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Rs. 100
Toronto
Calling
Volume VI Issue 5 May 2015 60 pages
A DDP Publication
Think
Meetings
Think
Scotland
Breaking
Bread
Top Food Trends
for Meetings
How to
Connect in the
Digital
Space?
editorial
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
SanJeet
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Deepa Sethi
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Deepa Sethi
Dear Reader,
DESK HEAD-MAGAZINE
A significant amount of money is being spent on exhibitions
and travel marts, which is well spent as long as the company
goes prepared with an agenda and prefixed appointments
for business meetings and with enough information about
their own products. MICEtalk brings to you excerpts of our
conversation with some experts who organise these events and
those organising the groups to attend the events.
Pooja Sharma
DESIGN
Ruchi Sinha
PHOTOGRAPHER
The hotel industry is also becoming progressively
more dependent on the MICE segment… it promotes
the experience of a hotel by word of mouth, bringing
in more business, leisure or otherwise, say our
hospitality professionals.
Simran Kaur
ADVERTISING
Gunjan Sabikhi
Karishma Khanna
Manoj Barthwal
Udit Pandey
Bharat Chawla
Scotland, known for its beauty and stretches of purple
moorland and glens is fast growing into one of the most
popular MICE destinations. Read about MICE venues, things to
do, interesting facts that you may not have known about and
visa procedures.
Toronto as a city, despite its distance from India, has grown in
popularity for MICE events. With Prime Minister Modi’s recent
visit to Canada and direct Air Canada flights starting from Delhi
to Toronto, it is bound to attract more and more business and
incentive groups.
ADVERTISEMENT DESIGNER
From our panel of experts: Darren Edwards tells us about how
to increase traffic on your mobile app. Carolyn Child explains
the importance of online information for travel purchase.
Shabnam Mehra, while answering life questions from our
readers, tells us about the right balance between being health
conscious and disease cautious. Shital Kakkar Mehra gives us
tips about what to say if you bump into your boss in an elevator
(has that ever happened to you?)
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Vikas Mandotia
Nitin Kumar
Anil Kharbanda
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Ashok Rana
MUMBAI: ADVERTISING
Harshal Ashar
Priyanshu Wankhade
Enjoy reading!
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4
MICEtalk May 2015
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contents
MAY 2015
26
08
highlights...
08 Facts
Facts and news from the world
of MICE
14 COVER STORY
18
Importance of Travel Marts
Industry experts tell us about the
significance of travel exhibitions
and marts in MICE business
18 Country Talk
Think Meetings, think Scotland
26 City Talk
Toronto Calling
6
MICEtalk May 2015
Over
Please send in your suggestions and
feedback to micetalk@ddppl.com
600,000 Î
You can also read MICEtalk online on
Readers
www.micetalk.com
34
38
40
42
32 Debate
MICE the Cornerstone of
Hospitality Business?
36 Aviation
Uber luxurious yachts, charter planes and
choppers for the MICE segment
44 Guest Column
Carolyn Child, Co-founder, MyTravelResearch.
com explains the significance of relevant
digital assets for Indian businesses
46 Venue Talk
Conventions in Borneo Rainforest
Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching is the
largest green ultra modern and dedicated
centre with 5-star services
52
Regular
40 Technology
Darren Edwards tells us
how to increase traffic
on event App usage
50 Expert Talk
Shabnam Mehra advises
on striking the right
balance between a
healthy mind and a
healthy body
52 Etiquette Talk
Shital Kakkar gives tips
on a compelling elevator
pitch
48 Sample This
Top Food Trends for Meetings
Cover Photo:
Toronto City Hall
MICEtalk May 2015
7
facts
FACTS
Mid-air emergencies:
Emirates invests in
equipment, trains staff
„ Emirates has invested more than $6 million on equipment and
hours in the training of crew for first-aid and emergency medical
care to make the travellers feel safe on board. The cabin crew
went through a comprehensive initial training programme which
is required by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, as well
as additional specific training for the use of on board medical
equipment, basic life support, medical conditions including asthma,
heart disorders, seizures and allergic reactions, trauma-related topics
and even emergency childbirth, amongst others.
Hotels.com reveals
Singapore & Thailand
among most popular
summer destinations
„ Hotels.com, the online
accommodation booking website
has compiled a list of top searched
destinations for summer travel.
Additionally, it compares search
results from last year vis-a-vis 2015.
It observed that a strong growth for
outbound travel this summer, with
a YoY two-digit growth on searches
for the top 10 outbound destinations
on Hotels.com. Singapore, Thailand
and UAE are the most popular
summer destinations while the
demand for Thailand is greater
than others; occupying three of the
top 10 positions post the unstable
political situation in 2014. Given
below is a table that lists top
preferred destinations for
summer travel.
Top 10 searched destinations for Summer
Holiday (March-June) as of March 16
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
2015
Dubai
Singapore
Bangkok
Hong Kong
Paris
Pattaya
London
New York
Las Vegas
Phuket
2014
Dubai
Singapore
Bangkok
Hong Kong
New York
London
Pattaya
Paris
Kuala Lumpur
Las Vegas
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre security
detail gets ‘Certificate of Appreciation’
„ Eight Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) Security team members have been
recognised for their efforts to make the Centre and Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)
precinct a safer place for the public with the receipt of a ‘Certificate of Appreciation’. For the
Centre’s Security & Liaison Manager, Hazali Zakaria, the honour was on top of his success in
an International Association for CounterTerrorism and Security Professionals (IACSP) course,
making him the venue’s first Certified Counter Terrorism Practitioner (CCTP).
8
MICEtalk May 2015
facts
IT&CM China sees 13,000 business appointments
„ The ninth IT&CM China concluded with a new record of over 13,000 business appointments conducted in two
days. Participating exhibitors acknowledged the buzz and interest that the show accomplished by delivering close to
500 quality buyers across MICE, association and corporate profiles. Buyers and exhibitors highlighted their business
achievements. First-time corporate exhibitor Wyndham Hotel Group shared that they had achieved their sales and
marketing objectives through the show. Taiwan’s IDA Executive Committee (IDA Annual Meeting)’s Chief Executive
Ethan Wang expressed that the structured appointment scheduling system at IT&CM China was effective in allowing
him to quickly connect with potential suppliers to create business opportunities.
Dublin Airport
revamps brand
„ Irish Airport operator DAA announced
the revised branding for Dublin Airport to
differentiate it from its parent organisation that
also manages Cork Airport in the Republic of
Ireland. The new identity revealed the modernised
characteristics of the airport and introduced
a revised corporate logo as well as innovative
technology to boost the passenger experience.
The airport is set to welcome six new airlines and
23 new destinations this year and has already
seen a whopping increase of 6,70,000 passengers
fly in and out of the airport during the first
quarter of the year. As the airport celebrates its
75th anniversary it has also boosted transatlantic
capacity to North America to 328 flights per
week by 10 airlines serving 11 destinations in
the US and four in Canada. To make the transfer
experience even easier, Dublin Airport offers
passengers free unlimited WiFi connectivity and
a free DUB HUB mobile service powered by
Google, to guide passengers seamlessly to their
boarding gate.
MICEtalk May 2015
9
facts
FACTS
Greener
Meetings in Asia
Pacific with
Hilton Worldwide
„ Hilton Worldwide announced
Vkonect MICE
New Delhi, July 10 & 11, 2015
„ In India, with a population of almost 19 million travelling
overseas, identifying the MICE travellers and players is an uphill
task. Vkonect MICE provides an impeccable platform for corporate
houses, significant MICE players and suppliers to conduct serious
meetings for mutual benefits. The MICE event scheduled to be held
in the buzzing capital city of New Delhi on July 10th & 11th 2015
invites your participation!
that it will reduce the
environmental impact of meetings
and events held at its more than 90
hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific
through an expanded carbon
emissions solution, the Clean Air
Programme. Starting on May 1,
meeting planners and delegates
can play their part in reducing
carbon emissions and deliver
more sustainable experiences to
their customers. When customers
choose any of Hilton’s participating
hotels as meeting or social event
venues, the Clean Air Programme
will provide a calculation of the
carbon emissions of the event at
no cost to the customer. Hilton
will then purchase the equivalent
carbon credits to finance
environmentally-friendly projects
across Asia Pacific in partnership
with carbon offset solutions
provider Climate Friendly. The
programme is designed to make
it easier for meeting professionals
to incorporate environmental
solutions into meetings and events.
MICE movements across the globe are serious business and in a
volatile industry, these are keenly competed for with the assistance of
tourism boards, airlines, DMC’s and hospitality partners all pitching
in for a slice of the pie! Successful MICE movements contribute
to substantial bottom lines and are excellent channels of publicity
for the handling organisers, destinations, venues and hotels. Very
frequently, it is word of mouth publicity asides of keen networking
that gets you significant MICE accounts.
Marriott International Asia Pacific unveils 2 new MICE services
„ Marriott International Asia Pacific announced the unveiling of Meetings Imagined
(MeetingsImagined.com) and its Meeting Services App to the region’s events planners
and organisers. The two digital innovations are the first-of-their-kind in the industry
and are intended to assist the planner, from inspiration through execution. Modelled
on the user-friendly Pinterest.com, Meetings Imagined is an online platform that will
provide expert tips on everything related to meetings, including networking activities,
maximising social media exposure and how to create the right meeting environment.
The Meeting Services App will provide real-time connectivity to Marriott for meeting
planners and features a wide range of functions.
10
MICEtalk May 2015
facts
Travel by luxury limousine from office straight to flight gate
„ Fraport’s new Gate Express Service at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) lets business travellers save valuable time – with an exclusive
transfer service taking them from their office straight to the airport’s departure gates. Business travellers are driven in a chauffeured
luxury limousine to FRA by the shortest possible route. Upon arrival at the terminal, business passengers are welcomed by a
service employee who escorts them through a separate security checkpoint and, if necessary, through passport control. Next, the
passenger is taken to a Jaguar F-Type limousine to be driven in style across the airport apron to his terminal departure gate. This
service is also available in the reverse direction for arriving passengers and is known as the Office Express Service.
