Introduction To Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, And Events Management (Mice) PDF

INTRODUCTION TO MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONFERENCES, and EVENTS MANAGEMENT (MICE) as applied to Hospitality & Tourism HTPC 111  Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION TO MICE INDUSTRY MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONFERENCES, & EVENTS MANAGEMENT (MICE) Generally, MICE are activities and event...

INTRODUCTION TO MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONFERENCES, and EVENTS MANAGEMENT (MICE) as applied to Hospitality & Tourism HTPC 111  Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION TO MICE INDUSTRY MEETINGS, INCENTIVES, CONFERENCES, & EVENTS MANAGEMENT (MICE) Generally, MICE are activities and events that involve attendees who share a common interest and gather in a place. The place for the gathering should be a venue arranged beforehand. The venue will provide space and facilities necessary to satisfy the needs of those who attend the gathering. MICE industry is one of the most important sectors of tourism and hospitality, which brings a big amount of income and creates a positive image of the destination. MEETINGS It is the coming together of a group of people to discuss or exchange information. In some regions, meetings may be seen as a small-scale conference by others. Meetings are one-time or repeat travel events centered on an activity or goal. Meetings often take place at hotels or convention centers. Simply put, meeting travel refers to organizing any number of people for such a meeting, which means it could also include a company sporting trip. INCENTIVES Incentive Travels include leisure trips emphasizing pleasure and excitement and which may appear to have little or no connection to business. Those that meet the relevant criteria are then rewarded by taking part in the incentive travel trip (sometimes referred to as the ‘award’). These are usually group trips with a set itinerary where all those qualifying take part in the same program of events and activities, however individual incentive trips are also used by some companies. These are trips planned as a professional reward, often for performance or loyalty to the sponsoring company. CONVENTIONS (Congress, Conferences, and Confexes) These are events where the primary activity of the attendees is to attend educational sessions, participate in meetings/discussions, socialize, or attend other organized events. Therefore, conference/convention travel involves organizing itineraries, meetings, and events for people from the same profession or field. EXHIBITIONS It can generally be portrayed as ‘presentations of products and services’ to an invited audience with the object of including a sale or informing the visitors. These are events geared toward the display and promotion of products or services. Like conferences, there is usually a particular category of focus involved. Exhibitions are often included in other conferences and meetings. Businesses court new clients and introduce their latest offerings at these events. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEETING AND CONFERENCE CONFERENCE/ DESCRIPTION MEETING CONVENTION Meetings are often The conferences will called quickly and always be planned in the agenda may not advance and have a AGENDA be settled upon, specific order of speakers depending on the and/or events that are type of meeting. closely observed. Conferences have a much Meetings can be larger participation than ATTENDEES between as little as meetings and also may two people. have attendees from multiple institutions.  CONFERENCE/ DESCRIPTION MEETING CONVENTION Meetings are shorter than conferences. They can range from Conferences take place just a few minutes over the course of a day for short meetings DURATION and often many days. up to a few hours for Occasionally, they can long sessions. Also, continue for weeks. a long meeting will be shorter than a short conference. Although meetings can be formal, they Conferences are more FORMALITY are more informal formal than meetings. than conferences. Meetings can be arranged but are Conferences must be PLANNING also called without planned in advance. notice.  CONFERENCE/ DESCRIPTION MEETING CONVENTION The purpose of a The purpose of a conference has speakers meeting is to from generally a shared consider a PURPOSE field of interest and is more particular problem for knowledge gaining and reach a leading to more informed solution. debates. A meeting can be A conference is on a much small in scale. It larger scale. A large room SCALE can take place in a to a vast conference hall small room and for many attendees. with few attendees. The conferences will Meetings take place typically hold in large halls in offices or which provide specific VENUE conference rooms facilities for PowerPoint or any area that is presentations and available. refreshments. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BUSINESS TRAVELS & LEISURE TRAVELS BUSINESS TRAVELS can be seen as leaving one place to another to attend to an important need that will enhance your personal or business revenue. It will require you meeting with clients or colleagues to dialog or negotiate on issues that will affect one or more business ventures. It involves working away from your workplace or home. It may not be convenient, but it is necessary and important. It may be a personal assignment or part of your job responsibilities if you are employed in an organization. If you run your own business, it may be a way of expanding your business network and relationship.  LEISURE TRAVELS, on the other hand, focused on recreation, sport, tourism, and entertainment. It is most times, not a need, but a want. It is a personal desire that may not be necessary or important. Most times, it is planned, over time, with personal income or as it may be part of the bonus that comes with working in a company. Most people travel for leisure just to get away from the everyday routine of working to relax and rejuvenate. THE MAIN REASONS FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL 1. NETWORKING. A handshake followed by a face- to-face chat is still the best way to meet and get to know someone – much better than Skype calls or reading dozens of emails and text messages. You may also want to personally show your leadership skills. 2. EXAMPLES & SAMPLES. You may need to take examples or samples of your work or see examples or samples of something you’re considering investing in. Explaining something – such as a product or service you offer – while with someone and actually seeing they understand is much better than any other way. 3. BE PERSONAL. You want to meet suppliers, customers or clients to take them for drinks and a meal and personally give them a gift as a way of showing your gratitude. You want to show them that they are worth the time that it takes to make a personal visit. 4. CHECK CONDITIONS. You prefer to visit suppliers to see everything looks fine because checking the conditions of the supplies can never be properly assessed through a flat screen. 5. LOCATION. Your company may have offices in various locations and it’s helpful to visit so you know the environment. Or you may need to inspect something for work purposes. 6. ATTENDING MEETINGS & EVENTS. You need to attend a meeting, lecture, and exhibition or show that’s relevant to your business. 7. SEARCH THE WORLD. You want to look for or confirm new products are right for your business. You want to meet new potential suppliers or employees. 8. DOING A DEAL. Business advisers Oxford Economics discovered through research that potential customers are nearly twice as likely to sign with you if you have a face-to-face meeting. So it’s definitely worth making that trip to see them. 9. INCENTIVES. These trips are to motivate employees, and involve such as going on team- building weekends – which although might involve a leisure event are essentially for business purposes. ROLE OF MICE MANAGEMENT IN TOURISM INDUSTRY MICE Tourism can contribute significantly to the development of a tourism destination. It consists of large groups that are brought together for the purpose of conferences, conventions, seminars, workshops, meetings, or exhibitions. Industry educators called it as ‘Events Industry’ to be an umbrella term for the vast scope of the meeting and events profession. SECTORS INVOLVED IN MICE INDUSTRY 1. VENUE OPERATORS own and manage venues, and take bookings from event organizers. 2. MARKETERS include companies which exhibit products/services at events, and event sponsors. Exhibitors build and maintain business relationships, generate sales opportunities through acquisition of new customers, and to conduct sales. Event sponsors use conventions and exhibitions for brand promotion. 3. EVENT ORGANIZERS organize and run events for marketers and attendees. This includes developing the event concept, sales and promotion to potential marketers and attendees, operational planning and event execution. 4. ATTENDEES refer to convention and exhibition attendees. Convention attendees mainly use conventions for networking and learning. Exhibition attendees use exhibitions to source and evaluate the products and services offered by marketers.  Chapter 2 SECTORS INVOLVED TO MICE INDUSTRY SECTORS INVOLVED TO MICE INDUSTRY Hotels are MICE’s primary providers and are also the main beneficiaries. About 65% of their money is spent on hotels for rooms and hotel dining by business travelers attending MICE events, while 15% is spent on other restaurants outside the hotel. About 10% is expended on shopping and another 10% on local transportation. ROLES OF HOTEL MICE event often take place at hotels. Hotels can provide facilities, space and function rooms; accommodations, housing for business travelers who attend the MICE event; and food and beverage services at the event, as well as meals for travelers who stay in the hotel. Typical hotels have accommodation rooms, restaurants, ballrooms, meeting rooms, swimming pools, a business center and more. In relation to MICE activities, a hotel plays different roles depending on its facilities and the size of the MICE event. 