Rs. 100
Volume IV Issue 9 September 2013 60 pages A DDP Publication
Joburg for MICE
Top MICE Destinations 2013 ASIA EEUROPE UROPE M MIDDLE EAST
Correct Business Gestures
DDP Publications Private Limited New Delhi: 72, Todarmal Road, New Delhi 110001, India Tel: +91 11 41669575, 41669576 Fax: +91 11 41669577 E-mail: micetalk@ddppl.com Mumbai: 504 Marine Chambers, 43 New Marine Lines, Mumbai 400 020, India Tel: +91-22-22070129, 22070130 Fax: +91-22-22070131 E-mail: mumbai@ddppl.com UAE: P.O. Box: 9348, Sharjah, UAE Tel: +971 6 5528954, Fax: +971 6 5528956 E-mail: uae@ddppl.com All information in MICEtalk is derived from sources, which we consider reliable. Information is passed on to our readers without any responsibility on our part. The contents of this publication contain views of authors and are not the views of DDP Publications. Similarly, opinions/views expressed by any party in abstract and/or in interviews are not necessarily shared/do not necessarily reflect any opinion of DDP Publications. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction strictly prohibited. Material appearing in MICEtalk cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission. The same rule applies when there is a copyright or the article is taken from another publication. Publications reproducing material either in part or in whole, without permission would face legal action. Editorial enquiries and enquiries concerning the reproduction of articles should be emailed to neelam@ddppl.com, advertising and circulation enquiries should be e-mailed to gunjan@ddppl.com The publisher assumes no responsibility for returning unsolicited material nor is he responsible for material lost or damaged in transit. Any material submitted to MICEtalk will not be returned. The publisher reserves the rights to refuse, withdraw, amend or otherwise deal with all advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must comply with the Indian Advertisements Code as well as the Advertisements Code of South Asia. The publisher will not be liable for any damage or loss caused by the late publication, error or failure or advertisement or editorial to appear. MICEtalk is printed, published, edited and owned by SanJeet, printed at Cirrus Graphics Pvt. Ltd., B-62/14, Phase – II, Naraina Industrial Area, New Delhi-110028 and published at 72, Todarmal Road, New Delhi-110001
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reader’s
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8 Dear Reader, We stepped out last month, to speak to some MICE experts to find out which are the most popular destinations being chosen by corporate houses today and why… What we learnt was that companies very naturally opt for tried and tested places for large meetings, conferences or incentive programmes. Thailand, Malaysia, Macau, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Korea heading the list in Asia and France; Germany, Switzerland, UK in Europe, with the new addition of Spain. At the same time Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the Middle East and Joburg in South Africa are fast gaining recognition in this niche. All these countries are taking advantage of their popularity and are marketing MICE infrastructure and packages in a big way. Their excellent affordable service standards, easy accessibility, visa availability, support from the representative offices in organising their programs from beginning to end in the most viable manner and at reasonable prices, is what continues to pull the event industry to them. In this time of serious competition, we bring you excerpts from the author, Tapas Dasmohapatra, from his book – Cooks are Many, Chefs are Few on the section that talks about: Connect First, Correct Later. Our expert, Shital Kakkar Mehra, talks about body language and how it portrays your personality. Read about five practical ways to avoid blunders you may be making without knowing it… Enjoy reading and stay on top! Deepa Sethi
to the editor... “MICETalk readers are primary influencers in determining which destination their next incentive group will visit. Exposure in this publication is key for us to put Vancouver in front of such an important audience.” Dayna Miller Director of Sales, Travel and Trade Tourism Vancouver
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contents Cover Story
Top MICE Destinations for 2013
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Facts
mice initiative MOT to Help States support MICE
MICE Country Germany
Let’s Talk MICE Venues Cater to Corporates Demands
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MICE City Johannesburg, South Africa
Expert Talk Tapas Dasmohapatra
Domestic mice Rajasthan
MICE Hotel Kempinski Hotel Ajman
Sample This The Lalit Resort & Spa Bekal
Etiquette Talk Correcting Business Gestures
Technology Tech tool to generate revenue for your events
Movements Events
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facts
Melbourne offers boutique conferencing
FACTS
Stepping away from a one-size-fits-all approach, Art Series Hotels of Melbourne, Australia, offer diverse spaces from terraces and rooftops to galleries, suites and penthouses. Clad in original artworks and offering exceptional catering, the spaces foster creativity and stimulation for team building, conferences, launches, lunches, brainstorming and media events—all backed by a full suite of business centre services with wireless broadband and conveniences like valet parking, 24-hour room service and art tours.
New Zealand opens Cardboard venue for MICE
Christchurch’s Transitional ‘cardboard’ Cathedral has opened as a new venue for visitors and New Zealand’s MICE market. Made from 98 cardboard tubes weighing up to 120 kilograms and measuring up to 20 metres in diameter, this unique building was designed by renowned Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. The venue seats up to 700 people and has been purpose-built to last for up to 50 years.
Port Stephens launches new MICE products
A new luxury catamaran, overnight fishing expeditions and a no-suit bush retreat that allows delegates to meet around camp fires are new products in Port Stephens, Australia, aimed at the group and conference market. The experiences are being promoted by the recently launched body, MICE Port Stephens, to showcase the seaside destination, To & Fro 12 hours north of Sydney, to the high-yield meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition market.
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A Platform to influence traveller behaviour CWT Solutions Group, the global consulting arm of Carlson Wagonlit Travel is developing a platform to engage and recognise business travellers for making decisions that support their corporate travel programs. Through this new offering, when travelers make good booking decisions, they’ll be recognised in a variety of ways which may include point accruals or acknowledgement on leader boards. They will also have the ability to track their individual performance against their peers, division, or company as a whole.
facts
Delhi Airport App for travellers
Abu Dhabi hosts nuclear conference The New Nuclear International Conference – a major gathering of global experts focussed on the development of peaceful nuclear energy – will be held in Abu Dhabi in November 2013. Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi will host the conference from November 11-14. In partnership with the Emirates Nuclear Energy, the conference will bring international experts to provide delegates with key know-how in the initiation, design and launch of peaceful nuclear energy programmes.
Delhi Airport has released a new app that allows travellers to track their flights, find information on airport facilities and, most importantly, find out exactly how humid it is in India with the weather feature. The app is free and is available on iPhones and Androids. The interactive maps are great for travellers who are looking for a specific shop or food outlet, need some help finding their gate, or just want to see what’s happening at the airport. The app is designed for those who travel through Delhi Airport.
facts
HITEX ties with Kenes Exhibitions, Israel
FACTS
Hyderabad International Trade Expositions Limited (HITEX) has entered into a strategic partnership with Israel-based Kenes Exhibitions. The closely formed alliance is a watershed moment within the rapidly growing MICE industry in India. The synergy is intended to bring in international exposure adding global presence at the two prestigious events – AGRITEX and Build4India, whilst at the same time showcasing the market potential in these industry segments to the international community. AGRITEX 2014 is scheduled to be organised from April 24 – 17, 2014 and Build 4 India from October 10 – 12, 2014.