Wellness
travellers spend
159% more
than domestic
travellers
10 Korean exhibitors take part in
KTO’s road show in Mumbai
„ Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) organised its annual incentive road
show on April 9 for MICE travel at the Trident Nariman Point Hotel in
Mumbai. The event was attended by more than 250 top MICE travel agents
and event planners.
The road show began with a half day travel mart where 10 Korean
exhibitors showcased their new products and offerings for the Indian
audience. The exhibitors included two regional tourism boards namely
Busan Tourism Organisation (BTO) and Jeju Convention & Visitors Bureau
(JCVB). The travel mart served as a platform where more than 100 travel
agencies met all the suppliers and received new product information and
Korea’s MICE offerings from the tourism boards.
„ New data from the Global Wellness
Institute’s “Global Spa & Wellness
Economy” report revealed that
international wellness travellers spend
an average of $1,639 per trip—or 59
per cent more than the average tourist.
And domestic wellness travellers spend
$688 per trip, which is a whopping 159
per cent more than the typical domestic
tourist. The research makes a key
distinction between “primary” wellness
tourists, where wellness activities
are the primary motivation for the
destination, and the “secondary” variety,
or those who seek wellness experiences
as part of a trip.
MICEtalk May 2015
11
facts
FACTS
CIMGlobal
takes over shares
in CIMGlobal
Europe
Atlantis, The Palm offers
special MICE packages
„ CIMGlobal, which provides
meeting management services,
has taken over all shares in
their European counterpart
CIM Europe BV. With this the
management team will step
down from their positions.
This decision has been made
based on strengthening current
operations and opening the
path to further expansion for
the company moving forward.
Chairman of CIMGlobal,
Prasant Saha confirmed that the
recent developments will not
cause any change of the teams
and their clients will be served
to the highest standards. In the
new structure, Jarno de Boer
will continue in an external
advisory role.
„ Atlantis, The Palm plays host to some of the largest conferences,
high-profile business meetings and fantastic events. To invite more
MICE groups, the hotel is offering irresistible MICE rates. Among
the special offers for MICE groups are: Dedicated counter for swift
check-ins; Complimentary WiFi in guest rooms and conference
centres; Complimentary basic Audio Visual equipment for venues
upto 150 guests; A special site inspection hosted for two people;
one complimentary room upgrade to a lavish Terrace Suite; One
complimentary room on booking of 40 rooms.
KLM organises Corporate Golf
Tournament 2015
„ Over 100 avid golfers contributed to the success of the Corporate Golf
Tournament 2015 held at the Golden Greens Golf Course, Gurgaon. The event was
organised by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Played in a double Peoria format, the game
concluded with a delectable lunch organised by the event’s hospitality partner The
Leela Ambience, Gurgaon. As part of KLM’s CSR initiative, an auction was held
for two economy class return tickets to Amsterdam and the amount generated was
donated to the NGO Smile Foundation for care and education of the girl child.
12
MICEtalk May 2015
cover story
Travel Marts for
MICE Business
MICE tourism offers unique opportunities for business development
through exhibitions and marts, be it an informal conversation with
prospective investors or introduction to new technologies. The conventions
and exhibitions industry has emerged as an important sector not only
within business travel but for the whole tourism industry.
Kim Waddoup
CEO, aiGroup
Organiser, Annual Moscow International
MICE Forum
In an important and highly technical business
such as MICE, personal contact is essential. Whilst
the initial contact can be made by email, faceto-face meetings cement a business relationship
for a long time. Most clients remain loyal to the
person that they have personally met. A MICE
event is an extraordinarily complex arrangement
and the supplier accepts a great responsibility to
ensure that all components run smoothly and upto
the expectations of the clients. At the Moscow
International MICE Forum, many participants
return year after year with the main aim of
meeting their partners, to gain recommendations
from existing clients and the possibility of meeting
new potential partners. As prices increase,
management is forced to look all costs, however if
the returns highly exceed the costs for travel and
participation, exhibitions enabling face-to-face
meetings will continue to thrive.
14
MICEtalk May 2015
Sallie Coventry
Portfolio Director
IBTM Events
The primary objective of all IBTM events is to
create a platform where MICE industry professionals
can connect and benefit from direct access to business,
education and networking opportunities. Each event
is tailored to cater to both the MICE industry and
markets they serve globally and regionally, ensuring
that they provide maximum ROI for every participant.
IBTM Events’ Hosted Buyer Programme guarantees
the attendance of key
decision makers from
all areas of the industry,
enabling suppliers and
buyers to connect face to
face and discuss current
and future business. At
IBTM events, suppliers
develop new international
business leads, promote
their companies and
increase their networks
with top level buyers. And
meeting planners discover
new international
suppliers, build networks and become inspired to
deliver outstanding meetings and events that grow
businesses. As part of Reed Exhibitions we are the
world’s leading travel and tourism events organiser
with 21 events in 14 countries, connecting global and
regional industries for business. Our shows not only
create a meeting place for all of the key players within
the industry, but they also deliver a platform for them
to showcase the very best of their products and brands
to senior level buyers across the globe. Last year
IBTM events connected 5,000 suppliers from over 100
countries, with 19,000 meetings and events planners.
The portfolio is a catalyst for over 120,000 face to face
meetings, which are pre-scheduled between exhibitors
and hosted buyers.
cover story
did you know?
Sanjar Imam
X World Travel Market (WTM) is a UK event for the global
Founder Director
Panache - Essel Leisure Services,
Bangalore
travel industry where almost 46,000 senior travel industry
professionals, government ministers and representatives of
the international media, converge on ExCeL London each
year in November to attend the event.
X Over the last 29 years WTM has held 10,950
conference sessions.
X A delegate visiting WTM for the four full days can
expect to walk more than 100,000 steps.
X WTM has the largest reoccurring Press Centre in the UK;
Beaten only by the largest one-off press centre in the UK,
which was the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002.
X In 2012, WTM won the AEO (Association of Event
Organisers) Excellence Awards “Best Use of Social
Media” award.
Hena Ahmad
Director
mPower Connexions, Delhi
The word ‘travel’ immediately evokes the image of
a ‘destination’ and the ‘purpose’ that moves you out of
your comfort zone into a different environment. From
being a lone traveller, people have now embraced the
idea of ‘collective travel’ for a common mission. Often
they seek and rely on support of a well-organised and
professionally managed agenda
pivoting around their market
interest and facilitating an
environment conducive for
their businesses. Besides the
exciting array of exotic leisure
destinations and imposing
hospitality line-ups on display,
travel exhibitions and marts
have evolved as gateways
for the untapped market
opportunities. They play a
significant role in attracting
and bringing in large groups
of business travellers seeking
geographical, socio-cultural
awareness and practicing business ethics. From being
just a display platform for logistic planners, travel expos
are now actively partnering with their clients to assist
and advance their agenda through relevant business
meetings and interactions. They are also prolific
forums which attract informed industry experts for an
interactive and thought-provoking discussion on trends
and challenges. In fact, travel expos have now become
integral to MICE objectives as they are catalysing
structured growth and development of the unorganised
tourism industry in India.
The travel trade that thrives on
relationships is increasingly aware of the
importance of personal communication and
knows that no other technique can overcome
its effect. Travel shows offer an opportunity
to multiple existing and potential partners
to connect under one roof, one shot. This
organised opportunity is mostly focussed on
sharing information and experiences, one-onone, with specific target groups or between
like-minded
buyers and sellers.
It is a chance to
make an existing
or potential
client engage
in a personal
encounter, letting
them experience
the brand and
encouraging
emotional appeals.
Many companies
worldwide have
understood the
power of such
trade shows and are therefore diminishing
their expenses on advertising and general
PR and instead focus more on this personal
communication strategy. It is thus not surprising
that the past decade has seen the emergence
of ‘customised’ travel shows that cater to select
buyers and sellers, specialising in a distinct
niche. There are travel shows today that, for
instance, IMEX in Frankfurt conclaves only
the MICE Experts and Limited Edition Miami
reflects the shift in luxury and defines the
evolution in contemporary travel by uniting
rebellious brands with the creative class. As we
go forward, the next few years will see travel
shows flourish and get further curated.
MICEtalk May 2015
15
study this
Business Travel Powers
16.5%
of Travel & Tourism
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), a global authority
on the economic and social contribution of Travel and Tourism, has released
the report Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2015 – India. According to the
research by WTTC the Travel & Tourism industry in India will grow by 7.5% in
2015, fuelled by visa reforms. We bring you the highlights from this report.
India
Contribution of Travel &
Tourism to GDP
Travel & Tourism's Contribution to GDP:
Business vs Leisure, 2014
Business spending
16.5%
The total contribution of Travel & Tourism
to GDP was `7,642.5 bn in 2014 (6.7% of
GDP) and is expected to grow by 7.5% to
`8,218 bn (6.8% of GDP) in 2015.
% of whole economy GDP
8.0
7.0
6.0
Leisure spending
83.5%
5.0
4.0
Business Travel Vs
Leisure Travel Spending
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
2014
Direct
16
MICEtalk May 2015
2015
Indirect
Induced
2025
Leisure travel spending (inbound and domestic)
generated 83.5% of direct travel & tourism GDP in 2014
(`5,502.3 bn) compared with 16.5% for business travel
spending (`1,085.1 bn).
Leisure travel spending is expected to grow by 6.5% in
2015 to `5,859.3 bn, and rise by 7.1% pa to `11,623.6
bn in 2025.
Business travel spending is expected to grow by 7.4% in
2015 to `1,165.8 bn, and rise by 6.6% pa to `2,202.2 bn
in 2025.
study this
% of whole economy employment
10.0
Money Spent by
Foreign Visitors
9.0
8.0
7.0
Money spent by foreign visitors to a country (or
visitor exports) is a key component of the direct
contribution of Travel & Tourism. In 2014, India
generated `1,224.4 bn in visitor exports.
In 2015, this is expected to grow by 5.2%, and
the country is expected to attract 7,757,000
international tourist arrivals. By 2025,
international tourist arrivals are forecast to
total 15,291,000, generating expenditure of
`2,377.2 bn, an increase of 6.3% pa.
