MICEtalk

Rs. 100

Volume IV Issue 1 January 2013 60 pages A DDP Publication

Brighter Prospects

in 2013

Mission Incentive

Sydney & Gold Coast

What Corporates Want

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Atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia with the Sydney Opera House as the backdrop

Publisher

SanJeet

Editorial Director

Rupali Narasimhan

Editor

Deepa Sethi

DELHI: Associate Editor

Ipshita Sengupta Nag

Desk Editor

Neelam Singh

Sub Editor

Ramya J.S. D’Rozario

Design

Alpana Khare Neeraj Aggarwal

Advertising

Gunjan Sabikhi Shovan Kanungo Gaurav Sharma Prem Sagar Shailendra Shukla Udit Pandey

Production Manager

Anil Kharbanda

Circulation Manager

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MUMBAI: Advertising

Harshal Ashar

MICEtalk January 2013

5

reader’s

page

Dear Reader, 2012 ended with a definite rise in MICE tourism and we hope that this trend will continue well into the future.

Understanding the MICE traveller has become very important. They look for destinations that provide good infrastructure, better connectivity and hassle-free visa regulations. In addition to this, they prefer destinations that have an element of relaxation and the opportunity for shopping and even sightseeing. This is because a large number of MICE travellers either take a break before or after a convention to see the new destination. National Tourist Offices of several countries (and this is a rapidly growing segment) market their products and assist in finding the required venue and accommodation at discounted prices for large groups.

In this issue, we bring to you information about destinations that are working overtime to attract MICE tourism, especially from India, like Australia, Switzerland, Poland and our own, very popular, Jaipur, which is increasing its MICE infrastructure with leaps and bounds. In fact, MICE in India is going beyond metros to tier II cities to find that combination of business and pleasure.

Also, there are plenty of interviews with people from different walks of the industry, telling us about the year that’s gone and their expectations from 2013.

It all looks quite positive…

We wish you an exciting New Year with plenty of travel and relaxation.

Deepa Sethi Editor

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contents 23 12 Cover Story

MICE Growth despite odds

8 Facts 22 Incentive Country Sydney and The Gold Coast

28 Yours Officially Lyn Lewis-Smith (Business Events Sydney)

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Martin Winter (Gold Coast Tourism Corporation)

32 Mice Venue

Davos Congress Centre, Switzerland

36 Expert talk

MICE specialists on building business in tough times

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38 Mice City

Krakow, Poland

42 Success Story TUI in Singapore

44 Mice Hotel Fairmont Jaipur

48 Corporate Talk

What corporates want from a MICE destination

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51 Let’s talk

Convention Centres on the Effect of Virtual/Hybrid Events

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52 Technology

Technology at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre

54 Frames

Indian MICE travellers in Australia

56 People on the move 58 Events

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RTE to launch IBTM in India

facts

facts

Reed Travel Exhibitions, one of the leading organisers of the incentives, business travel, and meetings industry events, announced a new addition to IBTM Portfolio – IBTM India. The first IBTM India will take place at the Grand Hyatt in the financial hub of Mumbai from 12-14 September 2013. This will provide an integrated platform for the MICE and Business Travel sectors to come together and transact business, share knowledge, and network in the business and financial hub of Mumbai. The first IBTM India will have 100 MICE and business travel suppliers from international and Indian hotels and venues, national/state tourism boards, travel and destination management companies, and airlines, along with other suppliers including technology and event management companies.

PATA Travel Mart in China

Chengdu, China, will host the PATA Travel Mart in September 2013. Chengdu is the first city to host PTM in Midwest China. It is also a vital step to becoming a world-class travel destination. It has been acclaimed as a leading tourism city by the UNWTO and the CNTA, and is increasingly popular in the MICE segment as well. PATA travel Mart will take place from September 25-27, 2013 at Century City New International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Chengdu in Sichuan province, China. Apart from the Mart, the PATA Board Meeting will be held September 27-29, 2013 at the InterContinental Hotel in Chengdu.

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Auckland secures major conference

With the assistance of Auckland Convention Bureau Bid Fund, Auckland has been selected to host the 23rd International Symposium on the Forensic Sciences 2016 at SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre. The fund was introduced in July this year and was instrumental in securing the event. The four-day conference will attract 1,000 delegates with an estimated economic value of more than $4 million.

‘Positively Wellington Venues’ extends venue offering for 2013

The organisation responsible for Wellington’s most impressive portfolio of venues – Positively Wellington Venues – will extend its offering for 2013 when it takes over management of the gallery function space at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts.

The unique function space – on Wellington’s Queen’s Wharf – is housed within the stunning waterfront Academy building and has already hosted events including information seminars for the BT Round the World Yacht Race and preshow cocktails for World of Wearable Arts. When coinciding with one of the Academy’s world-class exhibitions, guests are surrounded by up to 500 works by some of New Zealand’s leading artists.

facts

Etihad fleet to have Wi-Fi by 2014

facts

WTM Latin America to get a boost

Etihad Airways has launched its first A330-200 aircraft fitted with ‘Etihad Wi-Fly’ Internet and mobile connectivity. The technology is powered by the Panasonics Avionics Global Communications Suite, and will be fitted to 10 aircraft by the end of 2013, with all Etihad aircraft featuring in-flight connectivity by the end of 2014.

All narrow-body aircraft will have data and mobile connectivity, while all wide-bodies will also feature Wi-fi access. These services will cost US$13.95 per hour or US$24.95 for 24 hours, and will be free for Diamond First customers. The first A330-200 will be used on long-haul services.

Melbourne to host Business Events Week

Melbourne will host Australia’s inaugural Business Events Week from February 25 to March 1, 2013.

It will be a week-long programme designed to showcase the value of business events.

Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) will welcome more than 500 international buyers to take part in the Business event. During the event, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre will be open for the public for a whole day.

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World Travel Market Latin America, taking place in São Paulo from April 23–25, 2013, will incorporate a three-day event programme highlighting different topics impacting Brazil, Latin America and the global travel industry.

It will focus on Leisure, MICE and Business Travel, giving the Latin American travel industry a platform to conduct business and become one of the most important travel and tourism regions in the world. Two seminar theatres will host a range of high-level local and international speakers who are experts in their field and guarantee to deliver quality content.

Hong Kong to attract more MICE tourists

AsiaWorld-Expo – Asia’s leading exhibition, convention and events venue presents new convention spaces for Hong Kong. The sophisticated Runway 11 and Runway Suites series will attract more international conferences and events to Hong Kong.

The new Runway Suites at AsiaWorld-Expo boast up to 10 rooms and offer unprecedented flexibility, each capable of seating between 80 and 200 people in a theatre set-up. All rooms are fully carpeted and offer excellent sound-proofing and a full range of audio-visual technologies.

Cover story cover

2012 2013 T

Bright prospects for MICE despite odds Indian corporates are travelling! And India outbound is claiming more numbers than India inbound. So there are MICE activities being planned and travel budgets being discussed and revised, even as tour operators, venues, hotels, airlines are gearing up to provide the best in services. MICEtalk spoke to some of these MICE specialists to find out what they are expecting from business travel in 2013 and asked them to do a quick analysis of the year that was 2012. We noted a general mood of optimism.

Current Scenario

here are several reasons to believe that 2013 will be a good year for MICE. The year 2012 has shown that in spite of the obvious hiccups like tighter travel budgets, cancellations or postponement of corporate offsites, shorter travel itineraries or rise

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in airline taxes or higher service tax because of the uncertain economic scenario and rising prices, there has been growth in MICE travel, something that has lead the respondents to predict an even brighter picture for this niche sector in the coming year.

Looking for newer destinations: While the bigger corporates are keen to explore newer destinations like Sri Lanka, Korea or the Philippines, the smaller corporates are willing to explore more domestic destinations for meetings and conferences.

Revival of incentive travel: Companies are willing to spend on their employees, to reward them for a job well done. psurge in the hospitality sector: With major hotel brands opening the doors to new U properties, marketing their MICE facilities and projecting themselves as MICE hotels, Corporates from India now have more options. A number of hotels believe that MICE will be a strong pillar for business in 2013 and acknowledge that it has been a major contributor in spite of the slow 2012 business. xpectations from the Ministry of Tourism: To promote India as a MICE destination E which means pushing for a better infrastructure.