Dominican Republic will host Site Executive Summit 2014
Considering Dominican Republic a paradise for incentive travel, Site has selected the destination to host its executive summit in 2014. The Summit, a two-day educational forum, focusses on motivational events and the incentive travel marketplace and stands as an excellent opportunity for professionals in the region to learn from and network with global industry leaders.
Organise meetings in a Prison in Netherlands
Rotterdam’s monumental prison complex ‘het Oude Noorden’ will transform from a closed environment to an open and green living area in the next few years. The prison chapel and main building can be officially booked for meetings, conferences, receptions and events from January until the summer of 2014. The prison will open its doors for commercial as well as cultural events.
Thailand’s new MICE city Khon Kaen With vast potential to contribute to the prosperity of the MICE industry, Khon Kaen is a large commercial city, home to commerce, investment and transportation in the northeastern region. Further, the province is at the centre of industrial development in the region under the government’s ‘East-West Economic Corridor’ (EWEC) development policy, which is designed to connect five countries, including China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. As a result of this, Khon Kaen will become the door to Indochina and Southern China – the future hub of commerce, investment and transportation in the region.
cover story
Top MICE Destinations for 2013 Neha Oberoi
There is a lot of talk in the industry about how MICE is still one of the few sectors that is experiencing an upswing. Which are the destinations that are making the most of this opportunity and how? MICEtalk talks to the leading players in the industry to ďŹ nd out which destination is hot and preferred over others and why. In talk with the top agents of the MICE industry, we were able to pick the most popular MICE countries favoured by the business traveller. They are Thailand, Singapore, Macau, Malaysia, UAE, France, Germany, Spain, UK, Australia and South Africa. Apart from this, we also got our panel to open up and share their personal favourite destination for a MICE project. Read on...
Royal Grand Palace & Temple of Emerald Buddha
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Thailand
ASIA
Thailand Accessible and Affordable Thailand has been forging ahead as a leading MICE destination for a number of years. The Thai government is working proactively to invite MICE traffic by upgrading its venues to cater to international meetings.
USP
Accessibility from all major Indian cities as well as affordability in terms of living expenses, the set up for international events and other logistics are more economical here. Moreover, a huge inventory of hotel rooms, easy to obtain Visa, a home away from home factor for most Indians, heavily result in Thailand leading the pack as top MICE destination.
Meeting venue of Koh Hai Fantasy Resort & Spa, Krabi, Thailand
MICE Support The Thai Convention & Exhibition Bureau offers support to corporates via a number of options such as an event special fast-track immigration for VIPs, exclusive police escort, giveaway items, pillow gift, cultural performance and CSR activities.
Deepak Narula, Managing Director, Aman Travels “Thailand as a destination comes with peace of mind; it’s easy to handle large groups here and it provides a bouquet of services to cater to the requirements of groups of all sizes. Moreover, the hospitality and professionalism is superior and it doesn’t hurt the pocket. Definitely, a preferred spot.”
MICE citiess Bangkok Pattaya Phuket Chiang Mai
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Singapore International Appeal Vijay Dadich, Managing Director, Blue Moon Travels “With excellent flight connectivity, huge inventory of hotel rooms, Singapore is an established business events destination where people, technology and ideas converge to create an experience.”
USP Singapore’s international appeal, strategic location and access to key Asian markets provide a strong impetus for MICE organisers.
Singapore
ASIA
MICE Support The Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau (SECB) works with stakeholders to create, attract, and grow business events, as well as ensuring exceptional experiences in the delivery of these events. The Bureau also develops partnerships with international organisations and alliances.
Garden by the Bay, Singapore
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Macau
ASIA
Macau Popular short haul destination Macau is home to Asia’s largest fully integrated convention and exhibition centre. It has offerings for business tourism visitors and incentive travellers alike with provisions for designer shopping, luxury hotels and resorts as well as various dining and entertainment options.
Sanjeev Pascricha, CEO, CS Direkt “Macau with its various incentive programs to support large business groups, weddings and even students becomes a favoured pick, especially with its short flying time and ability to host large scale events.”
USP A popular short haul MICE destination, Macau has approx 24,469 hotel rooms spread across 102 hotel premises that range from 5-star deluxe to 2-star hotels.
MICE Support
The Venetian, Macau
Macau offers an ‘Incentive Travel Stimulation Program’ under which if you have an incentive group of minimum 50 non-local participants with at least two consecutive nights of stay in Macau, then a maximum support of MOP$ 300 will be granted on actual consumption.
Cover story cover
Malaysia
Malaysia Truly for MICE
ASIA
Strong infrastructure advantages make Malaysia a leading MICE destination. With a total of more than 38,000 hotel rooms The Kuala Lumpur International Airport handles 35 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo a year.
MICE Support Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Kuala Lumpur
MyCEB (Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau) is instrumental in building the MICE industry. It helps facilitate and advise event organisers on places and venues which are able to cater to specific dietary requirements of delegates (vegetarian, low-sugar, lowsodium, etc.) Most venues in the country are flexible and offer a customisable menu. To enhance the corporate meeting and incentive group experience in Malaysia, the country offers some financial incentives to MICE organisers. They include ‘Deal 1’ ranging from limited edition welcome gifts, cultural showcase to a complimentary dinner for the groups. ‘Deal 2’ offers various exciting rewards such as a vacation for two in Malaysia and a mini iPad. (Applicable for meeting and event planners who bring in an accumulative 500 participants and above.)
The Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur
MICE Facilities Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (Sarawak), the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre among many others.
MICE cities Kuala Lumpur Genting Highlands Langkawi
USP Malaysia is the 5th Most Price Competitive Country in the Asia Pacific for Travel 2012 (Travel & Tourism Competitive Index, World Economic Forum) & the 2nd best shopping destination in Asia Pacific (Globe Shopper Index for Asia Pacific 2012).
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UAE
UAE Easy Accessibility
MIDDLE EAST
UAE has been gearing up to maximise their appeal for Asian buyers in the last couple of years. Connectivity across the Asian region, strong air links, infrastructural abundance coupled with the region’s culture and world attractions are helping to establish the destination as a serious hub for meetings. Atlantis Hotel, Dubai
MICE cities Dubai Abu Dhabi
Dubai has a versatility where all kinds of Groups with large and small budgets can be accommodated. Highest tennis court at Dubai Burj Al Arab
Nihaluddin, Vice President, MICE, Trailblazers “Dubai has a versatility where all kinds of Groups with large and small budgets can be accommodated. Logistically it’s well planned and a full 3-Night package offers activities like, Dhow Cruise, Desert Safari, Burj Khalifa, etc. Moreover, you can even extend your trip to include the Abu Dhabi Ferrari Park. Food, connectivity and nightlife all combine to make it a viable MICE option.”