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
2014
Direct
2015
Indirect
2025
Induced
Foreign visitor exports as % of total exports
6.0
Contribution of Travel &
Tourism to Employment
5.0
4.0
The total contribution of Travel & Tourism to
employment was 36,695,500 jobs in 2014
(8.7% of total employment). This is
forecast to rise by 1.8% in 2015 to 37,365,000 jobs
(8.7% of total employment).
3.0
2.0
1.0
By 2025, Travel & Tourism is forecast to support
45,566,000 jobs (9% of total employment), an
increase of 2% pa over the period.
2025
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
0.0
Estimates & Forecasts
2014
2014
1
2025
2
US$mn1
India
Direct contribution to GDP
40,602.0
2.2
7.6
87,474.5
2.5
7.2
125,211.0
6.7
7.5
271,758.0
7.6
7.3
23,024.1
5.5
1.9
29,019.7
5.7
2.2
36,695.4
8.7
1.8
45,566.0
9.0
2.0
Visitor exports
20,060.1
4.2
5.2
38,946.6
4.2
6.3
Domestic spending
87,864.2
4.7
7.0
187,571.0
5.3
7.2
Leisure spending
90,146.5
1.8
6.5
190,437.0
2.1
7.1
Business spending
17,777.7
0.4
7.4
36,080.6
0.4
6.6
Capital investment
34,523.2
6.2
9.3
71,067.9
6.9
6.5
Total contribution to GDP
Direct contribution to employment
Total contribution to employment
4
4
% of total
2015
US$mn
Growth
% of total
Growth
3
1
2014 constant prices & exchange rates; 2 2015 real growth adjusted for inflation (%); 32015-2025 annualised real
growth adjusted for inflation (%); 4’000 jobs
MICEtalk May 2015
17
country talk
Meetings,
Scotland
Photo: Wilderness Scotland
Think
Think
18
MICEtalk May 2015
Famous for its scenic beauty, vibrant culture and stunning
heritage, Scotland offers an immense and diverse range of venues
and accommodation, making the most of a lucrative meetings
and incentive market. From cutting-edge convention centres,
state-of-the-art venues to wonderful hospitality, Scotland has an
amazing array of venues to suit any business event.
Vaishali Dar
country talk
S
cotland offers the perfect setting for
exhibitions, presentations and business
events. These raise awareness of the
destination and possibilities for MICE events be
it conferences or incentives.
Given that the primary means to develop MICE
business from India is through face to face
meetings and presentations at international trade
exhibitions such as IMEX and IBTM, Scotland
becomes the ideal country for MICE from India.
Special incentives
for large groups
VisitScotland manages a conference bid fund for
international, not-for-profit conferences.
The key objectives and uses for the bid fund are:
¢ To attract high yield, high spend international
conferences linked to Scotland’s areas of
expertise in industry, commerce or science
and medicine
¢ To enable Scotland’s cities and destinations
to be competitive within the international
conference market
¢ To attract additional international conferences
that may not be attracted without subvention
Convention facilities
The Scottish landscape is dotted with impressive
castles and stately homes, preserving a colourful
history. From a small board meeting of 10 to a
larger conference of 500, Scotland has a range of
hotels with conferencing and meeting facilities
to suit clients’ needs, from boutique hotels
perfect for incentive groups to resort hotels with
world-class golf and spa facilities. The country’s
Scotland’s business tourism
industry is worth more than
£1.9 billion according to the UK
Economic Impact Study (UKEIS),
commissioned by the Meeting
Professionals International (MPI)
Foundation.
compact geography and the positioning of its
great cities in close vicinity of its great landscapes
makes it perfect for those who wish to combine
work with pleasure. Delegates can unwind with
a whole range of activities, from wildlife safaris
to whitewater rafting and, of course, golf courses
galore, are just some of the things on offer.
Lindsay Brown
Marketing Manager
Emerging Markets & Special Projects
Business Events
VisitScotland
Edinburgh International Conference Centre:
Situated in the heart of Scotland’s elegant and
historic capital city, the EICC is one of the world’s
outstanding venues for conferences, conventions
and exhibitions. Its outstanding facilities include
the spectacular 1200 raked-seating Pentland
Suite which offers event organisers the utmost
star outlet
Andy Murray, Scottish sporting icon and
Wimbledon champion, has purchased and
revamped the Cromlix House Hotel, near
his home town of Dunblane.
Complete with meeting rooms and tennis
courts, the hotel boasts a Chez Roux
restaurant and is bound to be a hit with
business and leisure visitors alike.
Aberdeen Exhibition and Convention Centre
MICEtalk May 2015
19
country talk
Scottish Exhibition
and Conference
Centre Bell’s Bridge
flexibility, transforming into three separate
auditoria at the touch-of-a-button.
A further four flexible suites subdivide to
create 11 fully self-contained meeting areas,
ideal for breakout sessions, organisers’ offices
or catering. And the stunning Cromdale Hall
offers banqueting for 850 people or 1185 sqm of
exhibition space. The purpose-built centre offers
the very best in facilities and technology; and an
experienced, enthusiastic team helps to ensure a
successful event.
The centre has a huge team of specialists with
excellent industry knowledge to ensure a successful
event. With world-class facilities and services,
the centre offers ‘Plan-it green’, a sustainable
events programme, that implements earthfriendly practices by sourcing and purchasing
environmentally sensitive products and services
locally, whenever possible. Purchasing organic
fresh and sustainable foods locally grown, apply
eco-friendly practices in their daily operations,
energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling
systems, as well as water-saving devices.
did you know?
X Scotland was home to nearly 3,000 castles at one point. This figure
now stands at around 600.
X Scotland is the ‘Home of Golf’. The game has flourished in the
country for six centuries. There are over 500 golf courses in
Scotland – more per head of population than anywhere else on
the globe.
X Many of the world’s greatest innovations can be traced back to
Scotland or Scots including television, telephone, world’s first
cloned mammal, criminal fingerprinting, pneumatic tyre, flushing
toilets, penicillin and whisky amongst many others.
20
MICEtalk May 2015
Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre:
Located in the district of Finnieston on the
north bank of the River Clyde, Glasgow, SECC is
Scotland’s largest exhibition centre with 22,355
sqm of flexible space, in five halls, ranging in size
from 775 sqm to 10,065 sqm, all at ground level.
The 3,000-seat, Clyde Auditorium is not only
superbly equipped, purpose-built conference
centre, it has become an icon of Glasgow and a
symbol of the regeneration of the river Clyde.
Two purpose built auditoria and an additional 31
meeting rooms, equipped with technical facilities
of the highest standard.
SECC is Scotland’s premier national venue
for public events and conferences. The Centre
provides a wide range of conference and
exhibition facilities along with a 4-star hotel. The
SECC is the perfect location for any concert or
event; the flexible design of the halls, the range of
sizes, seating layouts that can be created, means
that the space can be enlarged or reduced to suit.
Aberdeen Exhibition & Conference Centre:
Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre is
one of the foremost conference, event and concert
venues in Scotland. With an arena which can
hold up to 8,500 people and a range of bespoke
packages available to help with arrangements,
providing the right technical equipment and
catering, the AECC’s in-house team provides
planning, implementation and administrative
support. Whether it is for two people, 2,000
or more, the centre offers AV/IT, catering,
event management and exhibition teams inhouse with a variety on taste and budget. The
region offers every possible kind of dining
experience – from traditional cafés to luxury
restaurant establishments.
country talk
Incentive activities in Scotland: (Clockwise from top) Off road driving, Gleneagles; Gorge walking; Tree top adventures; Rigid inflatable boat ride
Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa: Overlooking
Edinburgh Castle, the Sheraton Grand Hotel
& Spa forms part of a unique gathering place,
together with the vibrant One Square and awardwinning One Spa. Many guests enjoy their own
Grand Memories here and it’s easy to see why.
Travellers can take
part in falconry
activities to experience
the thrill of handling
and interacting with
birds of prey.
All guest rooms feature opaque glass-walled
bathrooms and media hubs, with many enjoying
views of Edinburgh Castle, while the bar and
restaurant, One Square, serves a delicious range
of British classics and over 50 varieties of gin
throughout the day. And what better way to reenergise than a soothing spa treatment at One
Spa, followed by some time in the 19-metre
swimming pool. The flexible meeting and events
complex is the largest of its kind in an Edinburgh
hotel. It encompasses 1,500 sqm of meeting
space, includes 14 meeting rooms and has its
own private entrance from the hotel forecourt.
Edinburgh is an inspirational place to be and
the Sheraton Grand is perfectly placed for
exploring this fascinating capital city.
Gleneagles Resort: The Gleneagles Hotel,
just one hour’s drive from both Glasgow
and Edinburgh, is one of Scotland’s most
luxurious 5-star resorts and a member
of the leading hotels of the world.
When Gleneagles opened in 1924 it was
22
MICEtalk May 2015
described as “a Riviera in the Highlands” — today
it remains dedicated to excellence, just as it was
in its earliest days. Offering guests an unrivalled
choice of sports and leisure facilities, Gleneagles
is truly a world class resort. Three 18-hole
golf course, equestrian school, tennis, squash,
swimming, croquet, cycling, off-road driving, are
a few of the activities offered in the resort. The
activities
 This summer Scotland will host the
Meetings & Incentive Forum Europe at
Edinburgh.
 From June 29 to July 3, over 500 meeting
and incentive buyers and suppliers from
across Europe will convene in the Scottish
capital city for two days of business
networking opportunities.
 In addition to intensive workshop
appointments at the Edinburgh
International Conference Centre,
delegates will have the opportunity to mix
through a series of networking activities
and events to discover first hand locations
in and around Edinburgh. Following the
event buyers will also have the chance
to explore the rest of Scotland on a
familiarisation trip.
country talk
spa at Gleneagles by ESPA is a sanctuary within
the hotel. Spacious, calming areas allow you to
relax before and after treatments.
Arrive early and prepare your skin by exploring the
temperature sensations in the heat experiences
area. Sink down into the striking vitality pool,
sit back in the sauna and steam rooms and then
relax by the tranquil pond in the courtyard
garden. With 20 treatment rooms and so many
ESPA treatments to choose from, not forgetting
the delicious range of superfood bento boxes and
fresh fruit smoothies from Deseo at The Spa, it is
easy to be pampered all day.