1. VENUE FACILITIES In a Hotel, the services and amenities differ in size, ranging from a small meeting room for 10 people to a wide theater for thousands of people. For a various functions of a MICE case, different kinds of facilities can be suitable. 2. ACCOMMODATION The hotel must provide the following services for delegates or guests, business travelers attending the MICE event: - When delegates and their entourages stay in the same hotel where the events are held: Large hotels can take advantage by housing all related activities, including all accommodation and food and beverage services. - When delegates and their entourages stay in other hotels where the events are not held, the hotel or convention center which holds the events should: Provide a range of facilities, such as transportation; and, the hotels and main event venue must keep in close contact. 3. FOOD AND BEVERAGE In addition to providing meals such as breakfasts, lunches, afternoon teas and dinner banquets for various sessions included in the program of MICE activities, hotels must also provide food and drinks to delegates and entourages through their restaurants, cafes and coffee shops, as well as through room service. 4. FACILITIES ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY To facilitate a smooth running of the event, hotels install the most advanced technology, such as: - Registration Networking, to support the on- line registration system. - Attendee e-mail Kiosks, a center for attendees to access their e-mail. - Live Web Conferencing for Sessions, streaming audio and video via web. - Office and press room communications centers. - Speaker internet access for presentations TYPES OF HOTEL TYPES OF HOTEL LOCATION DISTINCTIVE - Central location - High standard of - Commercial business services 1. Large City Business business districts - Large ballroom Hotels nearby - Spacious lobby (250-600 rooms) - Good access with - Room service public transport - Leisure/fitness - Parking center - Meeting rooms for - Near major 25-100 max - Work stations in 2. Suburban hotels / junctions - Access to highway guest rooms motor hotels - Easy access and (150-250 rooms) routes and parking downtown - Leisure/fitness center  TYPES OF HOTEL LOCATION DISTINCTIVE - Large ballroom/s - Extensive meeting and function rooms 3. Large resort hotels - - Nearby attractions Pools and recreation and integrated resorts - Spacious facilities (300-1200 rooms) - Golf course (features vary according to local property) - May have purpose-built - theatre Linked to or near an - Usually provides a range airport terminal - of medium-sized and Easy access to city small function rooms 4. Airport hotels and regional - Leisure/fitness center transport and - Extensive glazing and highways - soundproofing (features Signposted vary according to property) - Small meeting rooms and suites - High-quality service - Remote locations 5. Boutique resorts - Leisure/fitness center - Spacious grounds - Golf course (features vary according to local property) BENEFITS OF MICE INDUSTRY TO HOTELS MICE activities contribute the following to the hotel sector: 1. MICE accounts for up to 65% of total sales in major hotels. 2. MICE attendees tend to use other services of the hotels, such as restaurants. 3. MICE customers have an excellent chance of becoming repeat guests. 4. MICE events allow a hotel to forecast advance bookings and can help fill the gaps during low seasons. 5. Spouses and entourages bring in additional business. TRANSPORTATION Routing, equipment use, personnel requirements, maps, signs and preparation are covered by transportation management. The transportation costs would also affect the number of attendees. INTERNATIONAL Major international transportation methods, such as flights, cruise ships, and trains are commonly used by MICE travelers. For MICE events that involve international attendees, transportation plays a major role in determining the success of an event. LOCAL Once the travelers arrive at the airport, they can be connected via the local transport system. This includes transportation from: - Airport to hotel - Hotel to MICE event venues - Venues to various site visit spots - Hotel to different attractions - Hotel to client’s office - Hotel to central business district - Hotel to airport Cities offering different vehicles of public transportation enhances the travel experience. Local public transports include: - Water - ferries - Land – limousines, taxis, buses/shuttle buses, trains, trams, cable cars. ATTRACTIONS Although the