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France
France
Perfect Ambience
EUROPE
MICE cities The Louvre Museum, Paris
Paris Marseille
Radhika Kanijio, Managing Director, Welgrow Travels France has something to offer for all discerning travellers. Especially the South of France is a fast emerging destination in the luxury segment of MICE. Nice presents unusual venues for conferences such as Castle Hill which doubles up as a park and a botanical garden or organise fun incentives in Nice such as treasure hunts on Segways”. Eiffel Tower
USP Easy access from all parts of the globe, infrastructure and a team of dedicated service oriented professionals. Enhancing France’s appeal as a destination of choice are its landscapes and gastronomy that provide a perfect ambience for hosting a business event.
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MICE Facilities It houses a selection of 120 convention centres including 95 Congress Halls with an accommodation capacity of 147,000, 80 exhibition centres representing more than 1,800,000 sqm including 3 exhibition centres of more than 100 000 sqm (Paris Expo, Villepinte and EuroExpo).
Germany Best Convention Facilities USP The country has great air, rail and road connectivity in Europe, MICE infrastructure, rich culture and cuisine and professional MICE partners. This is made more attractive with pre and post-convention activities which are unique to Germany. Skyline of Cologne
MICE Facilities Most Convention centers in Germany can accommodate medium to large sized groups with ease and the choice of venues is vast across all cities. There are more than 6000 conference hotels and event locations. Some of the popular conventions and event venues are ICC Berlin, Düsseldorf Exhibition Center, Munich Exhibition Center, Frankfurt Exhibition Center and Cologne Exhibition Center.
Germany
Spain
EUROPE
Spain
Unusual Venues Its rich culture, conference infrastructures, communications and hotels make Spain an essential country for MICE tourism. Its good weather enables you to hold events any time of the year. There are more than 16,000 hotels in Spain and their quality is internationally renowned.
Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, Valencia, Spain
PalacioZaragoza, Pamplona, Spain
MICE cities Barcelona and Madrid, both cities are among the top five on the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) world ranking.
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cover story
Switzerland Outstanding Infrastructure USP
MICE Support
The Switzerland has the lowest VAT rates in Europe; breakfast and public transportation are generally included in the room rate, competitive value pricing in Swiss Francs, excellent multilingual knowledge, outstanding infrastructure and service
MICE cities Zurich Geneva Lugano
The Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau oers free of charge independent assistance for planning events in Switzerland such as researching appropriate destinations & venues, submitting contacts & information, assisting with site inspections, etc.
United Kingdom Excellent MICE & Recreation Options
UK
S Switzerland
The reasons why England is preferred over others are the presence of excellent business support infrastructure, good airports, perfect accommodation, and other entertainment and recreation options. Also, UK’s proximity to Asia makes it a hotspot for MICE.
MICE cities London Birmingham
Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
South Africa
South Africa Value For Money
USP
With landscapes, a sunny climate, cultural diversity and excellent value for money, South Africa offers excellent MICE facilities. FIFA World Cup provided South Africa a great opportunity to showcase its MICE infrastructure and its capacity to host big events. Safari incentive trips are also popular here. Many new hotels and convention centres are being built and existing facilities are undergoing refurbishment.
MICE cities Johannesburg Durban Cape Town
Vijay Dadich, Managing Director, Blue Moon Travels “South Africa with its unique venues, popularity of sport events, first class infrastructure with extensive rail and road network and a variety of accommodation offer the basics of a MICE destination. The Indian corporate is now curious and wants to explore this lesser explored destination. Better connectivity and awareness of such destinations have witnessed Indian MICE business shifting to South Africa.”
Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia
Australia Australia
Hot Spot For Incentives
The country offers excellent options for incentives and team-building activities as well as facilities for conferences and meetings.
Sanjeev Pasricha, CEO, CS Direkt “Australia is a friendly destination being frequented by the Indian business traveller due to excellent accommodation options, from luxury to home stays and an understanding of Indian food requirements. The possibility of testing themselves via various adventure activities on incentive trips or just using their unique venues, they have something for everyone.” 24
MICEtalk September 2013
MICE cities Melbourne Sydney Perth
MICE initiative
MOT to help States support MICE Vivek Sethi
States have been urged to come forward with land-bank for creation of MICE infrastructure with adequate support from MOT.
We are working on promoting various niche products to enhance attractiveness of Incredible India. Girish Shanker Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism
I
ncredible India will have to develop niche products to register incremental growth in inbound arrivals and register itself as a round-the-year destination, believes a very credible voice in the Ministry of Tourism. In fact, as per Girish Shanker, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, said, “We are working on promoting various niche products to enhance attractiveness of Incredible India. In my opinion, MICE, Golf and Cinema will be the niche segments that will show the fastest conversion rate in terms of registering increase in foreign arrivals.” “As part of our strategy to promote MICE in India, MOT is keen to promote Convention Centres and International Conventions in India. We are also considering a MICE policy for India to develop MICE across the entire country. The States have been urged to come forward with land-bank for creation of MICE infrastructure with adequate support from MOT. In fact, many states have already come forward to leverage the MICE advantage,” he added. Further, as per Shanker, at the recently held UNWTO meet in India, all the guests were more than delighted looking at the MICE events India can handle so very
well. “We had been getting so many feedbacks from our guests, who were part of the UNWTO meet in Andhra Pradesh. They all had been amazed by the hospitality and MICE amenities India offered during the UNWTO meet,” added Shanker. On the Golf front Shanker highlights that a detailed strategy is being done thoroughly. India as a global Cinema hub to shoot films had been recently promoted at the Cannes International Film festival. The Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had recently entered into an MOU to promote Cinema of India as a sub brand of ‘Incredible India’ at various international film festivals like IFFI Goa, European Film Market, Cannes Film Festival and markets abroad. “Consequent to the agreement, to develop synergy between Tourism and the film industry and to provide a platform for enabling partnerships between the Indian and global Film Industry, both the ministries jointly organised a presentation and an Incredible India booth at the exhibition during the Cannes film festival among various other activities,” said Shanker.
As part of our strategy to promote MICE in India, MOT is keen to promote Convention Centres and International Conventions in India. 26
MICEtalk September 2013
MICE country
Germany
The Preferred MICE Destination Neha Oberoi
Europe’s allure as a MICE destination still holds true with business travellers and the country is working relentlessly on expanding its market share further. Most Convention centers in Germany accommodate medium to large sized groups with ease and the choice of venues is vast across all cities. MICEtalk unravels the new unique MICE methods that are seen in the country.
