MICE, a growing and maturing industry - Imran

M F Jabir

M M Imran, President, SLAPCEO, addressing its first AGM at the BMICH, said their main theme this year would be to communicate to the industry at large what MICE was. Many people in the industry and the authorities did not really understand what MICE was, he said.

He said ‘M’ stands for meetings which takes place on a small scale than conferences on an adhoc basis and ‘I’ for incentives.

Incentives was a very large segment of MICE Tourism and when bigger companies took to MICE, it was because of the incentive business.

The best way a business could incentivate its staff was with a tour to another country.

Conferences were large gatherings of individuals or members of one or several organizations for discussions of matters of common interest. Exhibitions and events were ones such as Architect Sri Lanka or international events such as ITB or WTM.

“MICE is a growing and maturing industry. It’s business oriented sometimes. It brings direct and indirect revenue for the host countries and destinations.

“Definitely, it is a high yield product, because people who come for MICE events are paid for.

“And these were mostly foreign exchange we were talking about,” he said.

He said they faced a lot of competition and it was not a very old industry, but relatively new. Even the courses offered in MICE was limited in the world.

He said SLAPCEO’s objectives were to foster the development of professional meetings, conventions, seminars and exhibitions and events of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) industry in Sri Lanka and were able to increase members from 15 to 19.

Another objective was to work in close liaison with all government ministries, authorities and departments and particularly with the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, as well as SriLankan Airlines.

And all others airlines, hoteliers, convention organisers, event organisers, equipment providers, venue providers, service providers, members of the travel and tourism industry of Sri Lanka and allied organizations, as well as stakeholders of the MICE industry for the achievement of the objects referred to above.

He said they were able to introduce the SLCB’s MICE strategic plan to the industry at SLAPCEO EGM and members collated and provided comprehensive feedback to SLCB and indulged in discussions with the government on trade fairs at which Sri Lanka should be represented.

Imran said anoter objective was to take such steps as was deemed necessary to promote and protect the interests of its varied types of members, non-members and stakeholders associated with the MICE industry. He said court action against THASL on invoicing and receiving payments in foreign currencies, were settled amicably.

Another objective was to liaise with local and international bodies for MICE Tourism. He said they were able to unveil the new SLAPCEO logo and re-launch the SLAPCEO website. Also conduct the Indian promotion in Bangalore, road shows in Singapore and Malaysia and IMEX had been confirmed, as per plan.

To encourage MICE tourist traffic between Sri Lanka and other countries and vice versa, was another objective. He said India’s promotions campaign of SLCB, led by SLAPCEO and the participation at trade fairs by SLAPCEO members were achievements in this regard.

Another objective of SLAPCEO was to organize and hold meetings, incentive travels, conferences, congresses, conventions, lectures, seminars, exhibitions, events, workshops and forums for any purpose and of all types of descriptions. Here SLAPCEO was entrusted by SLCB to handle a full list of events, including the Tourism Awards & the Spice Festival. To provide advisory services on all matters relating to writing, editing, publishing and contributions to the SLCB brochure.

To affiliate with other institutions, local and foreign, with similar aims and objectives. SLAPCEO was recognized nationally for organizing the 2nd Sancharaka Udawa. The next is scheduled for May/June 2013 and would be organized by SLAPCEO jointly with SLAITO.

Another objective was to develop, offer and conduct professional and other training courses and sessions for its members, non-members and stakeholders. General MICE training programmes by SLCB-SLAPCEO provided resource persons and developed the curriculum.

MICE training programme for hotels to be conducted by SLCB in June 2013 – SLAPCEO developed curriculum and had pledged resource persons.

The other objective was to involve in any capacity in infrastructure development for the furtherance of the MICE industry. In this regard site visits to “Lotus pond”, Hambantota Convention Centre and Jetwing properties in Negombo were to be arranged soon. SLAPCEO had held discussions with SLECC concerning another convention centre in Colombo.