Trump Turnberry: An iconic landmark on the
spectacular Ayrshire coastline, Turnberry is the
world’s original golf resort with over a century of
hospitality and tradition. It is a place that presents
championship golf, award winning cuisine, family
adventures and a relaxing spa. With a sparkling
selection of accommodation, including family
rooms and exceptional suites — overlooking the
famous links golf courses and the sea beyond,
discover the perfect blend of Scottish hospitality
and timeless design of deluxe ocean view rooms.
Fairmont St Andrews: Fairmont St Andrews
is one of Scotland’s largest hotel conference
venues, offering an array of space and flexibility
for all meetings and incentives. Their dedicated
event planners organise events like product
launches, meetings, conferences, gala dinners
and incentive getaways. The resort conference
centre is one of the largest in Scotland with over
1393 sqm of diverse, state of the art conference
space, able to accommodate from 12 to 600
delegates. The largest space measures at 574 sqm
and has direct external access.
Ten flexible meeting areas are
available all with natural daylight
and external access and the
traditional Founders Boardroom
encompasses stunning views over
the coast and St Andrews. Our 80
ft high, glass topped Atrium acts
as an excellent pre function or
main function space, ensuring a
wow factor on entry to the event.
Cityscape
Scotland has a wide selection of
purpose-built conference centres
in the key cities of Edinburgh,
Glasgow and Aberdeen with
high-tech facilities to cater for
all types of events. Scotland
draws appreciation for its hubs of
academic expertise: universities,
colleges and research facilities.
Many universities have facilities
for conferences and business events.
There is a wide array of unique venues for events
with a difference. You can hold meetings in historic
castles, science centres, whisky distilleries, tree
houses and many more! Sharing ideas and finding
new ways of doing things is what Scotland does
best. This culture of creativity makes Scotland
the nucleus of MICE activities.
A tour of Scotland is
incomplete without
listening to the music
of the iconic bagpipe,
Scotland’s national
musical instrument.
Edinburgh: The City Centre offers a
variety of dining options. One of
the beautiful restaurants, The
Dome in Edinburgh, is a
magnificent building,
Photo: David Balfour
EICC Exterior
MICEtalk May 2015
23
country talk
Glasgow: Glasgow is a city with everything to
offer. It is Scotland’s cultural capital and one of the
most dynamic cities in Europe: steeped in culture,
rich in history, with elegant streets, squares,
parks and gardens; the name Glasgow actually
means “dear green place”. What’s more, it’s one of
the UK’s finest Victorian cities with magnificent
architecture everywhere you look. Glasgow is
home to Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet. It
has one of Europe’s finest civic art collections in
galleries such as the Kelvingrove Museum and
Art Gallery and the Burrell Collection and entry
into all 27 of the city’s galleries is free.
India – An Evolving Mice Market
Over the last few years, there has been a steady
rise in the number of enquiries and visits from the
Indian MICE market. There is definitely a growing
curiosity beyond London, and Scotland is seen as
an easy bolt-on to European itineraries. There are
121 direct flight routes to the UK from India, and
a growing number of route developments direct
from Scotland to the Middle East through Doha,
Dubai and Abu Dhabi, are allowing for quicker
access. Visa improvements are also aiding in
making the destination more attractive.
Bollywood Connection
Scotland is
an adventure
playground with
several outdoor
activities for
delegates such as
country sports,
rafting, kayaking,
foraging, etc.
located in the heart of Edinburgh and which
dates back over 200 years. The site of The Dome
was originally the site of the Old Physicians Hall,
built and designed by James Craig, the celebrated
planner of Edinburgh’s New Town. At one time
a former bank, the building has been tastefully
restored to provide a stylish setting for dinners
and meetings. As guests enter through the
Corinthian Portico, they can savour the elegance,
comfort and service that the Dome offers today.
The Edinburgh Castle is one of the most famous
castles in the world. The castle stands on an
extinct volcano, which has been a fortress from
time immemorial.
a rising conference hub
Scotland attracts international association conferences covering
everything from life sciences and education to food and drink and
renewable energy. This attracts target sectors, conference centres
and hotels throughout the country.
The emerging markets too have turned focus to Scotland, with an
increasing number of enquiries from China and India in particular
for incentive trips, conferences, and corporate retreats.
24
MICEtalk May 2015
VisitScotland is launching a campaign to
encourage Bollywood film fans to come to
Scotland. Over the past two decades there have
been 23 Indian films that have used Scottish
locations. The Bollywood industry, based in the
Indian city of Mumbai, is famous for its lavish
productions and extravagant song and dance
routines. The first Bollywood films to shoot in
Scotland were screen legend Dev Anand’s Main
Solah Baras Ki and Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota
Hai in 1998. They featured Scottish landmarks
including Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Eilean Donan
Castle in the Highlands and Crossraguel Abbey
in Ayrshire.
Year of food & drink
Scotland is blessed with some of the best natural
produce in the world, as well as a rich cultural
heritage and breath-taking scenery. This year is
marked as The Year of Food and Drink Scotland
2015 campaign which is dedicated to celebrate
Scotland’s outstanding natural larder further
develop Scotland’s reputation as a land of food
and drink.
Year of Food and Drink Scotland 2015 is a
Scottish Government initiative led in partnership
by EventScotland, VisitScotland and Scotland
Food & Drink. Food and drink is an important
part of Scottish cultural identity and heritage
and is a key strength in promoting Scotland as a
holiday destination.
city talk
Royal Ontario
Museum
Toronto
Calling
The Indian outbound market is showing rapid growt
growth,
th
including large movement on the MICE front. Tourism Toronto
is keen on capitalising this boom by highlighting the facilities
that it possesses to host large groups. Read on to find out
what makes Toronto a unique city for MICE activities and what
distinguishes it from the rest.
Hazel Jain
26
MICEtalk May 2015
city talk
Metro Convention Centre
W
Toronto witnessed an excellent start by hosting
4,000 delegates of Amway India in 2014 where
every single delegate got a visa. It has also been
able to extend its hospitality to other corporate
giants such as TATA AIA, Ultra Tech Cement
and Asian PPG and is in talks with more Indian
companies for this year.
Convenient facilities
Three hotels downtown with 1,000 guest rooms
or more and meeting facilities to match also
allow for large self-contained groups to meet
in Toronto.
What makes Toronto a great destination for MICE
travellers is that it has a very capable infrastructure
with strong accommodation capacity as well as
modern, well-equipped conference venues. Apart
from this, the city is also home to some of the
iconic Canadian attractions making it best suited
for MICE trips. MICE groups can choose from
a variety of event venues, lodging options and
restaurants serving Indian food.
Being the most ethnically diverse city in the
world and home to one of the largest South
Asian communities outside India, Toronto not
only boasts dozens of Indian cuisine restaurants
but also a large infrastructure of Indian
catering options and a true understanding of
the importance of delivering authentic, honest
Indian food.
In 2014,
Toronto
hosted 4000
delegates
of Amway
India
INFO
ith one of the busiest international
airports in North America (second
only to JFK, New York), Toronto is
becoming the top choice for many international
corporate group events with a large downtown
convention facility and amazing infrastructure
in terms of accommodation and nightlife. With
respect to India though, Toronto is a relatively
new and unexplored destination in this segment.
Tourism Toronto is therefore working aggressively
with the travel trade fraternity to collectively
project Toronto as a preferred long-haul MICE
destination for clients in India.
MICEtalk May 2015
27
city talk
Targeting Emerging Markets
Mark Crawford
Director, International
Business Development
Tourism Toronto
INTERVIEW
What are you doing to get more MICE traffic?
We conducted an India sales mission in
Mumbai and Delhi this February. We have
traditionally been leaders in incentivising large
MICE groups but never smaller groups of 300400 people. We have now decided to attract
small MICE groups with less than 1,000 room
nights. We are launching a programme in India
this March, which will be the first international
source market to have it. With the launch of
non-stop services from Toronto to Delhi by Air
Canada, effective November 2015, we hope for
the business to increase from India.
What about bigger groups?
We already have in place an incentive
programme for larger groups, which is on a
case-to-case basis but it’s substantial. Last year,
we had helped Amway India offset some of their
costs by putting in some financial incentives.
What segments are you focussing on?
The agenda for us started about a year-and-ahalf ago when we decided as a city we needed to
be more proactive in the emerging markets. We
therefore decided to set up shop in India, China
and Japan and Brazil to follow.
We are certainly the only North American
city that I know of that has representation
specifically corporate group business. We are
not selling association, we are not even after
delegates that are taking part in congresses.
We are focussed on corporate incentive
business from India but also multi-national
corporate meetings.
Liberty Grand Entertainment
Offers for groups
Besides being an incredibly inspiring and
motivating destination for participants of any
incentive or MICE programme, Tourism Toronto
can also play a role in assisting groups from India
to make the programme the best it’s ever been.
For groups producing over 1,000 room nights
during the programme, financial incentive offers
can be extended to the corporate end user and
the amount is dealt on a case to case basis.
Mark Crawford, Director (International Business
Development), Tourism Toronto, says, “We are
also working to develop an incentive scheme that
will prove ‘extra’ for groups with smaller room
night totals. These offers will be for corporate
group business only (mainly incentives) and
not in conjunction with an association event or
leisure group.”
unique venues
Toronto has unique event venues and a fabulous nightlife. Its
famous ‘Little India’ caters to one of the largest South Asian
communities in the world outside India. The Niagara Falls is less
than 90 minutes from downtown.
The city features various Indian restaurants, venues for seminars
and meetings, shopping centres, premium lodging options and
heritage locations.
28
MICEtalk May 2015
Tourism Toronto, Toronto’s Convention &
Visitors Association, is an industry association
of more than 1,100 members established to
sell and market the greater Toronto region as a
remarkable destination for tourists, convention
delegates and business travellers around the
globe. Tourism Toronto operates in partnership
with the Greater Toronto Hotel Association
and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture
and Sport.
MICE venues
Canada’s largest and most cosmopolitan city of
Toronto boasts of having unique event venues and
fabulous nightlife. Its famous ‘Little India’ caters
EVENT VENUES
city talk
Here are some of the most anticipated corporate
event venues, conference centres, hotels and
restaurants in Toronto.