MICE Industry is adapting to the changing world economic scenario described as the ‘new normal’.

T here have been investments in newer products and experiences to satisfy the discerning corporate travellers.

The easing of the visa norms in some countries has encouraged group travel.

The National Tourist Offices of several destinations have reported an increase in queries for MICE. ICE planners are noticing that luxury is coming back to the consciousness of MICE M travellers in spite of the close scrutiny of corporate budgets.

Hoteliers are positive about a double digit growth in 2013. irlines are investing in newer routes, resulting in better connectivity and more group A travel. The airport infrastructure has also improved tremendously.

Read on to find out more from the industry stalwarts‌

Naveen Rizvi Sr Vice President Head TUI Meetings & Incentives

2012 was a good year for us in terms of Meeting & Incentive related outbound travel and 2013 would be even better. International destinations offering value for money services such as Thailand, Malaysia and Dubai were high in demand in 2012 due to affordable accommodation, apt flight connectivity and abundant sightseeing options to offer. Sri Lanka, Korea, Philippines, South Africa and Indonesia will be in great demand amongst the corporates in 2013.

In India, while the Meetings and Incentive segment is ahead in the race, other aspects of MICE such as exhibitions/trade fairs and events are not far behind in travel. Big corporates want overseas destinations as event venues with a good location, international cuisine and folklore, combined with varied options for sightseeing.

2012 has been a strong year for MICE especially with regard to emerging technology. As for 2013, the travel budget for companies is evolving every year with specific discretionary spends, but luxury resorts have not been banished completely and they are starting to come back into the corporate consciousness. So we’re definitely upbeat about what’s ahead.

Amit Bhatia

Managing Director Mach Conferences

The year 2012 has been a good year and MICE will continue to look up for the coming year. India has become an attractive player in the global market, especially with the better infrastructure, convention centers, hotels and the airport facility.

Kalpana Uberoi

General Manager Kuoni

MICE Tour Operators say...

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MICE Tour Operators say...

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Ritika Modi

Regional President UNIGLOBE Travel (South Asia)

MICEtalk January 2013

The average spend for a MICE movement in 2012 has been $750 to $1000 per person for an overseas destination and 6,000 to 10,000 INR per person, per day; for a domestic destination. Meetings emerged as the most important objective for organising MICE trips in 2012, at 96 per cent followed by Conferences and Convention at 81 per cent. Incentives are the 3rd most important factor at 65 per cent. Today, corporates are seeking new and affordable destinations. The new emerging MICE destinations are Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Jordan, Turkey, Spain, Greece and Egypt.

Cruise holidays and innovative experiences including wellness Spas are emerging trends for 2013 and beyond.

In 2012, MICE movements have increased.

The popular destinations include South-East Asian countries for providing value of money. MICE is also increasing to central Europe, Turkey, Tashkent and Macau. Domestic MICE is ever increasing and has huge potential. Pune can develop into a MICE hub.

Zelam Chaubal Director Kesari Tours

The year 2012 was tough for the industry due to high dollar fluctuations, increasing quarterly airline taxes, increase in Government service tax, etc. Many times either a trip was postponed or cancelled. 2013 gives hope and looks very promising especially for A&K MICE with almost closing of nearly $2m of business in advance.

Vicky Soin

Asst. Vice President Outbound (MICE), Abercrombie & Kent India Pvt Limited

The MICE segment is evolving at a fast rate and Indian corporate houses are looking for new destinations and experiences. The Indian outbound MICE market is estimated to be around $550-600 million and is expected to increase by 10 per cent-15 per cent in 2013.

About 1.5 - 1.8 mn passengers travelled outbound for meetings and conventions in 2012, which is a steep fall in numbers. But in 2013, we expect a revival in incentivised travel and meetings by corporates.

Pradeep Kalra

Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Sarovar Hotels

The year gone by has been a mixed bag of small and large events that have been hosted in the National Capital Region. The city of Gurgaon showcases plenty of unique venues with a mix of thoroughly modern facilities and firstclass service. Also, Gurgaon is hosting many international events in the coming days. The coming year is sure to attract more such events.

Ashish Rajput

Director of Sales Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon

We had good business in MICE in the year 2012 with back to back doctors’ conferences and a lot of corporate events. ‘Emerging Kerala’ event bought in a lot of global investors to Kochi and was a very busy time for the hotel. The year 2013 looks good with a lot of enquiries for both corporate and family functions. With the Pravasi Bharathiya event in January, we are looking for a good start in the year 2013.

Kunal Shanker

Executive Asst. Manager Holiday Inn Cochin

Hospitality Professionals say...

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Hospitality Professionals say...

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Oliver Martin

Regional General Manager The Claridges Hotels & Resorts

MICE business will be a strong pillar for all Indian hotels in the future. This segment is not yet explored to its fullest capacity and still a lot to be done to strengthen and increase this segment. To promote India as a MICE destination, transportation sector has to be improved, the visa conditions to be made easier, the destination marketing to be more aggressive and last not the least, the convention infrastructure has to be improved.

Just because we outprice ourselves, it is more economical for this segment to move to neighbouring countries. This year’s MICE productivity was quite promising and the outlook for 2013 is even better.

This year was an exciting one for Fairmont as we debuted our first property in India, the Fairmont Jaipur, this summer. Globally, we continue to see positive trends in the MICE market going into 2013. Specific to emerging markets, we expect double-digit growth in the combined domestic and outbound MICE segment.

Mark Sergot

Vice President, Global Sales Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

We are optimistic about attracting more Indian and Asian MICE business in 2013 compared to 2012, With Sri Lanka Tourism aiming to increase international MICE arrivals to 160,000 in 2015 from 83,117 in 2011, Aitken Spence Hotels is positioning itself to play a significant role in this endeavour.

Althaf Mohamed Ali

Vice President-Sales & Marketing Aitken Spence Hotel Managements (Pvt) Ltd

MICEtalk January 2013

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Convention Centres say...

2012 has been a fantastic year for us.

Melbourne’s focus on major sporting events has been a great attraction to the Indian market, and we’ve seen portions of growth in India and Asia so we’ll be focussing attention on these markets in 2013. In December 2012, MCEC hosted 4,000 Indian delegates for the Amway India Leadership Seminar. In terms of industry, business events organised globally is a great news story and there will be even more stories to tell in 2013.

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Peter King

Chief Executive Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)

2012 has proven to be an excellent year for the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The level of business we secured this year reflects that Malaysia, being strategically located in the heart of South-East Asia, coupled with her worldclass infrastructure and established industry supply chain is undoubtedly benefiting from the growing economy.

Datuk Peter Brokenshire

General Manager Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

For us, 2012 has been a year unlike any other with the Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place in the Capital. In terms of ExCeL London, we saw an increase of 43 per cent in meetings business over 2011 and 2012.

There has been a strengthening of MICE business in 2012 and we are seeing increased enquiries in association congresses as well as a significant upturn in corporate events. This has seen London’s ICCA ranking climb from 19th in 2008 to 7th in 2012.

James Rees

Director of Conferences & Events ExCeL London

MICEtalk January 2013

Craig Moyes

Portfolio Director IBTM Meetings and Events Portfolio Reed Travel Exhibitions

2012 was a great year for IndiGo from growth and expansion perspective. From a fleet size of 48 aircraft in December 2011, 31 destinations and 289 daily flights, it today operates 61 brand new Airbus A320 aircraft, 373 daily flights, 33 destinations across India and abroad, and have carried over 50 million passengers till date, resonating IndiGo’s phenomenal growth in the Indian skies.

Aditya Ghosh President IndiGo

2012 has been a good year for Lufthansa in India. This year we invested several million Euros in new and innovative products and services. India became the first Asian country where we introduced our new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft on two routes – from Delhi and Bengaluru to Frankfurt. In August, we opened our second lounge in India at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

And in October, FlyNet® - the on-board broadband service – was launched on select Indian routes.

Axel Hilgers

South Asia Director Lufthansa

Airlines say...