Useful Information Telephone preďŹ x: +49
Electricity: 230 volts, 50 Hz. Messe Campus Airport, Stuttgart
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MICE country
Why Germany? t " IVC GPS UIF HSPXJOH NBSLFUT PG $FOUSBM BOE &BTUFSO &VSPQF t 4USPOH "JS MJOLT XJUI "TJB BOE &VSPQF NPSF UIBO BJSMJOFT TFSWJOH the country t 5SBOTQPSU JOGSBTUSVDUVSF NPUPSXBZ OFUXPSL DPNQSJTJOH BQQSPYJNBUFMZ 11,000 km t )JHI TQFFE MBOE USBWFM XJUIJO (FSNBOZ BOE UP OFJHICPVSJOH DPVOUSJFT through German Railway network covering 35,000 km t 8PSME DMBTT NFFUJOH WFOVF GBDJMJUJFT t )JHI QSPGFTTJPOBM TUBOEBSET DPVOUSZ T SFQVUBUJPO GPS QVODUVBMJUZ t .FMUJOH QPU PG DVMUVSFT
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MICE country
Cities with MICE facilities There are more than 6000 conference hotels and event locations. Its global cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg make Germany an ideal MICE destination.
Berlin (Berlin Convention Office) In Berlin, the choice of venues ranges from the 368 mt high television tower to a 5,000-capacity hangar in the grounds of the former Tempelhof airport. Following the restoration of ICC Berlin, congress capacities in the German capital have virtually doubled.
Bonn (Bonn Conference Partners’ project office) Bonn offers a large selection of conference venues and conference hotels for 5-5000 participants. The former plenary chamber of the German Parliament and the neighbouring waterworks are the key components of the World Conference Centre Bonn. The Maritim Hotel Bonn has hosted a number of major UN
conferences. Major attractions in the city include the house where Ludwig van Beethoven was born and the ‘museum mile’ that offer event organisers a wide choice of cultural experiences.
Cologne (Cologne Convention Bureau) Most of its venues such as the Cologne Exhibition Center and others are centrally located as well, close to the cathedral and main train station. The old quarter, the many museums and theatres, the opera house, the Philharmonic, Rhine Park, Media Park and shopping streets are all within easy walking distance from these venues.
Munich (Munich Convention Bureau) The city offers 350 different locations to choose from. From Munich’s Olympic stadium to brewery halls, from rooms at the Residenz Palace to prestigious conference hotels, and from modern, functional design locations to the International Congress Centre – a state-of-the-art setting for major conventions.
Stuttgart Conference venue at the Sofitel, Munich
With ICS International Congress Centre, Stuttgart Exhibition Centre, the Liederhalle Cultural and Congress Centre and around 250 other congress centres, conference hotels and event locations, Stuttgart has a diverse infrastructure for the business community. Its concept for sustainability makes this a destination of choice for green meetings. Great add-ons for congress delegates and trade fair visitors include the Mercedes-Benz Museum, Porsche Museum, Stuttgart State Gallery, Stuttgart art museum, Stuttgart Ballet and the opera house.
MICE offerings Germany offers a variety of choices for companies to organise their MICE events. These include hosting HBMB EJOOFST BEEJOH A8FMMOFTT UP .*$& JUJOFSBSJFT PS adventure sports like white water rafting. Germany offers unconventional meeting facilities from huge vibrant cities to the culturally infused charm of castles, which are now modern conference venues.
World Conference Centre, Bonn
Frankfurt Frankfurt boasts one of the largest exhibition sites in the world, the Messe Exhibition Centre. The IMEX trade fair, held here, attracts congress planners from all over the world. A successful blend of both old and new is the Alte Oper, whose ancient exterior is complemented by modern facilities inside. Frankfurt oers an appropriate setting for every kind of event, whether it’s at the historical RÜmer town hall, the new university campus in the Westend district with its state-of-the-art conference facilities, the restored Palais Frankfurt on Hauptwache square or the renovated Carmelite Abbey with its famous frescos.
MICE support Germany has municipal convention bureaus across all the major MICE cities to help in providing detailed information about hotels and event venues and how to organise entertainment and supporting activities.
Rhine Tower Dusseldorf
Unique Incentive ideas t %SJWJOH B 8PSME 8BS UBOL KVTU PVUTJEF #FSMJO PS HPJOH TLZEJWJOH BOE KVNQJOH Pĉ B 8PSME 8BS QMBOF t 5SZ UIF A%0/ CBTF KVNQ GSPN UIF SPPG PG UIF 1BSL *OO #FSMJO "MFYBOEFSQMBU[ NFUSF Pĉ the ground. t &OKPZ .VOJDI #FFS 5PVS o BO FYUFOTJWF UPVS providing interesting and entertaining insights into breweries, beer gardens and cellars and the legendary Oktoberfest. t $SFBUF ZPVS PXO &BV EF $PMPHOF
India MICE market Germany being the leader in inbound Indian MICE has seen a rise in numbers from India especially in 2012. Indian overnights were estimated to be 5,84,508, of which around 60 per cent were for MICE and the rest for leisure and others.
“The rate of growth for MICE outbound from India is expected to be 10-15 per cent in 2013. In terms of money, the market should grow to above US$ 700 million. The rapid growth of the Indian economy and its increasing dominance globally will have a positive impact on the MICE market.” 3PNJU ͳFPQIJMVT %JSFDUPS 4BMFT .BSLFUJOH (FSNBO /BUJPOBM 5PVSJTU 0ĊDF *OEJB
Green meetings German congress providers integrate climate friendly measures in their entire preparation, implementation and follow up for events. This ranges from eco friendly travel to sustainably run congress centres and hotels. ͳF (FSNBO DPOWFOUJPO #VSFBV PĉFST QSBDUJDBM support for staging green meetings. Some venues that promote Green initiatives are: t Berlin o 7FMPNBY #FSMJO ͳF NBY o 4DIFNF )BMMF and the velodrom t Munich o .FTTF .VODIFO *OUFSOBUJPOBM $POHSFTT $FOUSF .0$ 7FSBOTUBMUVOHT $FOUSF t Frankfurt o ,BQ &VSPQB PQFOJOH
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let’s talk
MICE Venues Cater to Corporates Demands MICE trip decisions by corporates are usually long drawn affairs where the entire team gets into the nitty-gritty of where to go and why. MICEtalk talks to the Convention Bureaus of some major MICE destinations to understand what these corporates look for when searching for a destination.
Similarity with India Attracts Zulkefli Hj Sharif CEO, Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) The major factors influencing Indian corporates’ choice of venue for organising MICE trips are:
Strategic Location Malaysia is easily accessible from any part of India with increased direct flights offered by both full service airlines and low cost carriers. It is considered a medium haul destination in terms of flying time, as most flights between Malaysia and India take around 4–7 hours, making it a preferred destination for hosting business events.
Comfort and Luxury Experience Being a multi-racial country where all forms of religion, cultures and traditions are accepted and respected, Malaysia is able to cater to the various dietary requirements of delegates from India. MyCEB helps facilitate and advise event organisers on places and venues which are able to cater to specific dietary requirements of delegates (vegetarian, low-sugar, low-sodium diet). Most venues in the country offer a customisable menu, based on requirements of meeting planners and delegates. There are a lot of Indian restaurants in Kuala Lumpur and all major cities in Malaysia across various budgets, from high-end to high-street. For example, Bombay Palace, Passage Thru India, Namaste and Saravanaa Bhavan. With a strong population of Malaysians being Indian, cultural and language similarity between Malaysia and India makes it a preferred destination for meeting planners. The delegates will definitely feel at home and be at ease with the warm and friendly Malaysian hospitality.