Bellwoods Brewery is planning to open a new
space this summer in a 20,000-sqft warehouse
at Dupont Street and Dovercourt Road.
U
Lansdowne Brewery which is expected to open
by summer will occupy a space in the Bloordale
and Brockton Triangle neighbourhood as a selfrunning brewpub. The brewery will house 10
barrels and plans to produce 1,000 barrels in its
first year of production.
nion Station, Canada’s busiest passenger
transportation hub, is undergoing a
renovation that will largely finish by this
summer to accommodate crowds for the Pan
Am Games.
It will include expanded transit concourses as
well as a restoration and preservation of the
station’s heritage elements including three
event spaces: the Great Hall (14,000 sqft), the
West Wing (4,000 sqft) and the East and West
Carriageways.
The Mattamy National Cycling Centre,
a velodrome that is the official home to
Canadian Cycling, has opened this year. The
space includes a 250-metre cycling track, a
300-metre walking track, and several fitness
and meeting studios.
Opening in late 2015, Hotel X Toronto
has a prime location on the grounds of the
Canadian National Exhibition and is connected
by skybridge to the Allstream Centre. The
406-room hotel will cater to the sports and
entertainment markets with a 71,000-sqft
sports club and spa and the 11,500-sqft
Cinematech, which will include a box office, a
294-seat theatre, two screening rooms, and a
film editing suite.
Also slated to open this year, Bar Raval comes
from chef Grant van Gameren of Bar Isabel
fame along with partners Mike Webster and
Robin Goodfellow. The space will have a
Spanish tavern vibe with coffees, snack foods,
and cocktails. It will seat about 40.
Inspired by Taiwan’s street food, Kanpai Snack
Bar is slated to open in Cabbagetown. From
co-owners Trevor Lui and chef Ike Huang, the
bar and restaurant will have a beverage menu
of classic and playful cocktails and an open
kitchen.
The historic Maple Leaf Tavern across from
Gerrard Square is undergoing a renovation
and will reopen in the fall as a gastropub with
Toronto chef Eric Wood in the kitchen.
Dark Horse Espresso Bar, the indie coffee
chain with four locations throughout the city,
will open a new spot in the 80,000-sqft Artisan
Factory building in Dovercourt Village.
to one of the largest South Asian communities
in the world outside India. The Niagara Falls is
less than 90 minutes from downtown and offers
a taste of what defines Canada as large, safe,
modern and exciting urban centers on the edge
of pristine nature.
With the aim to introduce Toronto as a preferred
MICE destination, Tourism Toronto organises
road shows in metro cities. “The objective of
such programmes is to educate travel agents
within these cities on various features offered by
the destination as well as aid them in planning
Niagara helicopter tour
A trip to Toronto is not complete without
a view of the spectacular Niagara Falls.
You can go for a helicopter lift-off to
the cascading waterfall. For over 50
years, Niagara Helicopters has been
thrilling people from around the world.
You will be safe and comfortable in
the six-passenger Bell 407 helicopter.
The 12-minute tour includes on board
commentary in different languages.
30
MICEtalk May 2015
city talk
Hockey Hall of Fame
handling
MICE
queries,”
Tourism Toronto provides information on
various attractions including the recentlyintroduced Edge Walk on the CN Towers, various
Indian restaurants, venues for seminars and
meetings, shopping centers, premium lodging
options and heritage locations that feature in
the city. These seminars serve as a promotional
platform to engage with travel trade and create
awareness about Toronto and its significance as
a MICE location.
Crawford says, “Our aim has been to introduce
Toronto as a preferred MICE destination
among the Indian corporates. Since the longhaul destination is relatively new, we have been
focusing on educating our trade partners in order
to create a comfort level among them to sell it
to the MICE market. MICE groups can choose
from a variety of unique event venues, exciting
nightlife options and multiple restaurants serving
Indian cuisines.”
Things to do post event
Toronto is one of the few cities in the world to
have consistently been ranked at the top when it
comes to global competitiveness, innovation and
quality of life. It has great tourism infrastructure
besides being home to one of the largest South
Asian communities in the world.
Toronto’s ‘Little India’ has over a hundred
authentic shops and restaurants catering to
Indian tastes and the city is home to some of North
flight connections
Via Europe through all major European
carriers like Turkish Airlines, Austrian
Airlines, Lufthansa and British Airways. Air
Canada is also starting direct flights from
Delhi to Toronto this year.
did you know?
X Toronto has over 9,000 restaurants and over 43,000 hotel rooms.
The Toronto Islands, just a short ferry ride away from downtown
Toronto, comprise the largest urban car-free community in North
America. They are also a very popular recreational destination and
home to the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.
America’s best attractions like Ripley’s Aquarium,
Canada’s Wonderland, The Royal Ontario
Museum and the CN Tower to name but a few.
Venues
Metro Toronto Convention Centre: This is
Canada’s largest convention centre with 55,742
sqm of exhibit and meeting space and two
ballrooms. As a multi-award winning green
facility, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre
also offers green meeting options.
Direct Energy Centre and Allstream Centre:
Direct Energy Centre is Canada’s largest trade
and consumer show facility with over 92,903 sqm
of exhibition space. Allstream Centre is Canada’s
newest, most environmentally responsible
conference facility with 14,864 sqm of meeting
and convention space
International Centre: One of Canada’s leading
multipurpose facilities offering over 46,452
sqm of exhibit and meeting space and a brand
new Conference Centre. Toronto
Congress
Centre (Airport Area)
Toronto Congress Centre: One of Canada’s
leading trade show and convention venues
offering 92,903 sqm of exceptional facilities.
Metro Toronto
Convention
Centre uses
green power
for all its
administrative
offices and
electronic
signage
INFO
itineraries and
Crawford adds.
MICEtalk May 2015
31
debate
MICE
Cornerstone of
Hospitality
Business?
The increase in business travel volume and spend over the last few
years has not only meant an added push for tourism industry but
for the hospitality sector as well. We spoke to industry experts to
find out how the spike in MICE activity has meant better
business for the sector.
Vaishali Dar
Rahul Joshi
General Manager, Hilton Jaipur
M
ICE has indeed become an important segment for the hospitality industry as it contributes
significantly to revenue generation in all areas of the hotel, from rooms, F&B to meeting
and event spaces. In addition to a positive impact on revenues it also interestingly gives rise to
a new thought process where hotels strategise their business models to optimise this segment.
To cater to the opportunities provided by the MICE segment, hotels are also customising their
design and service styles. For destinations MICE has been a big contributor in driving business
to the city. Jaipur is emerging as one of the most popular destinations in India and has captured
a lot of attention from national and international conferences and events. To capitalise on such
opportunities, Hilton Jaipur offers a fresh and contemporary feel with its well-appointed rooms,
flexible and elegant meeting and event spaces, fully equipped with latest audio visual technology,
making it an ideal venue for mid-sized conferences and exclusive events.
Anil Malhotra
General Manager, Vivanta by Taj, Dwarka, NCR
Hotels are one of the most important stakeholders in the MICE industry as they provide
venues for meetings as well as accommodation for the delegates. MICE business not only
translates into revenue with accommodation and convention charges but also allows visiting
delegates to experience the facility and capability of the hotel for all future references thereby
helping in the best form of promotion i.e. word of mouth. MICE is one of the most important
segments in the hospitality business for generating revenue. Vivanta by Taj – Dwarka, New
Delhi is a great fit for this segment. It offers more than 17,000 sqft of flexible meeting and
event facilities. The nine meeting rooms accommodate anything from discrete board meetings
and small, intimate social occasions to elegant cocktail receptions, sophisticated weddings
and stylish conferences. The high tech video-conferencing facilities, integrated digital audio
systems and soundproofing ensure that every conference is special. The ballroom with its 27
feet height makes it the perfect venue for product launches and elegant social events.
32
MICEtalk May 2015
debate
Megha Ajgaonkar
Director of Sales and Marketing
Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel
MICE tourism has evolved in the past
years from small corporate groups with
planned meetings to professionally
organised trade shows. It is often a
specialised area with its own exhibition
like IMEX, EIBTM and AIME to name a
few. MICE Tourism is one of the critical
business contributors to the hospitality
sector today including hotels, F&B and
the aviation industry. As one of the largest
convention centre spaces in Mumbai, The
Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre
Hotel enjoys large MICE events through
the year accompanied by rooms and
catering requirements. The hotel not only benefits commercially by
hosting these events but also increases its visibility across a section
of customers from industry opinion makers to corporate honchos,
which helps in building brand awareness and future MICE business
requirements.
did you know?
X Research suggests that approximately 40% of business
travellers will return with their families or colleagues as
leisure visitors if they have enjoyed visiting on business.
X Based on present trends 13 lakh jobs will be directly
added annually on account of business tourism without
any intervention from the government.
X The total market size of the tourism and hospitality
industry in India stood at US$ 117.7 billion in 2011 and is
anticipated to touch US$ 418.9 billion by 2022.
Pankaj Mathur
General Manager, The Suryaa, New Delhi
MICE tourism is an integral part of the
hospitality sector and is always important
for generating revenue. It helps in enhancing
and supporting hospitality and the tourism
infrastructure by creating an economically
important rationale for non-leisure travel.
Hosting conferences and meetings are not only
very benefitting and contribute significantly
to the revenue of the hotel but MICE tourism
also helps in building the brand of our hotel,
employment creation
and infrastructure
development. MICE
tourism necessarily
interacts with many
other sectors in the
process of carrying
out its activities.
In particular, it
works closely with
business, academic
and professional
communities who
represent important
users of its products.
The tourism and hospitality sectors have
always been at the profitable end, supported by
incremental demand for travel, accommodation
and infrastructure for MICE, with service
delivery and destination promotion being added
to it. The tourism industry wants to capitalise
on MICE and grow the sector. MICE tourism
rakes in three times more receipts than leisure
tourism with knock-on effects on local hotels in
terms of revenue generation. MICE tourism has
huge potential to sustain the country’s economy
through revenue generation and employment
creation while increasing destination awareness.
Kingshuk Chakraborty
General Manager, Golden Tulip, Vasundhara Delhi NCR
With the launch of our premium property in NCR, we are hopeful of expanding into small
and focussed incentive groups. At the same time, it is very important to meet the needs and
comfort of the present day traveller and offer an array of modern amenities. So, whether
the guests are travelling on business or leisure we offer them the best service and facilities.