main purpose for business travelers is to attend a MICE event, they would usually prefer to visit some of the local attractions. Most of the time, a post- conference tour is organized after the convention for international attendees to visit the attractions in and near the host city. For incentive travels, visiting local attractions might even be the objective of the trip. The MICE attendees are also good potential future visitors to these attractions. ROLE OF FOOD & BEVERAGE IN MEETINGS AND EVENTS Various events and meetings revolve around the food and beverage that are served during which time the event takes place. Foodservice is a crucial aspect of both hospitality and productivity because food seems to have its place at any gathering; it has the potential to spark conversation and create a better atmosphere to make important decisions. There are many great reasons to offer food and beverages during events: 1. CONNECTION BETWEEN HOSPITALITY & FOOD For hundreds of years, there has been a link between hospitality and food. This can be dated all the way back to biblical times when people would open their homes to others and break bread as a sign of friendship and warm welcome. It does not necessarily make this a religious practice, but more of one that has been followed for years because of its effectiveness. Offering delicious food gives off a great first impression during any circumstance and allows for a creatively shared space that invokes discussion and ultimate decision making. 2. BOOSTS CREATIVE JUICES – LITERALLY Providing your guests with nutrients both metaphorically and literally creates the ability to boosts their creative juices. Fueling everyone’s bodies with food that is healthy and delicious ultimately helps to fuel their minds; this is something that has been backed up scientifically many times over. Brain power during these events can make all the difference. 3. FOOD TO BRAND EVENT No matter what type of event you’re hosting, whether it be a meeting, a conference, or anything in between, food can help brand any event. This leaves a lasting impression and makes you stand out, better enabling others to hear your suggestions or consider your company. 4. BE AWARE OF CHANGING CONSUMER TRENDS People are becoming increasingly curious and concerned about where their food comes from. As travellers start to focus more on health, they’re turning towards local, homegrown food options. Here are some things to remember: - RESPECT YOUR CUTOMER Make your guest feel important and do it sincerely. They deserve your attention, be polite and friendly. - BE HONEST No one likes their trust to be taken for granted so don’t overcommit or break promises. Customers usually prefer honesty. - TAKE RESPONSIBILITY If something goes wrong, own it. Even if you don’t see an issue but a customer does, you need to take responsibility for the situation and do everything you can to resolve their issue, rather than taking the attitude of “it’s their problem”. FOOD SAFETY Unfortunately, not all people can eat what they want. Various health issues can limit the portions of people. Besides that, there are numerous foods which can cause allergic reactions. Take that into account when planning for your social event. You should satisfy every visitor, so be sure to offer different types of foods and beverages at the event. An important tidbit of advice is to provide healthy and safe food and drinks. If you achieve a harmony between food and activities, your event will score a huge success. Chapter 3 MEETINGS PURPOSES, GOALS & OBJECTIVES CORPORATE MEETINGS The Purposes of Holding Meetings are: - To reach a common decision/agreement - To solve a problem - To understand a situation, exchange ideas, and experiences - To inform, explain, present ideas - To give and get feedback on new ideas - To give training - To plan and prepare for action - To resolve differences and misunderstandings - To generate enthusiasm and seek cooperation - To review past performance and evaluate it - To create a feeling of continuity and solidarity in a body’s working  Corporate meetings tell where the company is and where is it heading. They are communication drivers behind organization’s success. Successful corporate meetings are productive, creative, well-focused, timely, and well-led. Additional objectives for corporate meetings may include the need to: - Announce new initiatives - Create discussion opportunities - Build teams - Share knowledge - Increase efficiency STEPS IN PLANNING A CORPORATE MEETING IN A HOTEL 1. SET UP YOUR MEETING GOALS & AGENDA Before choosing and reserving a venue for your corporate meeting, it is important to have the whole program planned out. Your agenda must contain the goals and objectives of the meeting to identify its purpose, the date and time of the event, transportation plan, and a list of people attending people.  