Having successfully adapting to the ‘new normal’ and witnessing low growth, or no growth, we can still look forward to moderate expansion in meetings, events and business travel volume and spending in 2013.

As per EIBTM Trends Watch report, the interconnectedness of our meetings industry has never been clearer than it is today. There is an ongoing demand for meetings and business travel services and facilities.

Exhibitions say...

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National Tourist Offices say...

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The year 2012 has been tough for Indian outbound market because of several factors like, economic uncertainty at both international as well as domestic levels, weakening rupee, rising airfare, etc. Corporate have either cancelled, postponed or opted for cheaper destinations for business movements.

Despite this, Macau continues receiving requests for support for incentive movements.

Macau has hosted many incentive movements in the year 2012 and we are sure, the trend will continue in coming years.

Madhvi Awasthi

Media Manager Macau Government Tourist Office, India

2012 has been a good year where we have seen both growth in enquiries and confirmed MICE business from the North American regions. We hope this trend will continue to grow in 2013 and through 2014 as we look forward to welcoming the Ryder Cup and The Commonwealth Games in 2014 as well as celebrating the second year of Homecoming, also in 2014.

Richard Knight

Business Tourism Unit Marketing Manager VisitScotland

Canada is now gaining popularity for MICE. A lot of corporates are looking at less travelled destinations as incentives for their employees and partners. There is a demand and the queries for MICE are fast growing. In 2013, we expect this to grow further.

Tina Singh

Assistant Vice President, Canadian Tourism Commission, Representative in India

MICEtalk January 2013

The weakness of the Rupee against its international counterparts such as the Euro has affected the Indian outbound market. Travel to long haul destinations such as France was impacted to some extent and this was seen in a reduction of overnights as well as a decrease in the group size travelling to France. For 2013, we are hopeful that things will take a turn for the better. We will focus on strengthening our network with corporate clients to promote France as the perfect destination of choice for MICE activities.

Catherine Oden Director Atout France

Philippines as a destination has proven to be competitive with its ASEAN neighbours and MICE movement from India to the Philippines has just started. The easing of visa policies has further made it easier. Compared to the same months in 2011, September arrivals have grown 27.9 per cent and October arrivals showed 42 per cent increase. We hope that visitors’ arrival from India will continue and generate more MICE groups.

Chetna Singh

Sr. Marketing Manager Philippines Tourism Marketing Office, India

global MICE travel shows in India India is a front runner in the MICE business. The debut of India chapters of the biggest MICE travel trade exhibitions is a testimony to this. 2012 saw the debut of India’s first International MICE travel fair, with IT&CM India coming to New Delhi and 2013 will see the launch of the newest offering from the IBTM portfolio, with Reed Travel Exhibitions announcing the first IBTM India to be held in Mumbai in September 2013.

National Tourist Offices say...

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(With inputs from Neha Oberoi, Ipshita Sengupta Nag and Devika Jeet)

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MICE country

The two-three hour climb of the legendry Sydney Harbour Bridge provides some breathtaking views

Mission Incentive Sydney and Gold Coast Devika Jeet

Understanding Australia, MICEtalk goes down to explore two popular cities, Sydney and Gold Coast. While both the picturesque cities have a lot to offer to a MICE group, here is a look at what sets them apart.

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MICEtalk January 2013

MICE country

access Sydney is the gateway to Australia, serviced by over 40 international airlines. Transfers to and from other cities around Australia are all accessed through Sydney Airport.

largest MICE precinct Australia’s largest convention, exhibition and entertainment centre is on track to be opened in Sydney late 2016. The first fully integrated convention centre with world-class facilities will ensure Sydney remains number one for the all-important events industry. The project will enable Sydney to hold, for the first time, consecutive ‘mega’ conferences and exhibitions in one venue. The Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct project spans a 20-hectare site and is a catalyst for the revitalisation of the iconic Darling Harbor.

Sailing regatta on Sydney Harbour

Signature Incentive Activities

• An exclusive tour behind the scenes at the Sydney Opera House. Also popular as an events location, the Opera House also caters Indian food.

• Embark on a corporate team-building sailing regatta on Sydney Harbour. Hoist the sail and feel part of the team while the breeze blows in your hair.

• Feel the thrill on-board a Harley-Davidson motorcycle en route to famous Bondi Beach.

Indian delegates

Vivacious Sydney

• Sydney Cricket Ground is re-developing the historic sporting hotspot that will upgrade and improve facilities. A chance to tour the stadium and see the lockers will leave the group asking for more. You can also get a chance to meet one of your favourite Australian cricketers practising and even play a few shots with them.

safe Sydney

Variety of food

Sydney is best known for its icons; the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. They represent the Sydney spirit for being on the edge of what is possible. The city buzzes with enthusiasm and is vibrant. Its multicultural and cosmopolitan environment is sure to make you feel at home.

Delegates and organisers need not be concerned about safety. A recent international Quality of Life Survey ranked Sydney as the safest Australian city and the eighth safest city in the world!

Sydneysiders love their food and culture, so visiting delegates will find many mouth-watering combinations on the menus, including Sydney’s award-winning seafood selection, Chinese delicacies in Australia’s large Chinatown district or gourmet dishes. Indian food is very popular in Sydney and can be easily found.

Sydney

6450 Indian delegates visited Australia for a convention/conference and another 26450 visited for business purposes in 2012. (during year ending September 2012)

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MICE country

Gold Coast

Nowhere else will you be able to integrate your event with 70 km of pristine coastline, 100,000 hectares of World Heritage listed rainforest, more theme parks than anywhere else in the southern hemisphere, private islands, 500 km of canals, 35,000 accommodation rooms and more than 600 restaurants and cafes.

Signature incentive activities

• Go shopping: Select world-class labels from boutiques or pick up a bargain at Harbour Town Outlet Shopping Centre.

• Adrenaline pumping adventure: Tame the southern hemisphere’s fastest and tallest theme park rides or free-fall at 120 km an hour on a tandem skydive.

Movie hero action, giant drops, rollercoaster spins or water rides that thrill.

• Experience the best thrill in life: Learn how to ride the Gold Coast’s famous waves with an Australian surf instructor. Or meet a legendary Australian Surf Lifesaver who will teach you about surf safety.

Try the speed jet boating (paradise boating) while touring the houses of the rich and the famous.

• Cuddle a koala, feed kangaroos or swim with dolphins or sharks: Sea World’s Dolphin Lagoon

Try speed jet boating (paradise boating) while touring the houses of the rich and famous

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MICEtalk January 2013

is a spectacular place to start the day after having a delicious buffet breakfast.

• Make a dinner date with a difference and indulge your delegates in a private evening at the picturesque McLaren’s Landing. The South Stradbroke Island location can be set up for intimate dinners, complemented by the luxurious cruise home.

• Perfect place for an indulgent meal at the world’s first Versace Hotel designed by Italian fashion designer Donatella Versace. Set against the hotel’s expansive lagoon, it adds a touch of luxury to any business event.

• A group dinner with the tigers: Enjoy an entertaining presentation while dining just metres

venue capacity The Gold Coast offers award-winning, purposebuilt convention venues combined with unique meeting spaces. The city can cater up to 6,000 delegates. Whether your goal is to educate, reward or motivate, the Gold Coast has the experience, infrastructure and a perfect venue to bring your event to life.

MICE country

Explore the Gold Coast from a Hot Air Baloon

Famous for feeding dolphins, the crystal clear water and golden sands are sure to take your breath away

from rare Bengal and Sumatran tigers. Delegates can even pat the tigers, while the handlers can answer any question.

• A visit to one of the world’s tallest towers is a must to really see the Gold Coast in all its glory.

Q1 is 230 m above sea level and offers 360 degree views of the hinterland, city and ocean. The Sky Point Observation Deck is Australia’s only beachside observation deck.

• A 30-minute helicopter ride from the Gold Coast to the island of Tangalooma is an unparalleled experience. Famous for feeding dolphins, the crystal clear water and golden sands are sure to take your breath away.

Australia’s Gold Coast continues to enhance its business events reputation through the acquisition of major infrastructure, the growth of unique venues and different incentive based activities to keep the group busy and send them back with experiences of a lifetime.