Ease of Communication English is widely spoken across the country. Malaysia ranks number 1 among non-native speaking Asian countries in the English Proficiency Index Country Rankings.
safe malaysia To Malaysia is ranked the most peaceful country in South East Asia and the 4th safest in Asia Pacific. It is also the 20th safest and peaceful out of 158 countries in the world (Global Peace Index 2012)
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Unique Experiences Vipula Wanigasekera General Manager, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau Sri Lanka is a unique venue having diversity in compactness. The locations include beaches, mountains, ancient cities, wildlife, and so much more. We have categorised our attractions under eight themes, viz: Beaches, Heritage, scenic, wildlife, festivals, sports & adventure, Bliss and Essence. Whale watching has become the newest attraction. The colonial era is re-depicted in places where they were. We offer different and exciting experiences be it participataing in plucking and production of tea, spending a day in a Sri Lankan village or enjoying an eco-based environment. We could almost guarantee spotting of leopards within a day in wildlife parks. We have eight world heritage sites that are visited by tourists and incentive groups. And the best thing is that all this is within a few hours’ drive.
Value for Money Loy Joon How General Manager of IMPACT Exhibition Management Co Ltd, Thailand Organising MICE trip in a foreign destination is not an easy task. In addition to working within the budget, there are many details a corporate house needs to look into to ensure that the event is ‘way out of the ordinary’. As such, corporate houses are increasingly looking at venues that offer ‘All Inclusive MICE Packages’ to make their planning and organising tasks easy, with no hidden fees or costs. These packages also offer ‘one stop solutions’ to save time and money by not having to deal with various suppliers on issues such as venue operations, logistics, transportations, accommodations, etc. They prefer to choose a venue that can offer a selection of all inclusive packages that can meet all their critical needs, and offer them ‘peace of mind’.
Corporates prefer to choose a venue that can offer a selection of all inclusive packages that can meet all their critical needs, and offer them ‘peace of mind’. MICEtalk September 2013
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MICE city
Business in Joburg Anita Jain
Considered as one of the biggest commercial capital in Africa, the city of Johannesburg not only offers world-class MICE infrastructure but also offers some unique venues for hosting those ‘extraordinary’ events.
convenient connection South African Airways provides daily flights from Mumbai to Johannesburg. Durban is an hour’s flight, Port Elizabeth 90 minutes and Cape Town 2 hours from Johannesburg. Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg
MICE city
J
ohannesburg, Joburg, Jozi…the city where the action is, the money is! It’s the commercial centre on the African continent. It is an African city that works: the phones dial, the lights switch on, you can drink the water, there are multi-lane freeways, skyscrapers, conference centres, golf courses. If you should get lost, ordinary people on the street speak English.
Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel in Sandton
Joburg for MICE To attract and promote the city among global corporate operators and organisations, Johannesburg Convention & Events Bureau (JCEB) – a division of the Johannesburg Tourism Company – is working closely with top tour and event management companies in the country and assists in providing end-to-end MICE services.
The ‘Big Five’ Conference Centres The capital of South Africa has many world-class MICE venues. The five biggest, which can each host thousands of delegates, are: Sandton Convention Centre Located near Africa’s top-class shopping and business area, the convention level of the centre, which accommodates 3,500 people, offers flexible seating configuration. The multipurpose pavilion, which can host more than 4,000 people, can handle large conferences, concerts, sports events and special functions. There are two exhibition areas - of more than 5,000 sqm each - and 15 meeting rooms. www.saconvention.co.za Gallagher Estate Away from the hurly-burly of city life, Gallagher Estate in Midrand, halfway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, is perfect for hosting delegates from both
Gallagher, Johennesburg
cities. It has 19 multi-purpose venues and can host up to 8,000 delegates. Among the major venues is the auditorium, which provides raked seating for up to 414 people, and the ballroom, which can accommodate 500 people for a dinner/dance or 1,500 people for a seated convention. There are five large exhibition halls - for exhibitions, concerts and trade shows - as well as other smaller areas. www.gallagher.co.za
Aerial view of the Coca-Cola Dome, Johannesburg
Unique venues of Joburg Johannesburg’s MICE scene may be dominated by venues mentioned here but there are more than 40 other topclass facilities in and around the city. They are as follows:
REGION Soweto and South Joberg
Ubuntu Kraal
USP Cultural experience, bird watching
CAPACITY 500 pax
Phumelela/Turffontein View of the racecourse; has nine different Racecourse venues
600 pax in cinema style
Blue Hills Conference Centre and B&B
Views of Magaliesberg Mountains and close to Kyalami race track
20 pax
The Castle, Kyalami
Several venues
700 pax
Cabanga Conference Centre
Serene enclave of indigenous bush
120 pax
Crowne Plaza Sandton
Contrast of landscaped gardens and Sandton business district
600 pax
Sandton Sun and Towers InterContinental
There is direct access to Sandton City - one of the country's largest shopping malls
800 pax
The Wanderers Club
South Africa’s premier sporting venue
600 pax
East of the city
Emperors Palace
Ideal for large conferences
3000 pax
City Centre
SAB World of Beer
Enjoy a tour of SAB and two complimentary drinks afterwards
150 pax
Midrand Region
North of the city
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VENUE
MICEtalk September 2013
Conference venue at the Aviator Hotel
The Coca-Cola Dome The Coca-Cola dome is southern Africa’s most definitive multi-purpose indoor entertainment arena. Situated in Northgate, the large main arena covers 11,049 sqm of uninterrupted space; the mezzanine level offers an additional 2,500 sqm of space. As the epic concert venue of Southern Africa, it has a maximum capacity of 19,100 standing and 13,000 seated. www.coca-coladome.co.za MTN Expo Centre, Nasrec In Southwest Johannesburg - near the Gold Reef City Casino, the Apartheid Museum and Soweto - lies Nasrec’s MTN Expo Centre. The massive exhibition facility offers 42,000 sqm of undercover space. The centre has its own banks, post office and telecommunication services. The main arena can accommodate up to 20,000 people. Another venue, the Black Eagle, can be divided into three sections. The Bateleur, which is slightly larger, easily divides into two. It can seat 1,000 delegates cinema-style. www.expocentre.co.za The Pyramid Conference & Venue Centre Located on the Eloff street of the city, the centre is regarded as a five star meeting and special event facility. It provides eight venues: the main venue seats 350 (banquet style) and boasts a round hydraulic stage, theatrical lighting, three motorised screens with data projectors, sound and DJ equipment. The venue also houses Spa treatment centre offering global treatments and salon facility. www.pyramidvenue.co.za
Exterior of The Pyramid Conference & Venue Centre
Conference venue at The Great Hall, Johannesburg
expert talk
Connect First Correct Later
Tapas Dasmohapatra, Co-founder POSSIBLERS, an established name in corporate training, motivational speaking and counselling, shares with MICEtalk excerpts from the Book Cooks Are Many, Chefs Are Few. Tapas Dasmohapatra
G
enerally what does the mother do with the child; connect right! And what does the father do; correct! Though exceptions are there, generally we see the mother connecting with the child and the father correcting. Mother connects with the child so much that the child does not feel the pinch of correcting. Take a situation where the child is not interested in drinking a glass of milk. Mother tells the child, ‘You do not want to drink milk, keep it aside and come to me,’ mother hugs the child and explains, ‘If you drink milk you can become Tendulkar’. Sparkle comes into the child’s eyes, he asks curiously, ‘Can I become like Tendulkar?’ Yes, why not, but for that you need to be as strong as Tendulkar. To become strong and sharp you need to drink milk every day’. Now the child is interested to drink milk because mother could connect with the child. Father looks the son in the eye and shouts ‘Do you know
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what one liter milk costs?’ Here you are refusing to drink milk and throwing tantrums. How stupid you are, drink milk now, quick!’ In the corporate world, many people live with a notion that they do not need to connect. They simply do not realise the importance of connecting with people. They think that they are capable of achieving exceptional growth themselves. They suffer from what I call a ‘Selfmade’ syndrome.