A regular business or project meeting may have a less structured format, but all are likely to be of the form: Setting an achievable agenda goes a long way toward having a successful meeting. I. Welcome and introduction II. Recap of the minutes of the last meeting III. Any matters arising from the last meeting IV. Today’s meeting proceedings: - item one - item two - and so on… V. Any other business VI. Conclusion VII. Setting the date for the next meeting VIII. Closing 2. VENUE RESERVATION After the meeting has been scheduled, the next important step is to search for the right hotel/venue to host the meeting. There are several considerations that need to be taken into account in booking a hotel/venue. These factors include: - Availability and location - Cost - Venue size and access to facilities Hotel reservations can be made through emails, calls, or even a contact page on the website of the hotel itself. 3. SEND INVITATIONS TO ALL EMPLOYEES After the location and schedule of the venue has been identified, the next move is to invite all the participants who must be present on the day of the meeting. Invitations can now be done electronically, which is more effective, as you can monitor individuals who would or would not attend with only a few clicks immediately. This will also help you adapt appropriately, as you may need to accommodate less or more people in the meeting venue if needed. It is also important to send invitations at least two weeks before the event in order to make sure that everyone would be able to adjust their schedules accordingly and attend the meeting. 4. PREPARE EARLY DURING THE MEETING DAY ITSELF It is best to prepare all important arrangements in advance by the time the meeting day happens, and that means arriving ahead of the attendees at the venue. This will help to iron out important concerns and scope out issues that could affect the schedule of the meeting. It is also best to test the equipment, as the flow of a meeting will be greatly disrupted should there be technical difficulties. Checking out the number of chairs and tables present is also important, as you would need to accommodate everyone, and prevent the trouble of having to add or remove furniture in the middle of the meeting. TYPES OF CORPORATE MEETINGS 1. BOARD MEETINGS – meetings of the board of directors of a corporation usually held annually. This typically held to discuss company-wide policies or concerns at certain times of the year. The overall strategic plan of the corporation is decided by the board of directors, and the directors are either chosen by shareholders or by members of the organization. This kind of meetings are important because they are a way for the people in charge to identify and address the company’s path. Typically, BOARD MEETINGS have five objectives: - To agree a strategy and assess its effectiveness. - To make sure that company operations are in line with strategy. - To monitor financial performance against the budget. - To make sure procedural and compliance issues are properly dealt with. - To use non-executive directors as sounding boards for new ideas. 2. MANAGEMENT MEETINGS – the managers from different regions of a corporation meet when necessary to make decisions for the corporation. This is the opportunity to buy time for non-performance and times where each management member juggles by speaking through their noses and side mouths to reinforce their grip on the company jugular. Management meetings are opportunities for the management team to brainstorm on key issues relating to the business and arrive at concrete solutions. 3. SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS – investors who own a share in a company meet quarterly. Shareholders meeting means a meeting of the stockholders of the corporation wherein resolution are placed before the shareholders to discuss about the corporate matters and other matters required by the bylaws of the company and may be conducted at frequent intervals. 4. MEETINGS WITH PARTNERS, SUPPLIERS, AND CLIENTS – a gathering to discuss business deals, usually held with little prior notice. The meeting with suppliers is an opportunity to exchange information and ask questions about your procedures for contracting and contract management. The event aims at strengthening the engagement with suppliers, so that they are involved with the management and sustainability practices which are in your hires and acquisitions. 