With 70 km of pristine coastline, the Gold Coast offers a plethora of adventure options

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Famous for feeding dolphins, the crystal clear water and golden sands are sure to take your breath away

yours officially

‘Reasonably Priced’ Australian Destination Devika Jeet

Offering the best prices on accommodation and having activities to meet all budgets with value and quality, the Gold Coast is wooing the Indian incentive traveller. MICEtalk spoke to Martin Winter, Chief Executive Officer, Australia’s Gold Coast Tourism Corporation, to learn about their plans for India.

How do you differentiate between Gold Coast as a leisure or MICE destination?

Gold Coast is famous for leisure but it also has an outstanding opportunity and attractions for MICE. However from the incentive market, we do really well since Goal Coast has so many things to offer.

Mainly, it’s because of the number of memorable activities available for an incentive group. In the 70km coastline, you can opt for hot air ballooning, jet boating, go deep-water fishing, high performance car racing, skydiving, bridge climb, to name a few.

Apart from these high energy, high-octane, incentive activities we offer other experiences, such as, themed evening at a private island. During winter, we offer whale watching.

It’s the ‘wow’ experience that we offer which you cannot get anywhere else. And putting them together in itineraries, one can get really good deals at the Gold Coast. We also have the best prices in accommodation, which is about 30 per cent cheaper than Brisbane and 35 per cent cheaper than Sydney (on average for similar accommodation). Gold Coast is a very affordable destination.

What has been the response from the Indian market so far?

In the 12-month period ending September, we have seen a 24 per cent increase in the number of Indian visitors, primarily for MICE. We’ve had large groups in the past too from India, but we found the Indian market very fragmented and not easy to penetrate.

Now we are working with the trade through Tourism Australia. Last year we had 14, 000 Indian visitors come to the Gold coast and around 80 per cent came with incentives as their focus. It’s the market we believe in.

How would you position Gold Coast in India?

We promote Gold Coast as a diverse destination with a lot of things to do and lots of choices at different price points. It’s not just a surfing destination. We have lots of good Indian food restaurants. A lot of hotels are tuned to the requirement of Indians, making your stay more comfortable.

Gold Coast really comes alive after dark. Indians love to party and there is more to do here than anywhere in Australia. We have a fantastic casino, which even has Las Vegas performers putting up shows. We have the Surfers’ Paradise, which is the capital of our after-hours fun in Australia, clubs, discotheques, restaurants and a lot of places to shop.

Where does India fit in as a source market for the region? What benefits do you offer Indian MICE groups?

India is perceived as a second tier source market, but it’s growing rapidly. A growth of 24 per cent is remarkable. However in volume, China is the fastest growing market, but our biggest source market is still New Zealand.

We continue to partner with Business Events Sydney to attract more Indian groups. Usually, Indian groups don’t want a mono destination. So, Sydney

yours officially

provides the city experience and we provide the fun.

We primarily work with the trade through dedicated sales calls to all key agents. We also provide incentives through familiarisations. We don’t give any financial incentives, but large groups will get some in the form of offsets depending on the size of the group. These offsets include gifts and services. For a group of 1,000 Indians, the support we provide will be around AUD 50,000. Depending on the group, our support is approximately AUD 50 to 100 per person.

Our past figures show that an international convention delegate spends US$ 3,600 on a five-day period in Australia. Calculating this to two days, it’s approximately US $1,500 and that includes food, transportation, accommodation, internal airfare and daily spending. Leisure travellers spend less than half of that.

Bret Lee is from the Gold Coast and we can also market the destination in India during sporting events.

For pure marketing, around 10 per cent of our global budget is focussed on India

According to you, what are the top three exclusive opportunities in Gold Coast?

First is definitely Q1. It offers a 360-degree view of the hinterland, city and ocean. The property gives the best introduction to the Gold Coast. Next, would be getting up-close with the cuddly koala. Different interactions with animals are experiences dear to the region and usually enjoyed by all. Lastly our nightlife, which includes casinos and shows. Seeing the aboriginal culture and interacting with the local people is also something unique. Gold Coast has 65,000 beds and is a very affordable destination. We continue to offer value and quality.

Aussies Lure India with ICC World Cup 2015 Sydney has made its presence felt in the Indian MICE circuit and is ready to utilise every opportunity that comes its way. Lyn Lewis-Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Business Events Sydney, talks about the unique opportunities available in Sydney that makes this city ideal for Indians.

How was the last financial year in terms of MICE movements from India? What would be your key focus areas for the Indian market?

In the last financial year we only saw a couple of small movements from India. A few groups of around 200 people visited us. We have a lot of expectations from India and have appointed a full time resource now in Mumbai. Our activities show that we are taking the market very seriously and we are the only Australian convention bureau with full time representation in India.

A few key industry sectors that we focus on include the IT and ICT industry, car manufacturing, direct sale opportunity and financial services. We look for strength in our industry sectors where we want to grow and we are placing the State as a financial services hub in Asia-Pacific. We are focussing on those corporations that have inward business investment, inward incentive business and corporate meetings.

Our strategy for India is aligned with the government

objectives and that is our point of difference to all other states and countries bureaus.

For an international convention, delegates generally spend AUD 677 per person per day but if an Indian incentive delegation comes they spend a lot more MICEtalk January 2013

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yours officially

There is a fondness between the two countries and this will create opportunities in the corporate sector At present what are the conference facilities available in the city?

For corporate meeting, most hotels have spectacular spaces with a view of the harbor. There are 15 venues within Sydney that can seat up to 800 delegates. We are building a whole new precinct at Darling harbor as our present convention facility is going under renovation.

By December 2016, the new conference facility will be ready. A few other venues include Doltone House and the Star entertainment quarter. Australia’s technology park where master chef is shot is also popular.

What makes Sydney a unique destination?

Icons of Sydney are a highlight but we underestimate the multiculturalism in this country. We have vibrant atmosphere and speak over 200 languages in this state. I think the warm welcoming and friendly people going the extra mile. We’ve hosted

world-class events and the ICC is here in 2015 and for that we’ll have a significant programme in India and focus on incentive programmes around that time to lure more Indians. We plan to work with Australian cricket and Tourism Australia during the world cup.

This will help us utilise and get access to the cricketers not playing in the tournament, such as, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath. We are pretty close to getting direct flights and that will also have a massive impact on Indian visitation. I feel our expertise in delivering world class events and building this reputation in India, makes us unique.

What are the usual trends of an Indian Business traveller?

The usual stay is three to four nights but this depends on number of destinations visited. Indian food is a must for most travellers. We need to understand what the consumer as an incentive delegate is looking for. The wow factor is a must but people also want personalised services. We work with the supply chain to make sure all requirements are met.

Why did you decide to focus on India?

Where does it stand as a source market?

We see exceptional growth coming out of India.

The country is our eighth largest trading partner and is rocketing up. The government to government interaction is increasing and this will lead to growth.

For us it’s all of Asia but China is our number one source market, out of all the groups 50 per cent come from Asia and they all are incentive groups.

We have a team of 11 people dedicated to Asia from the convention bureau and they all speak different languages and work right across the event life cycle.

Sydney has innumerable Indian restaurants across the city What support do you offer the travel agent and the corporate group?

We are working with the travel agents to make sure the itinerary meets the demands of corporates. It is a three way partnership. From securing the event to the event delivery, we work with the corporation and support them. We provide welcome banners at the airport and continue to strive to find new ways for event delivery and marketing. We do the ‘meet and greet’ at the airport and keep in touch with the inbound operator to make sure of smooth operations. Our Deputy Premier will do a meet and greet for the India market, if required. Our government sees this as critical for the growth of our market as well. It adds value to the incentive programme.

Long shot of the Plenary Hall at the Davos Congress Centre

Decades into Congress Business Davos Congress Centre Ipshita Sengupta Nag

Every year, over 3,000 economists, politicians, scientists and business minds gather at this venue for one of the largest congregations of global intelligentsia.

The Davos Congress Centre has played host to the World Economic Forum since 1987 and to its predecessor, European Management Symposium, before that.

The most important landmark of the beautiful Swiss city of Davos, the venue is one of the busiest convention centres of modern times.