If you are looking for a long-term growth you have to connect with people.
expert talk
Connect to Grow Connect with people if you want to grow in life. No exceptional thing has ever been achieved without having people by your side. Why do some people think that connecting with people is wastage of time? Why do they avoid connecting with people? Why do they only correct? I asked these question to more than a thousand managers who feel that they are self-made and there is no significant benefit in connecting with people. Majority of these managers share a common belief that when they want a job to be done, they prefer to correct people rather than connecting. According to them connecting with people consumes a lot of time while correcting makes the job easy. I agree that correcting gets the job done quickly. But it does not make the person easy with you. It does not motivate the person or add value to what you have assigned. It does not create a sense of ownership in that person. He does only what he has been told, nothing less nothing more. Now think for a while what we are doing by only correcting people. We are suppressing their talent and simply not giving them an opportunity to add value to what they are doing. When we correct people in a particular department, the environment becomes toxic and people feel suffocated. They yearn for respite, they look for leaves, they focus on the clock and wait for vacations only.
Remember you travel alone and you travel fast; you travel together and you travel far I have seen many managers who knowingly do not connect. They prefer correcting because they feel connecting slows them down while correcting accelerates. They believe that if they travel alone they can travel fast. You decide your pace, you do your preparation, and you manage your challenges so you can travel at any speed you like. When you travel with people it slows you down, you have to take care of them in every manner. You need to ensure that they (your staff ) are well trained, well prepared, you listen to them and you empathise with their fears, wishes, concerns. You solve their issues and you stand by them in challenging times. So all these things slow you down. But remember you travel alone and you travel fast; you travel together and you travel far. Thus, if you are looking for long-term growth you need to connect with people. If you want a sustainable growth then you must connect with people and take them along. So connect first.
domestic MICE
Rajasthan
MICE in the Royal Land MICE being the most dynamic market in the travel trade, trends forecast that all players are eyeing Rajasthan as the hottest MICE destination. Besides, offering the regal appeal of old India, it also makes a lot of business sense to host events here. MICEtalk looks into what it has to offer...
domestic MICE
BM Birla Auditorium and Convention Centre, Jaipur
why Rajasthan? t (BUFXBZ UP MBSHF NBSLFUT JO UIF OPSUIFSO BOE XFTUFSO part of India t .BJO DJUJFT MJLF +BJQVS +PEIQVS BOE 6EBJQVS BSF MJOLFE by air while the other venues are easily accessible by rail and road. t (PPE WFOVFT TVDI BT mWF TUBS IPUFMT IFSJUBHF IPUFMT village resorts for events t 4FBNMFTT BSSBOHFNFOUT GPS USBOTQPSUBUJPO sightseeing,catering t 4USPOH UPVSJTU JOGSBTUSVDUVSF
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
Cities with MICE Facilities Most of the cities of Rajasthan have good infrastructure for hosting business meets. Apart from the major MICE centres, smaller venues which are historical or even wildlife sanctuaries add to the incentive market especially corporates looking for team building opportunities. Jaipur A major MICE destination, many hotels here have started to offer various kinds of product mixes which include large areas allocated for conventions and also additional service offerings. Also, proximity to Ajmer and Pushkar makes it popular with international delegates. Raj Vilas, Rambagh Palace, Trident, Country Inn and Suites, Holiday Inn are some major hotels with MICE facilities.
Some popular venues are: The BM Birla Auditorium and Convention Centre is located in the heart of Jaipur. It includes an interactive science museum, library, a computer centre, and an auditorium. The auditorium can accommodate around 1350 people and its conference halls and seminar rooms have a capacity of 40 to 400 persons, for parallel sessions and group discussions or small meetings.
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Fairmont Jaipur oers 60,000 sqft of conference space and 255 rooms, apart from a variety of restaurants and bars, including a poolside bar, Willow Stream spa, and a health club.
Conference room of Fairmont Jaipur
Lalit Laxmi Vilas Palace, Udaipur
Hotel Jaipur Greens is one of the popular MICE venues with 107 rooms and suites. It houses the Ashoka banquet hall (4500 sqft), Gulmohar Banquet hall (2000 sqft) and the Tulsi Banquet hall (2000 sqft) with options for indoor space and 4200 sqft of outdoor space in their roof top garden. Fairmont Jaipur oers 60,000 sqft of conference space and 255 rooms apart from a variety of restaurants and bars, including a poolside bar, Willow Stream spa, and a health club. Its facilities include t TRN TRVBSF GPPU DPOGFSFODF TQBDF t XFMM FRVJQQFE NFFUJOH SPPNT t4DSFFOJOH SPPN t%FEJDBUFE FWFOU BOE DBUFSJOH TUBĉ UP FOTVSF TFBNMFTT event t1PTU FWFOU BDUJWJUJFT JODMVEF FMFQIBOU QPMP IJLJOH bike trails, etc
Udaipur Known as ‘Venice of the East’, it is also the ‘city of lakes’. The Lalit Laxmi Vilas Palace, located in the main city just opposite the Fateh Sagar Lake, has a multi functional conference hall with a pre-function lawn having a capacity for up to 100 persons. Apart from the main multi-functional conference hall – Aangan, the hotel also has the delightful Amrapali lawn, the royal Maharana Court or the exclusive Zen Fountain lawn that provide ideal banquet venue options for social events, receptions or corporate parties.
