achieve the best results.
Selim El Zyr, CEO, Rotana Hotels & Resorts

MICE incentives for travel agents
 

The Jumeirah Group offers travel agents the following benefits when booking MICE:

• 15% commission on rooms
• 10% discount on the master bill (excluding rooms)
• 5% commission on food and beverage (Dubai only)
• Up to 50% attrition 30 days prior to group arrival
• One free room for every 25 rooms that are booked
• One free suite for every 50 rooms that are booked

Rotana Hotels & Resorts: offers tailormade packages for travel agents and MICE organiser to suit the specific requirements of their clients.

Movenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea: offers fam trips to Jordan and the Dead Sea so agents can experience the product and speak to MICE and F&B specialists.

New format for the GIBTM education programme
For the first time, GIBTM’S education programme, which is targeted at associations, corporates and agencies, will be divided into three distinct themes — The Event Planning Day on Monday March 29; The Big Industry Research Day on Tuesday March 30; and the Industry Trends Day on Wednesday March 31.

Event Planning Day: will feature four sessions — Graham Keene, CEO, World Events, on implementing CSR policies; Ali Al Saloom, president, Embrace Arabia, will tackle the key cultural considerations when planning events in the Middle East; Adrian Bell, founder, Action Impact, will look at the future of the special events industry.

The day will end with a panel discussion.

The Big Industry Research Day: will start with the presentation of the GIBTM/meetme Middle East Trends Report. This will be followed by Sean Mahoney, president, SITE 2010, looking at the current climate for motivational events, who will share insights from the International Site Index and IRF Incentive Industry Trends Outlook.

Session three presented by Didier Scaillet, chief development officer, MPI, will highlight key findings from FutureWatch 2010 while the final session will bring the presenters together to discuss how the research findings impact the future of the industry.

For more on GIBTM visit www.gibtm.com