Close shot of the stage

venue capacity The venue has recently been expanded making it one of the Alps’ most modern Congress venues.

This improvement in the infrastructure now makes it possible for the venue to accommodate up to 5,000 delegates at a time.

MICE venue

T

he popularity of the Davos Congress Centre can be evinced from the fact that the venue has undergone three extensions since it opened for meetings and conventions in 1969. The most recent development, in 2010, has brought around 11,500 delegates to the venue in the latter half of 2012.

Large Meeting/Convention Space

There are 34 high-tech rooms which can easily accommodate 20 to 1,800 people. The Davos Congress department ensures the perfect execution of any event that takes place here. Over the years, The Congress Centre Davos has played host to a number of events; from regional meetings to workshops, training courses, exhibitions and social and cultural events to the ‘World Economic Forum’.

venue structure The venue comprises three separate building sections which are individually operational and can be combined for large events.

There are 34 high-tech rooms which can easily accommodate 20 to 1,800 people

Equipped with Modern Technology

The Davos plenary hall, pièce de résistance of the venue, is equipped with a highly efficient audio system in line with the most modern technological standards.

Two video projectors, each with 10,000 ANSI lumens,

travel facilities • Comfortable transfer from and to Zurich with the Davos Congress Centre’s own special transfer and travel service • Convention desk at Zurich airport • Train trip with congress tickets • Coach service • Taxi and limousine service • Travel guides • Fly&Rail baggage • Check-in service at Davos railway station

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MICE venue

are available for bright, clear images and double projection. The pre-installed dome camera can film the speakers and project them onto the screen. The floodlights here are designed to provide optimal onstage lighting. The venue partners with technology providers to provide other benefits like live streaming of events, video productions and more. In the Davos plenary hall, groups have the option of staging their presentation with two efficient video projectors. These rooms are also served by well-equipped control rooms.

tariff negotiations The PCO team at the venue can negotiate for a reduction of up to 10 per cent on the individual room rate for groups coming to the venue for their events.

Excellent assistance by PCO

The Professional Conference Organiser team takes care of the accommodation needs of all the participants for free. Davos Congress assists in everything related to the MICE activity; from the choice of hotel, provision of the required allocation and online and offline bookings to the negotiation of special conditions.

The organising team offers additional services like assuming responsibility for the entire registration process, compiling name badges, invoicing and providing all kinds of support to participants. The venue allows groups to bring their own coterie of suppliers for particular requirements.

facilities at a glance • Total capacity for 5,000 congress delegates • Plenary hall for 2,000 people • 34 meeting rooms for 20 to 500 participants covering an area of 12,000 sqm • No fixed furnishings and fittings in the rooms, and therefore, they can be customised for each event.

• State-of-the-art technological support

The in-house Congress Centre Catering can cater up to 5,000 persons, corresponding to the respective requirements Serving international food

The catering service here ensures a range of culinary delights. The in-house Congress Centre Catering (GKZ) can cater up to 5,000 persons, corresponding to the respective catering requirements ranging from business lunch, theme menus, finger food and flying buffet to a gala dinner. Davos specialises in serving all kinds of international food, including tandoori food.

sweet treat The Davos Congress Centre can organise Swiss specialities like the Bündner Nusstorte (Graubünden nut pastry) which is a traditional sweet, caramelised nut (generally walnut) filled pastry, from canton Graubünden in Switzerland.

Röteli, a cherry liqueur, speciality of the area, can also be organised.

expert talk

Growth Despite Economic Downturn

Recuperating after the global economic slowdown, MICE industry is back on the track of growth. How has the economic scenario affected the length of stay and number of participants for a MICE visit?

MICEtalk explores what the Industry has to say about this. Agents are unanimous in their opinion that 2012 saw a slowdown in growth, but there was growth all the same. With tight budgets and tougher competition, it has taken creativity to win over business, which has brought about optimism for what the coming year holds.

Subhash Verma

Chairman, Travel Plus President, ADTOI

Guldeep Singh Sahni

MD, Weldon Travels President, OTOAI

Due to the global economic slowdown, the number of MICE visits came down. The organisations which participated in the MICE visits reduced their duration. When recession sets in, the first cut that any organisation imposes is on travel. Some organisations delayed their MICE visits, but towards the end of the year they started to spend their allocated budgets.

With elections due in 2014, the government should start spending in 2013 to woo electorates, this would, in turn, make markets buoyant and we can expect higher MICE movement.

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2012 as an aggregate has been positive for MICE. There’s more reading and writing about the industry, and more and more smaller corporates are coming up and experimenting with the trend of moving their meetings to outdoor locales. It is a good and huge market for domestic operators and there is a lot of potential for the coming year.

expert talk

Vijay Dadich

Managing Director Blue Moon Travels

Virender Taluja

Managing Director Fortune Tours & Expo

Well, the economic slowdown has definitely made budgets tighter this year. Margins are under pressure and the competition is strong. However, this has only led us to tighten our belts further and aim at providing a different experience or product. Exotic is what is being promoted nowadays and is an integral part of MICE. With ‘off beat’ being the new demand, MICE will continue on a path of slow growth next year.

2012 has been a positive year. Whether it is thinking creatively or providing end-to-end solutions, we’ve seen a positive trend with our inclusion of events in MICE. We are looking at comfortably growing by 25 per cent. Our expectations are steeped in reality and with the events that we are taking on across the globe, it is a fairly safe number.

Mohit Gupta

Vinod Pillai

Head – India, Insta Tourism 2012 has seen a lots of ups and downs in the tourism industry, it did not pick up as 2011. It saw one of the biggest downfalls in the aviation sector; Kingfisher Airlines going down due to which airline prices skyrocketed disrupting all corporate MICE plans. The bottomlines are reduced considerably, but it, by no means, have impacted the growth of formidable MICE companies. One expects 2013 to be a great year with FDI in airlines seen as a big positive factor.

Corporate MICE plans are back now and the demand is high for new destinations with newer attractions.

Chief Business Officer MakeMyTrip

The MICE market is robust and it constitutes a significant number in outbound movements.

According to industry estimates, the Indian outbound MICE market was pegged around $550600 million in 2011 with 1.5-1.8 mn passengers. In this period, many foreign national tourism boards recorded a double digit growth in Indian tourist arrivals under the MICE segment. At MakeMyTrip, we have witnessed 35 per cent growth amongst MICE travellers to Far East, while for the Middle East the growth is 25 per cent. The break up for Europe is 15 per cent, Africa & China 10 per cent and Pacific region 5 per cent.

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MICE city

Strong Future for MICE Krakow, Poland Ipshita Sengupta Nag

Krakow, the former capital of Poland, has steadily built up on its MICE infrastructure over the years, and today the city is peppered with a number of small to medium-sized event venues. 2015 will see the city open up its most ambitious MICE venture, International Conferencing and Entertainment Congress Centre (ICE). MICEtalk walked down this beautiful European city to explore MICE facilities.

meet & assist service at the airport This includes assistance during a priority security check and passport control, invitation to the Business Lounge that is appropriate for the passenger’s flight destination and also the possibility of using a self-service bar.

A separate working room equipped with laptop stands, computers with access to the Internet and other office equipment. Wireless Internet access in the Business Lounge, access to Polish and foreign press, satellite television and audio-visual information on flight schedules and assistance of English speaking personnel is also included.

Wieliczka Salt Mine Going underground (135m) down a really long winding staircase, you reach an elegant meeting venue which comprises underground chambers cut out from solid rock. The chambers vary in size with the Warsaw Chamber being the largest that can accommodate 600 people. You would be surprised at the kind of facilities available here like elegant cloakrooms, dining areas, adjustable lighting and elegant chandeliers.

MICE city

wide connectivity Groups from India can fly to Krakow with Lufthansa, Aeroflot or Finnair, with one or two stopovers. The cities in India that operate (stopover) flights to Krakow are New Delhi (Finnair & Lufthansa), Bengaluru (Lufthansa), Chennai (Lufthansa), Goa (Aeroflot), Mumbai (Lufthansa) and Pune (Lufthansa).