Jodhpur The 2nd largest city of Rajasthan, it boasts forts and palaces that rise against the backdrop of the TVSSPVOEJOH ͳBS %FTFSU BOE UIF XBMMFE PME DJUZ The most spectacular is the Umaid Bhawan Palace, designed for the royal family in late 1920’s. Part of the palace has been converted into a luxurious heritage hotel. Activities such as tennis, village safaris, horseback-riding, polo and croquet are available for families and post-event fun.
meetings in Umaid Bhawan 7&/6&
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Marwar Hall
4462
The Chamber of Princess
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The Rathore Durbar Hall
4462
The Smoking Room
1080
Other Cities with MICE Facilities Jaisalmer Fort Rajwada, Narain Niwas Palace Bikaner Gajner Palace, Bhanwar Niwas, Raj Villas Palace
promoting incentive tourism Rajasthan offers a number of options for team-building activities, most popular of XIJDI BSF UIF XJMEMJGF TBODUVBSJFT 5IF 3BOUIBNCPSF /BUJPOBM 1BSL BOE UIF 4BSJTLB /BUJPOBM 1BSL BSF UIF POFT NPTU GSFRVFOUFE CZ MBSHF HSPVQT EVF UP UIFJS FBTF PG access by rail and road.
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MICE hotel
Kempinski Hotel Ajman
MICE Delight! Nestled in the heart of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ajman is the smallest of the seven emirates and is known as the Sheikdom of Eastern Arabia. The 5-star Kempinski Hotel Ajman is a luxurious oasis that offers a bevy of amenities to cater to business needs. MICEtalk focusses on the hotel for its business travellers.
K
empinski Hotel Ajman is located only 25 km GSPN %VCBJ *OUFSOBUJPOBM "JSQPSU BOE KVTU LN GSPN %VCBJ .BMM BOE #VSK ,IBMJGB ÍłF )PUFM is situated at the end of the Ajman Corniche and can be reached through Emirates Road (311) or Rolla Road which lead through Sharjah.
Conference/banquet facilities t (SBOE #BMMSPPN GPS VQ UP HVFTUT XJUI B CVJMU JO stage and high ceiling (8 metres) t 4PVOE TZTUFN BOE MJHIUJOH GPS B TUBHF XJUI MBUFTU audio-visual equipment t 0VUEPPS WFOVFT TVDI BT UIF QSJWBUF IPUFM CFBDI HBSEFO BSFBT UIF 0ME 'PSU PG "KNBO .VTFVN BOE desert camps t 8-"/ *OUFSOFU DPOOFDUJPO JO QVCMJD BSFBT
Meetings With a choice of venues ranging from a Grand Ballroom, private meeting rooms, lawns or white sandy beach, Kempinski, with a total number of 180 rooms, has something for all sizes of groups. 7&/6&
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COCKTAIL
BOARD ROOM
6 45:-&
CLASS ROOM
THEATRE
Al Zawra Ballroom
800
1200
-
-
350
1200
Ajman Meeting Room 1
130
160
60
50
90
200
Ajman Meeting Room 2
100
120
60
45
60
150
Art Gallery
300
350
60
60
60
200
Kempinski Lawn
500
600
60
80
200
900
Palm Lawn
250
350
-
40
-
-
Beach Patio Laguna Lawn
220 250
350 350
40 -
50 50
100 -
150 300
Culinary Delight The hotel has Cafe Kranzler, an all-day dining restaurant; Sabella’s, an Italian restaurant, Bukhara for Indian food and Hai Tao for authentic Chinese cuisine along with some excellent bars.
Recreational Activities The hotel oers several sports related activities like water sports, bowling, tennis, table tennis and a putting green to spend the afternoon. Its team building activities include ski race, sand castle building, kayak race, human spider web and many more.
Kempinski Kids Club The Club welcomes children from 2 to 12 years of age whilst oering a safe and stimulating environment to entertain, amuse and occupy children under professional supervision.
shuttle service The hotel runs a shuttle bus that leaves from the hotel 3 times daily to tour the main malls for designer fashion TIPQQJOH BOE UIF CV[[JOH TPVLT GPS FYPUJD TQJDFT BOUJRVF #FEPVJO KFXFMMFSZ PS EFMJDBUF TJMLT
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LaLiT Resort & Spa Bekal Hotel in God’s own Country The LaLiT Resort & Spa Bekal, located in Kasargod, the northern district of Kerala - ‘Gods Own Country’ is a top of the line luxury beach resort set up on 26 acres of virgin stretch of northern Kerala in the lap of Arabian Sea and surrounded by a natural backwater from three sides.
Accommodation 39 Rooms and suites spread over three categories of %FMVYF -VYVSZ BOE 4QB SPPNT QSFTJEFOUJBM WJMMB BOE B houseboat called Kettuvallam.
MICE Facilities The hotel has a meeting venue stretched over an area of 2900 sqft and a pillar-less facility, idyllic for corporate meetings, team-building activities as well as for social events like wedding and other parties. With Wi-Fi Internet access, the hall is sound proof. The banquet hall has a pre-function area and accommodates up to 200 people in theatre style, 120 people in classroom style and 100 people in round table or cluster sitting arrangement.
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sample this
Fun with Family The resort has a spa that offers health and lifestyle consultations, Ayurvedic treatments, western and eastern therapies, beauty treatments and yoga. The activity rooms have game facilities like billiards, table tennis, chess, carom, etc. Birds observatory, kayaks & canoes in back water, beach volley ball, beach cricket, badminton, theme nights, tour of the local village on cycle, library lounge, coconut tree climbing, grass weaving, pottery, fishing competition and local dance performances are other recreational activities provided by the hotel.
Amazing Dining Sea Side Dining under a private tent or even by the pool. The LaLiT’s Signature Sea Food Dinner has a sumptuous seafood platter consisting of only the best local and imported seafood’s. Guests staying at the Kettuvallam can also dine under the stars on the deck of the houseboat.
specially designed day packages The hotel offers special packages for couples travelling during business. They can opt from weight loss, body toning to body cleansing treatments and therapies. Adventurous spouses can go for trekking and shopaholics can visit the traditional Kasargod Saree handloom unit.
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etiquette talk
Correct Business Gestures Shital Kakkar Mehra Practitioner of Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol in India
Business and political leaders display strong body language as they’re aware of the fact that their audiences judge them by these signals. US Presidents hire experts during their election campaigns, who advise them on gestures that make them appear trust-worthy and capable and traits that voters admire. Shital Kakkar Mehra talks about some body language blunders which dilute credibility and display lack of confidence:
Standing upright when interacting shows “I am confident” and “I am motivated to be with you”.
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Incessant Nodding Nodding is an integral part of our culture and a nod signals at a non-verbal level “I am listening to you” or “I agree with you”, both conveying a strong positive message. However, this message can be negated with fast, repetitive nods which convey anxiety or show excessive eagerness to please. On the other hand, a slow, deliberate nod utilises the body language message to convey agreement in a confident way.
Poor Posture Our sedentary lifestyles and constant use of hi-tech gadgets have led to slouching and hunching for long hours. While walking with a book on your head is no longer practiced, bad posture conveys “I don’t care” or as the Gen Y says “Whatever”. Sitting and standing upright when interacting with your business associates shows “I am confident” and “I am motivated to be with you”, signals that clinch deals across the world.