Corporate meeting planners ensure that meetings are productive and the company gets value
for the money it spends. From being a contemporary business hotel in Delhi/ NCR that offers
162 rooms along with a multi cuisine restaurant, to rooftop grill restaurant bar and lounge and
10,000 sqft banquet space, we offer all the required elements for a MICE event. A large portion
of the hospitality business depends on rooms, food and beverage from the in-house group and
this specialised business comes from the small scale industries as well. As a hospitality group,
we cater to the choice and preference of the local clientele by offering both vegetarian and non
vegetarian options in our outlets, incorporating the local flavours of each region, which no
other hotel offers in the vicinity. Thus, meeting the demands of guests in both large and small
groups, social and corporate events and making Golden Tulip an ideal choice for business and
leisure travellers in the region.
MICEtalk May 2015
33
debate
Tanya Viegas
Mice Sales Manager, Goa Marriott Resort & Spa
The MICE segment of tourism specifically in terms of hotels forms one of its most important
elements. Apart from assisting with volumes in terms of room revenue, this segment also touches
upon incremental business from other streams such as catering, recreation, food and beverage
and overall, total hotel revenue. In most cases, it helps in forming a base for the hotel which
would assist with yielding and maximising room rates thus driving hotel occupancies. Due to the
rise in MICE tourism and growing demand, hotel chains have shifted from traditional models to
customisation. Specialised MICE event and sales teams are the need of the hour, thus increasing
job opportunities in the sector. MICE tourism will continue to be the cornerstone of hotel business
for the future.
Arindam Chakraborty
General Manager
Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Ludhiana
The MICE market has benefitted hotels exponentially as
certain hotels have geared up their strategies to suit the
specific needs of corporates with meeting requirements.
It’s a win-win for both the hotels and the corporates
who partner together for the
success of such events. The
organisation ends up giving
a value event to their team
which goes a long way in
securing employee motivation
and teamwork, while the
participating hotel gets to
showcase their product to
a new set of people whose
chances of visiting the property
would’ve been low otherwise.
This secures the possibility of
future visits by team members
who are part of the MICE
event in their individual capacity. The MICE segment has
grown significantly as corporate big-wigs are pushing for
off-site team-building exercises, rewards and recognition
programmes to build team morale and tackle the larger
problem of “organisational attrition”.
Pulkesin Mohan
General Manager
The Gateway Resort Damdama Lake Gurgaon
MICE is the fastest
growing segment in
Asia. The Gateway
Resort Damdama Lake
generates 50 per cent of
the revenue from offsite,
conferences and training
sessions. Everyone wants
to travel outside the
city limits yet stay close.
Corporates understand
the importance of staff
retention by way of
conducting motivational
programmes/conferences that allows them to break
through mundane routines at the work place and
feel fresh. The world is extremely competitive and all
companies want to have an upper edge, they want
their employees to work hard and party even harder.
While these conferences and training sessions are
one-time, the participants of these conferences
return with their families for leisure allowing hotels
to maintain a constant momentum.
Opinion
X MICE tourism helps promote hospitality
business through venue and room bookings for
meetings, and hotels do their best to make it a
perfect combination of business and pleasure.
With the rising demand, hotels are catering to
both large and small meetings and incentive
groups. The prospects for the MICE industry
indicate a quick comeback with the improving
economy, which is showing a renewed demand
for exhibitions, meetings and events to
showcase latest products.
34
MICEtalk May 2015
yours officially
Focus Dubai
Incentive Destination
Harsha Krishnan
The presence
of top class DMC’s
like Pacific World
ensures that
clients get excellent
service, bespoke
programmes
and 100% client
satisfaction.
With the rise in incentives at global trade shows and the increase
in the number of flights by Emirates to accessible incentive
destinations, Dubai has come into spotlight. Harsha Krishnan,
Strategic Development Director at Pacific World, tells us how
Dubai has emerged as a premium destination for meetings and
what makes it the most sought-after region.
What has lead to a rise in
incentives in Dubai?
The recent rise in interest for this region has
been influenced by two key factors. Primarily,
the exemption of Eastern European countries
from UAE tourist visas has enabled meeting
planners from countries including Poland,
Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic,
Lithuania, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, Malta,
Cyprus, Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria to
consider Dubai as a more realistic and less
complicated destination for their events in
terms of logistics.
Second, Emirates has opened several new
routes, including Chicago, Boston, Oslo,
Brussels, Kiev, Taipei, Kano, Abuja has also
placed Dubai as a much more accessible
incentive destination. The airline has also
increased its number of flights to destinations
including San Francisco, Houston, Doha,
did you know?
Q&A
X Pacific World’s Destination Index
Special Report has revealed that
Dubai has become an increasingly
popular and preferred destination
for incentive travel programmes.
The research has identified India,
USA, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia
and Benelux as key source markets
placing business in the region
with the majority of clients coming
from the pharmaceutical, IT and
automotive industries.
Frankfurt, Karachi, Mumbai, Delhi, and
the Seychelles. The airline currently
flies into 142 destinations covering six
continents. This definitely provides a huge
advantage for clients looking to plan both
international and regional events. Other
factors contributing to the increased appeal
of Dubai as a high-end luxury incentive
destination include new city infrastructure
such as the opening of Dubai Tram and
the opening of a number of new hotels like
The Four Seasons Jumeirah, the Sheraton
Grand Hotel and the Hyatt Regency Dubai
Creek Heights.
How is Dubai encouraging MICE
groups? Does the government
offer incentives for large groups?
The MICE infrastructure in the destination is
the best in the world. This in conjunction with
the presence of top class DMC’s like Pacific
World ensures that the clients get excellent
service, bespoke programmes and 100%
client satisfaction.
Dubai as a destination has been very focused
on the MICE sector, and has demonstrated this
through promoting the destination at various
forums including major global trade shows.
In addition to this, Dubai Business Events –
The Convention Bureau has been actively
promoting the destinations’ advantages and
MICE infrastructure to key stakeholders who
are planning international conferences and
large scale events.
MICEtalk May 2015
35
aviation
Taking MICE to
new heights
Move beyond extravagant hotels and exotic destinations because meetings
and events can now be organised in uber luxury. Accretion Aviation caters
exclusively to the MICE and the HNI segments and offers classy yachts, charter
planes and even choppers as unique backdrops for events across India.
Hazel Jain
I
ndore-based Accretion Aviation, has started
exclusive services for the corporate sector that
were either difficult to obtain or not available
a decade ago. With its unique and tailor-made
services, the private luxury aviation company
has made travelling and organising meetings and
events effortless and easily accessible.
According to Rahul Muchhal, Director,
Accretion Aviation, the demand for exclusive
luxury services has grown with the rise in the per
capita income of Indians. “We have seen a surge
36
MICEtalk May 2015
on offer
 Private charters
 Helicopter tours as incentive for
dealers or employees
 Yachts for corporate parties or
board meetings
 Luxury cars for top management
travelling within India
 Sailing yachts
 Air ambulance
aviation
in demand for such luxurious services which we
found difficult to obtain in the past and we would
like to offer hassle-free options for those people
who want to enjoy such services at an affordable
cost with excellent service.”
A graduate from the University of Pennsylvania,
Muchhal’s ultimate goal is to provide a unique way
of travelling through his company. Amongst the
few companies in India that provide luxury travel
options, the services at Accretion Aviation range
from helicopters, business jets to commercialsized airliners for corporate, group travellers and
individuals to any destination within India and
across the globe.
“We get a lot of demands from companies when
their top management needs to visit multiple
cities in a couple of days. We identify the itinerary
with the client and make it possible for them to
achieve what they want without wasting time
did you know?
X Accretion Aviation has come up with a concept of “Joy
Plan
your
work
Meet on
yachts
Rahul Muchhal
Accretion Aviation caters exclusively to the
MICE sector. We spoke to Rahul Muchhal,
Director, Accretion Aviation to know more
about the advantages of using the tailormade services.
Do you offer team-building activities?
We have a sailing programme where people
are divided into teams of four. We give them
a basic lesson on sailing which ends with a
race. Sailing is a great team-building sport
since every person must do the job right in
order to win the race. Many corporates also
conduct business meetings on our yachts.
Do you offer any special deals for bigger
groups?
We have special pricings for corporates and
since the products are customised, the price
varies according to the needs.
Rides”. Clients can take a joyride for 20 minutes or more and
get a bird’s eye view of the city.
X Most clients take this service to celebrate a special occasion,
conduct real estate surveys or aerial photography. Special
services like cutting a cake 10,000 feet up in the air are also
available. Flying over Mumbai costs `7,500 per person for
20 minutes.
and making their experience a luxurious one.
For instance, we did a three-store opening in less
than two hours for one of the leading jewellery
stores in Mumbai. Their aim was to inaugurate
all their stores in Mumbai on the same
day,” Muchhal stated.
Apart from aircraft and
helicopters, the company
also provides yachts on
rent in Mumbai, Goa
and Chennai. It also
rents out a wide variety
of vintage cars in most
parts of India. “We
book yachts for private
parties and provide a
guitarist as part of an
extended service. We
have all the amenities
required for a corporate
meeting including WiFi through
3G, mobile connectivity, on-board
serving staff, private butlers and a chef,”
Muchhal added.
Which are your most popular products?
Our most popular products are helicopter
tours and yachts for two-hour sailing.
The company is working with a lot of travel
agents and is looking to expand its network in
the travel trade.
MICEtalk May 2015
37
exhibition talk
Extraordinary E
Extravaganza 2015
Global nutrition company Herbalife
is gearing up to host its Asia Pacific
Extravaganza 2015, to be held from
June 12-14 at Impact Exhibition and
Convention Centre, Bangkok. The
annual event is expected to attract
more than 20,000 independent
Herbalife members from 13 countries
and promises to be one of the largest
and most exciting mega events in
Thailand this year.
xtravaganza is Herbalife’s annual regional
event for its members to celebrate their
business success, as well as to receive the
latest training in products and business building
initiatives from Herbalife leaders and nutrition
experts. This is the seventh time Herbalife has
chosen Thailand to host this large-scale training
event for its members from across Asia Pacific,
representing Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia,
Japan, Malaysia, Macau, New Zealand,
Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand
and Vietnam.