T

he city, over the years, has built up a strong conference infrastructure with hotels and restaurants, supported by technology and trained personnel. The city also has some very interesting incentives on offer. Krakow’s location and heritage constitute an additional argument in favour of organising conferences, events and incentives in this beautiful Polish city.

Numerous venue options

One of the biggest venues for meetings and conferences in Krakow is the Gromada Hotel and Conference Centre which can accommodate around 4,880 people. The city has other important venues like the Jagiellonian University which has an auditorium that can accommodate up to 1,200 people. Other popular venues are Krakow University of Economics which has a multi-functional conference room that seats 1,500 and the Krakow Opera House and Philharmonie Hall which have auditoriums for 850 and 693 people, respectively.

capacity of large venues Congress Center Gromada Auditorium Maximum of UJ Cracow University of Economics Targi w Krakowie Ltd. Tennis Court AWF Chemobudowa The Krakow Opera National Museum in Cracow Cinema Kijów Centrum Culture Center of Nowa Huta Karol Szymanowski Philharmonie

2200 1500 1500 1500 1700 1200 850 800 800 700 693

capacity of business hotels Best Western Krakow Premier Hotel Crown Piast Hotel & Park Park INN Krakow Hotel and Conference Center Witek Novotel Krakow Bronowice Sympozjum Hotel Qubus Hotel Sheraton Krakow Hotel Grand Hotel Andels Hotel Novotel Krakow Centrum

600 500 460 450 350 300 300 300 200 190 180

Top: Polish Aviation Museum Krakow also hosts private events

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MICE city

special offers to promote MICE The Poland Convention Bureau organises roadshows, educational programmes and study tours for foreign journalists and organisers of meetings and business events, including conferences, congresses, product launches and incentives. It also cooperates with foreign media and posts articles and advertisement promoting Poland (Krakow included) as a business destination in business press and directories.

Krakow Convention Bureau support

• Providing the entirety of informational and promotional materials • Providing information on events and attractions accompanying business tourism • Providing information on the calendar of cultural, tourist and sports events

Post-event Activities

The heritage of Krakow provides ample opportunity for sightseeing. Whether it is a visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mines or Podziemia Rynku (Rynek Underground) which reveals the foundation and archaeological remains of the original market square from the 10th century or a visit to the Auschwitz Camp, a reminder of Nazi atrocities; each of these lets you experience a piece of history.

heritage venues The beautiful remnants of the past have now made space for private events. The Julius Slowacki Theatre is one of the largest venues that can easily accommodate 530 people.

Tomaszowice Manor (400 pax), The Museum of Municipal Engineering in Krakow (300 pax), The Benedictine Institute of Culture (220 pax), The Korzkiew Castle (140 pax), The Historical Museum of the city of Krakow (100) are some of the other historical places that host events.

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vegetarian eateries GREEN-WAY - The largest polish gastronomic company in the vegetarian market. www.green-way.eu Groups coming from India can enjoy Indian Food at Bombaj Tandoori www.restauracjabombaj.pl

success story

Dynamic Environment of Singapore Attracts MICE TUI - Meetings & Incentives organised a conference and award function for 580 people for a leading global pharma company at Hotel Marina Bay Sands Singapore. The event included conference sessions and an award function to facilitate the employees of the company.

Travel details

Naveen Rizvi Sr Vice President Head TUI Meetings & Incentives

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• Singapore Airlines was majorly used for travel to Singapore and back. However, to accommodate the large number of people travelling together at the same time - Silk Air, Jet Airways and Indigo were also used.

• People were mainly travelling from Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Thiruvanathapuram, Chennai and Kolkata

Challenges faced

• Selecting a venue that can accommodate a large group and provide excellent service

MICEtalk January 2013

•T o arrange shuttle services for the group who had to arrive from different cities in India.

•T o provide arrival assistance at the airport and hotel and room allocation.

•A rranging entertainment options for the event.

Addressing the challenges

• Singapore was the preferred choice of the client and after aggressive negotiations Hotel Marina Bay Sands was chosen as the final venue.

• Appointed a channelised operation team with one window access and one point of contact for the entire event (pre and post).

success story

support service Members of TUI - Meetings & Incentives under the supervision of Naveen Rizvi travelled with the group to ensure smooth functioning of the event.

• Recce visits were made by the senior management and operations team prior to the event dates to finalise the setup.

• Prompt updates on the collection of documents, visa submission and collection information, etc., sent to the client.

• Coaches were numbered and colour-coded based on the arrivals in Singapore managed by one TUI tour manager and tour guide.

• Room keys were distributed in the coach during transfer from airport to the hotel.

• Arranged a 24x7 TUI helpdesk at the hotel.

• The itinerary booklet was handed over to the guests which had all the addresses of restaurants, 24-hour TUI helpline in the hotel and also a mobile helpline.

• Control Team from TUI had the total connectivity/ control of the ground logistics during the transfers and sightseeing.

• Approx. 18 coaches were allocated for transfers and sightseeing.

• Liaisoning with the hotel for smooth gala dinner with M-Sonic performance.

Result

The event was flawlessly coordinated right from departures in India to arrival and transfers in Singapore. The colour-coding technique used for transfers was a big hit and applauded by the client.

feedback Thanking you and your staff for having done a great job in organising our National Sales Meeting. Your staff was very engaged and helpful throughout the meeting. Thank you for personally coming down to visit our venue both pre and during our meeting dates. I hope that our organisations can develop a long-term working relationship for our meeting/hospitality needs.

Jawed Xia Managing Director

Top: Delegates during the award ceremony Bottom: The 580 delegates assemble for a photograph

MICE hotel

Increasing Indian MICE Space

Fairmont Jaipur Neha Oberoi

event space • 5,500 sqm (60,000 sqft) conference centre, the largest in the area • 5 well-equipped meeting rooms • Sophisticated screening room • Dedicated event and catering staff to ensure a seamless event

MICE hotel

The swanking new Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur is perfectly set for MICE events, with an accommodation capacity of 255 rooms and suites. It also has the largest ballrooms, creating capacity for not only large conventions and exhibitions but also for grand weddings and large incentive gatherings.

From business meetings to social events, Fairmont Jaipur offers the best in modern meeting technology and an experienced, attentive staff

Meeting Room-Avi

tech support Wi-Fi enabled convention centre, best-in-class audiovisual technology, video conferencing and web casting

The Grand Ballroom

hosting theme dinners The hotel is equipped to handle a variety of theme dinners ranging from traditional Rajasthani themes, complete with folk dancers to contemporary themes, with entertainment, cuisine, décor and designs. Cost for this varies depending on the strength of the group, venue chosen, caterers (be it in-house or otherwise), time of year and preferences for décor and other arrangements.

cigar zone Fairmont Jaipur’s Cigar Diwan, which hosts a built-in humidor, is the indoor smoking zone in the palace, with an array of choicest of cigars on offer.

entertainment @ fairmont

meeting packages

Meeting Room-Avi

The hotel currently offers packages for meetings starting from INR 9,999 that includes value add on, built around their target audience’s requirements.

Fairmont Jaipur has a host of unique activities planned where guests can partake in recreational activities around the area, from nature hikes and mountaineering to hot air ballooning and elephant polo. Traditional Rajasthani entertainment and a magnificent lighting ceremony in evenings are also some of the highlights in store for the guests. In addition, guests can also master the art of falconry with hands-on training by a UNESCO certified falconer present at the hotel.

Accompanied by a storyteller, guests can take a stroll through the nearby villages and relive the Mughal Era 46

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MICE hotel

D

dedicated services

Fairmont’s Food Fare

Getting the complete ‘Fairmont Experience’

ue to its proximity to Delhi and a wide range of options available for business and leisure, Fairmont, Jaipur is slowly becoming a preferred venue for MICE and social events.

Fairmont Jaipur boasts 60,000 sqft of conference space, perfect for conferences or special events. From business meetings to social events, it offers the best in modern meeting technology and an experienced, attentive staff. The hotel’s focus on service, coupled with an amazing location makes every event a success.

Fairmont Jaipur boasts a broad range of culinary selections at Zoya, which offers international cuisine with a dedicated section of Rajasthani fare. The internationally famed Fairmont tradition of afternoon tea has also been given an authentically local twist at Fairmont Jaipur’s lobby lounge, Anjum. Patrons will also find plenty of opportunities for relaxation at the library bar, Aza featuring an outstanding collection of ‘liquid history’ of fine wines and Malt Whisky.