Fidgeting Tapping your feet, drumming your fingers, doodling, touching your hair or face, all convey the same message “I’d rather be somewhere else”. Instead, minimise your body language and gestures when you need to convey a powerful message with words, thereby ensuring your listeners are free to focus on the verbal and are not distracted by your non-verbal signals.
MICEtalk September 2013
etiquette talk
A slow, deliberate nod utilises body language message to convey agreement in a confident way.
Reducing Physical Space People who are under-confident tend to shrink into their own bodies, reducing the space they take up physically and in the minds of their listeners. On the other hand, business leaders should enhance their physical space by moving around when speaking and using hand gestures, creating the visual of being bigger and more powerful. Words Matter! Although your words make up a mere 7 per cent of what people think of you in a one-on-one encounter, don’t leave them to chance. Words like ’thank you’, ’please’, ’certainly’ can go a long way - say it everywhere, say it to your client, say it to your staff, say it out aloud! Clients appreciate you when you appreciate them.
4
5 Business leaders should enhance their physical space by moving around when speaking and using hand gestures
Ensure your listeners are free to focus on the verbal speech and are not distracted by your non-verbal signals.
Clenching Fists This conveys nervousness, being short-tempered or closed i.e. “I am not open for suggestions”. Force your hands open, as open palms show honesty, transparency and being at ease and give positive signals.
Awareness of these negative signals can assist in ensuring that your personal impact is enhanced across all your target audience. Open palms show honesty, transparency and being at ease and give positive signals.
technology
Tech Tools to Generate Revenue for your event ‘Nothing in life is free except the air we breathe’. This is mostly true for all of us. With the ever increasing costs associated with planning, hosting and participating in an event, we need to be innovative in exploring new ways to cover costs and where possible, generate additional revenue for an event, other than the obvious, increasing participation fees for attendees.
T
here are a lot of points to consider when selecting an event technology vendor/ developer. (Some of the key points I have already addressed in MICEtalk August 2012 article titled ‘Choosing the Right Mobile Event Apps® for your Event’.) There are few simple tips that will help you reduce or even eliminate development and implementation costs. Sponsorship Opportunities Ensure that the tools developed provide opportunities to promote various levels of sponsorship. Sponsorship should be available in a variety of levels from Gold, Silver, etc. and include landing pages, banners advertising, brand placements, brand watermarks in order to maximise the exposure of your sponsors. When using an Event App or communication tool, you could even sell session, speaker and alert sponsorship in order to develop additional revenue streams.
Event Technology represents an opportunity for you and your attendees to improve communication, collaboration and networking, increase exposure for all stakeholders, extend the life of your event and provide a new stream of revenue.
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Advertising Check with your technology developer that the tools developed provide opportunities for various levels of advertising for sponsors, exhibitors or other event stakeholders. Banner ads, full screen ads, Alert based ads, etc. You could even sell advertising to local restaurants, transportation companies, golf courses, theatres and other local area attractions and activities. Explore new ways to reach attendees. Enhanced Exhibitor Profiles in Event Apps Sell enhanced profile listing to sponsors and exhibitors. If you don’t feel you can ask exhibitors for additional contributions and include the profile listings as part of the booth participation fee. Sell banner ads, alerts, sponsorship, lead generation, QR code builders and connection schedulers. Also offer sponsors and exhibitors the opportunity to include handouts and video in their profiles, all for an additional fee. Revenue Share Another option to further reduce your development costs is to ask your developer if they would be interested in a revenue share model where you both share the upfront development cost, reducing your initial outlay. In turn, you would then share any revenue generated through sponsorship or advertising sales with the developer as a reward for the risk.
By using an Event App or communication tool, you could even sell session, speaker and alert sponsorship in order to develop additional revenue streams. If you think creatively, you will come up with many new and innovative ways to increase event revenue through implementation of event technology tools. As development of these tools is inevitable, we will continue to see both the opportunities and benefits increase for all stakeholders at your event. There are a host of fantastic tools available. Go out and deploy one at your next event.
about the author Darren Edwards is the founder of Invisage Creative Services in Australia. With more than 20 years’ experience and knowledge in the meetings and events industry, Darren continues to drive creativity in events and the way they are run. Contact: info@invisage.net
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Movements Sheraton Bangalore GCB appoints sustainability advisor Christine Koch has been appointed Sustainability Advisor for the German Convention Bureau (GCB). A long-standing employee of the GCB, Christine helped to develop and implement the Sustainability Code for the meetings sector across Germanspeaking countries, worked on the GCB’s Green Globe certification and ensured that Germany’s stand at IMEX 2013 was operated sustainably. In her new role, Christine’s primary responsibility will be to strengthen further the marketing organisation’s commitment to all aspects of sustainability – economic, ecological and social.
Air France-KLM, Delhi
appoints Director Commercial, India Subcontinent Hicham Lahkim Bennani has been appointed by Air France-KLM as its new Director Commercial, India Subcontinent. Bennani will be responsible for all commercial activities for passenger business in the Indian sub-continent. Prior to taking his role, Bennani was District Manager in Abuja, Nigeria, where he introduced a new daily Air France flight between Paris and Abuja. He began his career with Air France-KLM as a Trainee in the pricing department in Paris.
Courtyard by Marriott Ahmedabad appoints Director of Sales Ujwal Wal has been appointed Director of Sales for Courtyard by Marriott, Ahmedabad. In this position, he will be responsible for the overall sales function of the hotel. He started his career in 2004 as a sales coordinator at Taj Gateway Bangalore. He also acquired international experience as a Sales Manager at the Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah and joined Marriott in Bangalore in March 2009.
appoints new GM
Sheraton Bangalore
Hotel at Brigade Gateway has announced the appointment of Saurabh Bakshi as the new General Manager of the property. Saurabh has an extensive background in the hospitality industry and has held several senior management positions prior to joining Sheraton with various reputed hospitality brands like Hotel Leela Kempinski and Grand Hyatt, across the country.
ITC Hotels, Gurgaon appoints Head of Business Development Jasmine Saini has been appointed by ITC Hotels as the Head of Business Development. In her new role, she will be responsible for business planning of new hotel projects. She will sight business opportunities for in-pipeline green field projects, joint ventures and management contracts. An alumnus of Hindu College, she has worked with the Somani Group and the Hinduja Group before joining ITC Hotels in 1999.
Korea Tourism Organization
welcomes new Deputy Director
Myong Kil Yun has joined Korea Tourism Organization, New Delhi branch as the Deputy Director. He has more than 13 years of experience in the field of marketing. Prior to joining the New Delhi branch, he has worked in the outbound tourism centre of Korea Tourism Organization in South Korea and with company LG. In his new position, Myong Kil Yun will focus on strengthening the position of Korea as a tourist destination for Indian travellers.
events
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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: 22/8/2013, RNI No.:DELENG/2010/34144