Nopparat
Maythaveekulchai,
President,
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau
said, “Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2015
is a perfect example of the kind of exciting,
large-scale mega events we are passionate about
supporting. Thailand is a key healthcare hub in
Asia, so the country’s infrastructure and MICE
facilities are keenly attuned to the needs of
leading industry players such as Herbalife. As the
Thai government’s official flagship body for the
business events sector, TCEB is proud to foster
the ongoing success of leading industry events
such as Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2015.”
TCEB extends both financial and non-financial
support in the lead up to the event, such as
venue rental subsidy, VIP management and
38
MICEtalk May 2015
exhibition talk
airport arrival assistance. It gives advice on
venue, accommodation and transportation
options. TCEB also assists in coordination with
the government agencies for public relations,
promotion and access to exclusive venues as well
as state-of-the-art facilities, skilled people who
share the brand’s passion for creating events.
TCEB is highlighting these traits in its
recently launched “Thailand CONNECT
The World” campaign, which highlights
three key fundamental pillars of Thailand’s
MICE industry:
¢ Destinations: Thailand’s five top tier business
events cities are emphasised, offering
limitless options both inside and outside the
event venue.
¢ Business: It highlights how, as a world leader
in industries such as food and agriculture,
energy, automotive and machinery, healthcare
and more, Thailand continues to harness
regional integration to offer global prospects
and opportunities to businesses seeking a
springboard for success in the AEC.
¢ People: It emphasises Thailand’s proficient
professionals who serve with effortless
simplicity, gracious smiles and signature Thai
service, as well as the benchmark-setting
industry standards covering everything from
meeting spaces to security.
prominent events of 2015 in Thailand
As a leading business event destination in
Asia, Thailand will play host to a diverse
line-up of confirmed major events in 2015:
 INTERMACH 2015: 13-16 May
 PROPAK Asia 2015 : 17-20 June
 Food & Hotel Thailand 2015:
2-5 September
 FDI 2015 Annual World Dental Congress:
22-25 September
 TBEX Asia 2015: 15-17 October
 One Young World Summit 2015
Bangkok: 18-21 November
Thailand is a key healthcare
hub in Asia, so the country’s
infrastructure and MICE facilities
are keenly attuned to the needs of
leading industry players such as
Herbalife.
Thailand’s capability to hold mega events of this
scale is also underscored by TCEB’s recently
launched strategic direction to become Asia’s
hub for festivals and mega events. The strategy
emphasises the importance of strong partnerships
between public and private sector counterparts,
and outlines TCEB’s comprehensive support
to win bids, promote Thailand as a preferred
destination, and develop the capabilities of all
industry participants.
“We are confident that with leading events such
as Herbalife Asia Pacific Extravaganza 2015, the
Thai business events sector will continue to grow
strongly. This year, Thailand expects to welcome
1,036,300 business events visitors, generating
revenue of approximately AUD 3.55 billion,”
Nopparat concluded.
Nopparat Maythaveekulchai
President, Thailand Convention
and Exhibition Bureau
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition
Bureau has taken the lead on behalf of the Thai
government in the development and success of
Thailand’s MICE sector. Established in 2004,
TCEB works to drive growth, elevate quality
standards and inspire creativity in the industry.
TCEB offers a range of advisory services and
attractive support packages to contribute to
the success and productivity of business events
held in Thailand. This includes global outreach
to build collaboration across a global network
of MICE players. TCEB strives to create new
business opportunities and lay the foundations
for long term, sustainable industry growth.
MICEtalk May 2015
39
technology
Driving the traffic:
Methods to increase Event App use
Although mobile Apps for events have become increasingly popular,
increasing the application use is still a hard task. Read on to find out how
four key steps can increase traffic on your mobile App.
Darren Edwards
Darren Edwards is the
founder of Invisage Creative
Services in Australia. With
more than 22 years’ of
experience in the meetings
and events industry, Darren
continues to explore and
develop creative design
and innovative technology
products to the benefit of
the global event industry.
Contact: info@invisage.net
A
mobile App for your event (trade show,
convention, meeting, festival, etc) can be
useful, valuable, and fun for attendees.
It can provide you with a source of revenue and
sponsorships. It can reflect well on your brand.
Although, the App is helpful only if it is actually
used. Here are the four necessary steps for a user
to download and use your mobile App:
1 Participants must know the App exists
Release the App well before your event:
Give yourself plenty of time to promote the
App along with the event itself. It’s easier for
participants to download at their leisure rather
when they arrive at your show with a million
other priorities competing for their attention.
Market and promote your App: Mention your
App on your website, newsletter, and blog.
Use social media like Twitter and Facebook to
announce the App.
Help it Go Viral: Give your exhibitors and
sponsors a reason to spread the word by giving
them the link to “their” page within the mobile
web app. If your app includes “rating”, “like”,
“favouriting” or “my schedule” functionality,
suggest that exhibitors encourage their fans to
download the app. Your App should include
integrated social media allowing attendees to
check-in or tweet about your event. Incentivise
attendees to spread the word with a simple raffle
entry in exchange for a tweet or a “like” with a
link to the app.
2 Participants must want to use the App
A Better Guide: Perhaps it goes without
saying, but, the best way to encourage downloads
of your App is to provide an App that participants
find valuable and understand the benefits.
More than Just a Guide: A mobile App provides
intrinsic value by replacing paper guides with
always-up-to-date
searchable
interactive
location-aware mobile versions. A map of
the surrounding city can lead attendees to
restaurants and tourist attractions (and provide
you with another source of sponsorship revenue).
Weather information and flight status can help
attendees plan their arrival and departure. The
options are limited only by your imagination.
After the Event: After the show, an App should
still be a useful resource – a directory of key
information about exhibitors and sessions, a
collection of notes taken during the show, a
contact list of networking connections, and more.
As a connection between you and your attendees
it can deliver relevant news and encourage them
to return next year.
3 Participants must be able to find the App
Make your App easy to find in the app
stores: Increasingly people simply expect an app
to exist for every large event and venue. Before
they even look at your website they are likely to
search in their app store. If yours isn’t a native
app, they won’t find anything in the app stores.
Similarly, if you use a generic event guide rather
than a custom branded App for your event,
participants won’t find your App in the app stores
by searching for the name of your event.
Make Your App Easy to Find Online: The other
likely first step for participants is a Google search.
Create a webpage describing and explaining
the benefits of the app. If someone searches
for “YOUR EVENT NAME mobile app”, there
should be something to find. More lead time
before the show means more time for Google
to find and index your page. App developers
will often provide this “landing page” as part of
their service.
40
MICEtalk May 2015
technology
Through the App, a map of the surrounding city can lead
attendees to restaurants and tourist attractions. Weather
information and flight status can help attendees plan their
arrival and departure.
Make Your App Easy to Find On-Site: Provide
signage on site promoting the App. Have an
interactive kiosk version of your app on site
including a simple “take it with you” feature.
Include an “up sell” of the App right in the
printed guide. Pitch the additional benefits over
paper – search, sort, interactivity, social media
integration, calendar integration, contact list
integration, etc. If you greet attendees at the door
with a welcoming committee or have an on-site
information booth, make sure they promote the
app and are ready to answer any questions about
it. A little face-to-face advice can go a long way.
4 The App must be easy to download
Include a link on your Website: Installing
the App should be accomplished with a simple
link from the webpage about your App or directly
from your website.
4 key steps to leverage the
success of App usage
Î Launch and Promotion
Social networking sites like Facebook and
Twitter rule the promotion world. The best
advertisement of the App will be through the
user himself.
Î Incentives
The user should be given enough reasons for
downloading the App. Useful benefits of usage
for the user must be mentioned.
Î Accessibility
The user should be able to locate the App with
no trouble. The App must be easily available on
various App stores and your website.
Î Installation
The App should be easily downloaded. QR
codes and text version of URLs should be
mentioned on your website.
URL easily. Your App developer should provide
you with a QRC that helps participants install
your App. This is possible only if the user has a QR
code scanner. So it’s advisable to include a text
version of the URL below the QR code – let the
user choose which is easier for them.
Use SMS to install App: On your website you can
include an option to “send app to my phone” when
the user enters their phone number. A simple
“Text ‘ShowName’ to 5551234 to get mobile App”
on your printed material and signage will provide
an easy alternative to searching or QRC scanning.
Deploy a native and mobile web App: The
mobile web version provides quick easy-to-access
content and the native App can be installed with
a single click.
QR Code to Install App and for Data Within the
App: Create QR codes leading to an introduction
page that includes a link to download the native
App. Your App provider often creates these for
you. Include them on your website, on on-site
signage, in newsletters – anywhere you promote
your event. Also, include QR codes for each
exhibitor, each scheduled session, and each
session room or venue. Post a QRC at each room
to show the schedule of events within that room.
Your App
should include
integrated
social media
allowing
attendees to
check in or
tweet about
your event
INFO
Use QR Codes and a text version of the URL:
QR codes make it easy to get exactly the intended
MICEtalk May 2015
41
hotel talk
Conference
in Comfort
Hilton Jaipur
Hilton’s first hotel in Rajasthan, Hilton Jaipur
is a business and recreational property
that exudes creativity, elegance, luxury and
professional service. Located in the heart of
the city, the hotel is positioned close to popular
monuments, restaurants, shopping centres as
well as corporate hubs. Read on to find out what
makes it ideal for business and enjoyment.
Location
The hotel is strategically located and is a
20-minute drive from Jaipur Airport. Major
tourist attractions like the City Palace, Hawa
Mahal and Albert Hall Museum Civil Lines and
MI Road are easily accessible. Hilton Jaipur is a
15-minute drive from Jaipur’s central business
district, numerous banks, government offices
and the industrial areas of Gopalpura and
Vishwakarma.