The Fairmont usually uses their own coterie of suppliers, to maintain the levels of service and hospitality. At times when a guest prefers to use his/her own suppliers, the hotel jointly meets and discusses with the third party so that their requirements too are kept in mind to provide a fabulous experience. Fairmont Jaipur provides a dedicated team of event planning professionals to help organise the perfect event with extensive business meeting experience.

Minimum requirements for groups start from 50 rooms. Fairmont Jaipur ensures that their guests must have the complete Fairmont experience. This ranges from the type of room they allocate to the events they organise, including fun and outdoor activities as per their guests preferences and little yet thoughtful details in the room, be it chocolates, customised fruit baskets or a memento.

excellent ballrooms and meeting rooms Fairmont Jaipur has a dedicated convention centre that proudly houses an excellent selection of ballrooms and meeting rooms. The Grand Ballroom is the largest in the city and is ideal for gala dinners, premier product launches and mega events. The convention centre also has 2 junior ballrooms and 5 state-of-the-art meeting rooms , ably supported with excellent cuisine and catering services.

The Grand Ballroom is the largest in the city and is ideal for gala dinners, premier product launches and mega events Team building

The hotel also arranges tailor-made team building exercises depending on the preferences and objectives to be achieved with the exercise to be conducted.

The Fairmont takes great pride in being the very first Fairmont hotel in India. Fairmont’s characteristic strengths of excellent service coupled with unmatched hospitality and a dedication to create an unparalleled stay experience for their guests stands them in good stead in Jaipur, India.

break-away rooms The Grand Ballroom can be divided into two relatively smaller venues, with capacities of 400 to 1,000 people, depending on the requirement.

Complementing the Grand Ballroom are the spacious outdoor lawns set in opulent surroundings with water bodies, a fountain and views of the majestic Aravalli hills in the background – perfect as an added value to hold gatherings of any kind.

corporate talk

What Corporates Want...

Business travel has increased over the years and foreign countries are now wooing Indian travellers. MICEtalk asks corporate decision-makers on what helps them shortlist a destination and what they feel are some of the basic requirements of an Indian MICE group.

Convenience Affordability Cuisines Shopping Ramesh S. Puntambekar

Managing Director G.V. Puntambekar & Sons Where?

Australia is a good destination but it is not for mass movement. The popular destinations include Singapore and Thailand, Malaysia is not popular. The newer upcoming MICE destinations include, Tashkent, Istanbul and Bali.

Sanjay Gurav

Assistant Manager- Corporate Travel Larsen & Toubro Where?

The traditional way for sending MICE movements was either South East Asia or the Middle East, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore or Dubai. Istanbul and Turkey are also coming up but Australia has a lot of potential. Direct flights make a difference. Overseas destinations are always preferred compared to the domestic ones.

Duration

We want a complete package every time we take a group. It should not be costly. People don’t like to spend money on tour thus most of the incentive activities need to be free and additional costs over the entry pass is not appreciated. We have been getting better deals abroad than in India.

For MICE, we keep changing the country and the usual stay can range from three to five days depending on the budgets. We saw an economic slowdown a few years back but now that has changed and we are often travelling abroad.

How?

How?

Normally, we travel from four to fifteen days.

We have direct contacts with airlines and hotels and our in-house travel arm takes care of everything from visa, passport to ground handling.

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Preference

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We take quotes from three travel agents and then negotiate our requirements. We enquire about the preferred destination and then finalise a place.

Duration

Indian food is a must for all meals, even breakfast.

corporate talk

Vipul A. Bhinde

Sanjay Khare

Chief-Sales Steel Services Centre Mahindra Intertrade

Chief Financial Officer Krishidhan Seeds

What?

For MICE travel, we want to see what the destination is doing on the commercial front. If we send an engineering group, they want to see the technology available at the destination.

Also, this will lead to opportunities for international business development. An interaction with people from the local industry as well as a government representative discussing the commercial activities will for sure help generate a keener interest. Adding business association with a country will enhance the relationship. This provides exposure and people don’t get bored with such an initiative.

Where?

People like European countries first. South East Asia is affordable and people can travel here with their families.

Duration

We only travel for three nights and four days.

Preference

We prefer centrally located hotels so that people don’t need to take taxis and go shopping.

Kailash Katkar

Managing Director & CEO Quick Heal

Foreign tours and incentive based trips for seed companies have only started in the last 10 years. Initially, incentives were only based on cash and gold coins, now people are interested in trips. Dealers with a lot of money require other types of incentives and prefer a tour abroad instead of the money.

Where?

We travel to destinations such as, Thailand and Singapore.

Preference

Visa-on-Arrival facilities are preferred as our dealers come from rural background and regular visits to the city for a visa are difficult for them. Value for money is a must on a tour but for incentive travel, the group should have leisure time after 5 pm every evening. Spicy Indian food is a must with every meal.

Duration

We cannot plan a trip more than a month in advance due to our work requirements.

ComfortLocation Tech Support Entertainment

We started with the common destinations. Our decisions are usually based on costs. We have not sent any MICE group in 2012 because of our budget constraints but 2013 looks more promising.

Where?

It is always an international destination that we choose and our movements are never domestic. We prefer all countries that have an infrastructure to handle large MICE groups.

Preference

Indian food is very important on tour, at least one meal a day.

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corporate talk

Where?

We have been focussing on the Middle East and South East Asia, in the past but now we have broadened our horizon and are looking at destinations with good deals. For our clients, we have been sending them across the globe but this is usually clubbed with a conference or a scientific programme.

Preference

We look at returns on investment before sending a group.

Half day shopping is minimum for a group travelling on a three-day tour.

Abhay Kulkarni

Product Manager Akumentis Healthcare

Facilities Soft Adventure Connectivity Sightseeing Yogesh Gaat

Business Head, Construction Equipment Loans & Infrastructure Finance, Reliance Commercial Finance What?

Chandan S. Shirgaokar

Jt. Managing Director The Ugar Sugar Works Ltd. Where?

We prefer international destinations because people are happier travelling abroad and price wise it works out to nearly the same. Last year we went to Mauritius and Thailand. The trip also included a plant visit along with incentive movements, as this was beneficial to the employees travelling.

Preference

Preference is given to the climate of the destination.

Usually Indian food for dinner is a must.

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Indians like soft adventure. Foreign trips are usually incentive trips. 2010 was the first year we had a convention outside India but this usually depends on targets achieved. This year has been very promising and our teams have been travelling abroad.

Preference

Our foremost decider is the budget.

Basic MICE facilities are a must in every destination for a convention. We don’t like hoping flights and prefer direct connectivity.

For conventions, we usually have an Indian celebrity travelling with us. This adds some spice to the event.

Where?

Switzerland is the most popular international destination and Goa as the domestic one.

let’s talk

People prefer meeting face-to-face With technology advancing at a fast pace, virtual and hybrid meetings have taken to the world with a storm. MICEtalk asks convention centres whether face-to-face meetings have witnessed any competition from the virtual sphere. Let’s explore what they have to say…

Borneo Convention Centre Mike Cheng

Senior Marketing & PR Executive In general, many of our clients would still prefer to meet face-to-face as they are more comfortable to speak when there is a physical presence of an individual. The tradition of physical handshakes and trading name cards is highly appreciated even today. However, with virtual meetings, it helps to enhance the bookings for face-to-face meetings; an example would be a decision maker in UK would travel and meet an organiser in Sarawak for a site inspection after their initial conversation in a virtual meeting.

Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre & Hyderabad International Convention Center Jaideep Khanna

General Manager Sales Marketing & Distribution We, at HICC, are confident that virtual event technology can never cannibalise the physical programmes. Virtual/hybrid meetings do not have any effect on the number of bookings for face-to-face meetings. A virtual meeting has its own importance and is generally used for internal communication for HR/Finance and other inter-department dialogue. Technology has greatly benefitted that area and has helped companies save significant costs. But face-to-face meetings have its own merits and are still preferred by the corporate sector. There are large scale sales & marketing meetings organised by companies to drive greater learning and profitability. The current business thrives on face-to-face meetings and is an essential element in the overall planning & management. Many companies are now combining the two to offer best of both worlds to the consumers.