5. STRATEGIC PLANNING – managers meeting with employees to discuss the future of the company. Strategic planning is an activity of executive management that is used to set targets, concentrate attention and money, improve programs, ensure that personnel and other partners collaborate for shared goals, agree on expected result/s, and review and change the course of the organization in response to a changing climate. THE IMPORTANCE OF MEETING AND CONFERENCE ROOMS IN HOTELS The best Hotels and Resorts have taken steps to accommodate the needs of businesses and corporate travelers. They provide such guests with important amenities such as: 1. A well-equipped business center 2. State of the art meeting rooms 3. Spacious conference halls for larger events 4. Banquet halls for official parties  Chapter 4 INCENTIVE TRAVELS INCENTIVES These are travel rewards a company may provide in return for excellent professional performance from individual employees, groups or partners. It is a management tool for sales managers, suppliers, vendors, manufacturing personnel, support staff, and, in some cases, consumers, to be rewarded and motivated. A few days in a resort, hotel, or popular hospitality venue at your company’s expense does wonders for employee loyalty. HOW DO INCENTIVE TRAVEL PROGRAMS WORK? Incentive travel has been used by high- performing companies as an efficient management tool for decades, but the policy remains widely overlooked and there is not much diversity in how it is applied. Although there is no single standard for the implementation of incentive travel programs, the general concept includes workers fulfilling a pre-defined goal of applying for a group trip. DURATION The vacation usually lasts from 3 to 7 days and combines team-building events, opportunities for professional networking and free personal time to enjoy the destination. EXPENSES The company funds the majority, if not all, of the expenses. The getaway may be offered to all employees, specific departments, channel partners, or VIP clients. Some incentive trips include the employees only while others extend invitations to spouses or children. An in-house or outsourced corporate event planner is responsible for planning the logistics. FACTORS BEHIND INCENTIVE TRAVEL DECISIONS 1. BUYING POWER – strength of the exchange rate in the countries being considered as the destination for the trip. 2. INCENTIVE BUDGET ECONOMY – how strong is the economy in the country in which the sponsoring group is headquartered? 3. POLITICAL CLIMATE – travel alert for destinations with political turmoil. 4. SAFETY & SECURITY – terrorist alert levels after the 911 incident. 5. UNIQUENESS OF EXPERIENCE – takes into consideration whether these participants have experienced this type of trip before. 6. VALUE – how do facilities and services compare with other choices of destination. WHAT IS THE GOAL OF INCENTIVE TRAVEL PROGRAMS? Incentive travel, including hosted lunches, incentive points, and cash incentives, is a benefit that businesses use to improve employee buy-in, motivation, and productivity. The theory is that when employees are highly motivated to increase certain activities, they are more likely to put in the extra effort to hit the targets that drive the company toward larger profits. Incentive travel programs are commonly used to help sales teams become more successful, but nearly any industry, organization, or department can leverage this strategy to address productivity gaps or tackle big action items. TYPES OF INCENTIVE PROGRAMS 1. SALES INCENTIVES Incentives are a very effective tool for sales to be motivated. An incentive package could be directed at the employees of a corporation, i.e. the sales team or its distributors/re-sellers. 2. REWARDS & RECOGNITIONS Group travel may also be used as part of a reward and appreciation program for workers. Although incentive programs are targeted at encouraging or shaping someone’s efforts, rewards and appreciation programs are designed to enhance those behaviors. 3. EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION Group travel is also used for the motivation of employees; to involve people, improve behaviors, create morale, and incorporate new values. This also promotes teamwork and launch new goods. In this case, a group travel package should be established to encourage workers by an itinerary of experiential events enjoyed as a team by the group. 4. CUSTOMER LOYALTY Another variation of an incentive program is when group travel is used to reward customer loyalty and repeat business. PHASES OF INCENTIVE TRAVELS 1. DESIGN & LAUNCH: as soon as the details and qualifications are set, the company introduces it to the team. 2. QUALIFICATION: team members work hard to achieve the goals that will qualify them for the trip. Ongoing buzz creation and progress tracking keep the excitement level high. At the end of the qualification period, the company announces the winners. 3. PREPARATION: once travel arrangements are set, the team starts to get excited. Confidence increases and winners start to perform at even higher levels. 4. THE EXPERIENCE: the destination and planned activities will surprise the travelers and encourage bonding. 5. POST-TRIP: the travelers come back and tell their coworkers all about their amazing trip. They continue to perform at a high level, inspired by their experience. Those who didn’t go are motivated by the idea of joining in the next travel.