We, at HICC, leverage the synergy of advanced technology & best in class facilities to increase our delivery for successful meetings & event coordination.

We keep pace with the increasing rate of technology evolution and ensure seamless connectivity and infrastructure support to customers. At HICC, we provide strategic virtual components to enhance effectiveness of meetings, thereby helping organisations and corporations to broaden market reach and deepen value to all constituents – be it members, customers, suppliers or partners. We have created a balance between both virtual and face-toface approaches to offer the best to our consumers.

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technology

Enhancing MICE with Technology

Conference venues have embraced technology in a big way in their attempt to add more value to meetings and conferences. They are advanced, highly performance oriented, easily pliable and have changed the concept of face–to-face congregations forever.

MICEtalk highlights some of the landmark technology that make the Hyderabad International Convention Centre the most sought-after venue in India today…

Lights Avolite Pearl Expert

Avolite Lighting Control Board, The Pearl Expert, is built on the industry’s most popular console. More submasters, more flash buttons and more power to control the larger and more challenging shows. The Pearl Expert facilitates spontaneity, putting live control and creativity firmly in the hands of the lighting designer. High speed button response, dual rollers and instant access to the vast array of timed palettes, breathes life into lights.

Inventory EV XLC 127

Whether at a medium-sized festival, in a large concert hall or house of worship, or as a supplementary system used with X-Line, XLC compact line arrays have a proven record of performance and reliability. All modules incorporate Quik-Rig hardware for fast set-up and tear-down. The EV XLC 127 can be used in tri-amp mode, or bi-amp 3-way using the sophisticated internal passive MB to HF network.

The asymmetrical box design was optimised to produce a symmetrical polar pattern with a uniform power response.

Designed for use in groups of four or more, the XLC 127 delivers predictability and control. Combined with an advanced integrated rigging system, one-man installations are a reality. The XLC 127 systems can also be ground stacked.

Projection Dataton Watchout

Dataton Watchout is suited for programming multi-screen shows by bridging the gap between traditional content creation tools and hardwarebased media servers. It relies upon a high-speed network to orchestrate and synchronise displays and can control virtually an unlimited number of display devices in any configurations of projectors, flat screens, LED wall and curtains, as well as other types of devices. It lets you orchestrate stills, animations, graphics, video, sound and live feeds in a single impressive show across multiple display areas, soft-edge or scattered.

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MICEtalk January 2013

technology

Video Sony DXC D55 Camera

The DXC-D55 is designed for greater picture quality and operational ease of use. This camera offers an aspect ratio of 4:3 and features the new high-performance Power HAD EX CCD sensor and NEW 14-bit A/D conversion built into a highly sophisticated LSI. The result is a superior picture quality, high sensitivity, plus low noise and smear characteristics over previous models.

Congress BOSCH DCN CCU

The BOSCH DCN CCU is the standard delegate conference unit that enables delegates to speak, register a request-to-speak, register a response request, listen to the speaker and vote. It has low susceptibility to interference from mobile phones. A socket is provided to connect the pluggable microphones (DCN-MICS and DCN-MICL, to be ordered separately). The flat-panel loudspeaker offers superior acoustics with minimal feedback, thus increasing intelligibility. It is automatically muted when the microphone is activated.

When the unit is not being used, the loudspeaker panel conveniently folds down. There are five voting buttons for all kinds of voting. An external contact is available to connect external fingerprint readers.

With Glenn McGrath at the Sydney Cricket Ground At O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat

Australian Adventure Tourism Australia along with Malaysian Airlines and Kesari Tours organised a familiarisation trip for corporates to showcase MICE facilities available in Sydney and Gold Coast.

At Tiger Island in Dreamworld

Sightseeing on Harley-Davidson motorcycles

Cuddling a Koala in Dreamworld

Quad biking at Tangalooma Island Resort With dolphins at Seaworld

Indian breakfast at InterContinental, Sydney

At Wollongong

People on the move Site International Foundation

HKTB

appoints new GM of MICE and Cruise The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has appointed Kenneth Wong as the new General Manager of MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) and Cruise. Prior to his appointment, Wong was Head of Product Marketing at the HKTB. In his new role, he will oversee the formulation and implementation of business strategies of the Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong (MEHK) Office, and develop strategic plans to grow the cruise business in Hong Kong.

names Research Chair

The Site International Foundation, which provides valuable research and trend analysis on the global motivational events and incentive travel industry, has appointed Mark Bondy to serve in the critical role of Research Chair. Bondy, Partner and President of VIKTOR Incentives & Meetings, brings to the position 32 years of experience in the travel and incentive industry and more than 20 years of dedicated service to Site.

ICCA Board

re-elects Board member Martin Winter, chief executive of Gold Coast Tourism,

Queensland, Australia, has been re-elected to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Board of directors.

Winter’s two-year extension to the ICCA board will give the Gold Coast a strong voice and facilitate a position of global influence. Winter will also continue as regional chair, representing ICCA’s Asia Pacific area, for another 12 months.

VISIT FLORIDA

selects new President & CEO VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s official tourism marketing corporation, has appointed Will Seccombe as its new President and CEO. He has over 23 years of professional experience including 19 years in the Colorado tourism industry.

ICC appoints new Head of Operations The International Convention Centre (ICC) Birmingham has appointed Brian Dobson as its new Head of Operations to oversee the strategic production and delivery of all events hosted by the city centre venue.

Dobson has over 30 years of experience working in all aspects of live events, including 7 years as the technical operations manager for the ICC Birmingham from 1991 to 1998.

GBTA

appoints advisory board member Sonya Lowry, global travel

manager for Link Energy, has been appointed to the advisory board of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). In her new role, she will support the region’s activity in the energy and resources sector.

She has previous experience at Marriott and Flight Centre, both in Australia and New Zealand. In 2012, she won both GBTA’s prestigious international Mike Kabo Award and the AUS/NZ Professional Travel Manager Award.

ACTE

welcomes new Executive Director The Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) welcomed Greeley S Koch as the new ACTE Executive Director. Greeley brings with him a passion for the corporate travel industry and a wealth of experience and perspectives, including that of a corporate buyer, TMC supplier, government planner and consultant,

EVENT

58

events events VENUE

CITY/COUNTRY

DATE

Outbound Travel Mart

Bombay Exhibition Centre

Mumbai, India

Travel Tour Expo

SMX Convention Centre

Pasay City, Philippines

NATAS Travel Fair

Singapore Expo

Singapore

Feb 22-24, 2013

AIME 2013

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Melbourne, Australia

Feb 26-27, 2013

ITB Berlin

Messe Berlin

Berlin, Germany

Mar 6-10, 2013

MICECON 2013

SMX Convention Centre

Lanang, Davao City

Mar 6-9, 2013

MATTA Fair

Putra World Trade Centre

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Mar 15-17, 2013

International MICE Forum

Tishinka exhibition centre,

Moscow, Russia

Mar 18, 2013

CONFEX

ExCeL London

London, UK

Mar 19-21, 2013

MITT

Expocentre

Moscow, Russia

Mar 20-23, 2013

GIBTM-Gulf Incentives, Meetings and Business Travel Exhibition

Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Mar 25-27, 2013

UITT – Conference MICE Ukraine

Kiev International Exhibition Center

Kiev, Ukraine

Mar 27-29, 2013

IT&CM China

Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center

Shanghai, China

Apr 17-19, 2013

Bahrain International Travel Expo

Bahrain International Convention Centre

Manama, Bahrain

May 2013

WTF – World Travel Fair

McCormick Place

Chicago, USA

June 11-13, 2013

Cebu International Travel Expo

Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino,

Lahug, Cebu

July 25-27, 2013

MICEtalk January 2013

Feb 8-10, 2013

Postal Registration No.:DL(ND)/6150/2011-12-13 WPP No.:U(C)-305/2011-13 for Posting on 29th-30th of Advance Month at New Delhi P.S.O. Date of Publication:22/12/2012, RNI No.:DELENG/2010/34144