Convention areas
MICE Hilton Jaipur offers 10,000 sqft of space for
meetings and events. With the strategic location,
state-of-the-art audio-visual facilities, specially
designed customised menus and attentive
service, Hilton Jaipur provides the perfect venue
for exclusive mid-sized and intimate business
meetings, as well as social gatherings. The four
features that make Hilton Jaipur the ideal choice
for all corporate affairs are:
¢ The pillar-less Turquoise Grand Ballroom
is elegantly designed and features a 21-ft high
ceiling with striking light fixtures and warm
colours, providing ample space for mid-sized
meetings and social gatherings. This ballroom
is divisible into two areas and has a large prefunction area along with open-air patio to it.
¢ The Lavender Room is ideal for small social
gatherings, business meetings and training
sessions with an adjacent pre-function area to
serve lunch or dinner.
¢ Naturally lit, The Boardroom comes fully
equipped with an attached 24-hour Business
Centre and is well-suited for successful and
uninterrupted meetings.
¢ Meeting Rooms I and II can accommodate
upto ten and six people respectively and are
connected to the Business Centre.
directions
 Distance from the airport: 11 km
 Drive time from the airport: 20 minutes
 Distance from railway station: 3 km
 Drive time from railway station: 8 minutes
42
MICEtalk May 2015
The MICE
segment is growing
rapidly and
Jaipur being one
of the favourite
destinations in
India has captured
a fair amount of
attention from this
segment. This gives
us the opportunity
to be flexible with
our service design
and deliver unique
experiences to guests
with customised
offerings.
Accommodation
The spacious and elegantly stylish guest rooms
decorated with dark wood accents boast of private
balconies ideal for lounging in the open air. The
rooms offer total comfort and convenience as well
as the scenic beauty of the city skyline and the
magnificent Aravalli Hills.
Dining
Don’t miss out on the dining options where you get
innovative and nutritious light bite, lunch and exotic
dinner. Aurum is the global cuisine restaurant that
provides a theatrical culinary experience with live
stations and a tandoor kitchen. Chaandi brings
Capacity of Meeting & Event Spaces
MEETINGS & EVENTS
SPACE
AREA
Turquoise
3,239
Turquoise-I
2,091
Turquoise-II
1,148
Pre-function AreaTurquoise
1,785
Pre-function AreaLavender
1,054
Lavender
1,012
Gardenia
3,250
Boardroom
440
Meeting Room-I
176
Meeting Room-II
144
(sqft)
the best of contemporary Indian cuisine with
open kitchen and al fresco poolside cabana seating
especially open in the evenings. Krystal Bar is a
trendy lounge bar with premium spirits and drinks.
Recreational facilities
If you wish to rejuvenate yourself after a daylong
meeting, energise in the complimentary fitness
center that overlooks the outdoor swimming
pool. Treat yourself with a massage in the luxury
spa or a haircut in the salon.
Things to do
The hotel is minutes away from popular tourist
attractions and shopping hubs, as well as business
and commercial districts. The location and the
reassurance of the ‘Hilton Hotels & Resorts’ brand
with Hilton HHonors guest loyalty programme is
an added advantage.
Rahul Joshi
General Manager
Hilton Jaipur
The nearby shopping destinations like Bapu
Bazaar, Johari Bazaar are famous for traditional
Rajasthani handicrafts, clothing and gold and
silver jewellery.
Green standards
Hilton as a brand ensures that sustainability
measurements are taken and analyses for
improvement at all times. Hilton Jaipur practices
various green initiatives like rain water harvesting,
use of biodegradable chemicals, use of LED
lights, sensor taps, etc which help in reducing
the negative impact on the environment during
daily operations.
MICEtalk May 2015
43
guest column
How to Connect in the
Carolyn Child
Co-founder
MyTravelResearch.com
Digital Space?
For Indian outbound travellers, it is very important to have
travel-specific information on the Internet. Carolyn Child explains
the importance of good digital assets for Indian businesses and how
online information plays a significant role in both the traveller’s and
travel organiser’s path to purchase.
O
ne of the great benefits of participating in
Australia Business Week in India earlier
this month was the chance for some
‘ethnographic’ observation of this exciting source
market. One of the most noticeable observations
we have made has been around the tech-savvy
Indian market.
on year growth of 32 per cent in Internet usage,
from 2013 to 2014. Much of this increase can be
attributed to the decrease in hardware costs and
the resulting increase in mobile penetration. This
is reflected in the penetration of smartphones:
according to Nielsen 36 per cent of Indian mobile
phone users are using smart phones. You can
bet that many of the key decision-makers in the
MICE space will be in that group.
A jointly-published report from the Internet and
Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB
(Indian Market Research Bureau) International
stated that India was expected to surpass the US
as the second largest internet user base globally,
behind China, in December 2014. This same
report indicated that India had shown a year
Our research shows that in targeting the incentives
market, a reputation as an inspiring destination
is important. So having good and relevant digital
assets for Indian businesses is important. Online
information plays a significant role in both the
traveller’s and travel organiser’s path to purchase.
Amadeus estimates that a whopping 42 per cent of
Indian business travellers used their smartphones
for travel-related arrangements – again you can
be very sure that key MICE decision-makers will
be among them.
Amadeus also indicated that Indian travellers love
to use social media, during and after their travels.
The report stated that approximately 47 per cent of
Indians used social media frequently during their
travels – a figure that was forecast to increase to
almost 60 per cent by 2030. Their assertions have
since been backed up by research undertaken by
several National Tourism Organisations (NTOs),
including the Canadian Tourism Commission
(CTC) and our own Tourism Australia (TA).
Tourism Australia
44
MICEtalk May 2015
The CTC, in their Global Tourism Watch study,
established that a large percentage of Indian
travellers share experiences both during and
after their trip, with social media, blogging and
online review sites being among the most popular
guest column
forums. These can form vital collateral for
meeting planners, so make sure you are getting
the most out of platforms like Google+, Facebook
and Instagram. Pinterest is a tool that meeting
planners (everywhere) are increasingly using to
plan and create assets for proposals – so think
about how you can facilitate that.
Once safely back on home soil:
¢ 70% talked to friends and family about
their trip
¢ 63% shared photos with friends and family
either in person or via email
¢ 56% shared photos, messages and information
about their trip on their social networks
¢ 31% submitted reviews about the attractions,
hotels and restaurants they had patronised
TA discovered that about 74 per cent of all active
internet users in urban India used social media,
with its usage ranking only behind email (80
per cent) in terms of online activities. The most
accessed social website in India is Facebook,
followed by Google+ and LinkedIn.
But, before you move your entire marketing spend
to online distribution channels to attract the
lucrative Indian inbound market, note that travel
agents remain extremely influential in India, with
80 per cent of travellers at least consulting with
an agent at the planning stage (according to the
CTC). So it is vital to make sure that you have both
a sound digital strategy and good relationships
with the trade.
And, while approximately 50 per cent of Indian
internet traffic for travel-related purposes now
goes to online travel agencies, many of these
agencies have recently established bricks-andmortar agencies or call centres, as additional
distribution channels. In India more than most
markets there is convergence between the online
and offline worlds.
Leveraging India’s tech-savviness
¢ Make sure you are digitally ready and
well connected to the trade. Get your ducks
in a row!
A large percentage of Indian
travellers share experiences
both during and after their trip,
with social media, blogging and
online review sites being among
the most popular forums. These
can form vital collateral for
meeting planners.
¢ It is important that your content is mobile
friendly. Indian travellers are comfortable with
browsing on the Internet and with receiving
and responding to mobile ads. The good news
is that there are two strategies – either keep it
very simple (a straightforward text) or make it
very engaging.
¢ Like everyone else, Indians judge brands by
the speed with which their sites download.
So make sure you know that your content can
reach them quickly.
¢ Similarly, make sure your users can find their
way back to where they were when they found
you. More than half the Indians surveyed in
the Nielsen study said that they were less likely
to use or be influenced by sites that took them
away from their original start point.
¢ Finally, once they are in destination (or close
to a travel agent in India) use geo-location.
Indian travellers are very open to ads or
promotions that are relevant to the location
they reach their.
Tourism
Australia found
that about
74% of active
Internet users
in urban India
used social
media
INFO
¢ 52% used a computer during their trip to
help determine what they wanted to see or
do and to share photos or messages to their
social networks
¢ 41% used a mobile phone to share on
social media
¢ 31% used a mobile app to help decide what
activities they wanted to do
¢ 27% submitted reviews and opinions about
specific attractions, restaurants and hotels to
review sites
James Horan at Destination NSW
The CTC study noted:
MICEtalk May 2015
45
venue talk
L
ocated at the riverfront on The Isthmus,
Borneo Convention Centre Kuching
(BCCK) is just 8 km from the centre of
Kuching and commands a magnificent view of
the world-renowned Borneo rainforest beyond.
Kuching has frequent and convenient air links
from Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Kota
Kinabalu in Malaysia, as well as Singapore and
Brunei. The recently renovated terminal complex
is capable of handling five million passengers per
annum and is the third largest airport in Malaysia
after Kuala Lumpur International Airport and
Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
Location
Borneo Convention Centre Kuching is a unique
convention centre created among the tranquility
of the tropical rainforest. The centre is equipped
with the latest in communication technologies
how to reach?
Taxis and car rentals are easily available
in Kuching. It is about 15-20 minutes by
car to BCCK from Kuching International
Airport.
with wireless Internet enveloping the whole area,
cutting ledge LAN infrastructure and the latest in
audio/visual technology.
Design
With a total built up space of 37,958 sqm, BCCK’s
innovative design is both aesthetically pleasing
and environmentally sensitive. The building’s
roof is designed after the “ririk leaf” which has
been used by the indigenous people of Borneo for
centuries and represents the jungle canopy which
effectively disperses water. The building has been
Themed Conventions in
Borneo Rainforest
One of Asia’s conference and convention hotspots, Borneo Convention Centre
Kuching is the first purpose built international convention centre located on the
mystical island of Borneo. With a rainforest themed architecture, the Centre
is located in the eco-friendly state of Sarawak and is a very well-known MICE
destination within Malaysia. Right next to the meandering Sarawak River which
runs through the city, is the largest green, ultra-modern and dedicated centre
boasting state-of-the-art facilities and 5-star services.
venue talk
AOCOG 2015
The Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society
of Malaysia will host the 24th Asian
& Oceanic Congress of Obstetrics &
Gynaecology to be held at the Borneo
Convention Centre in Kuching, Sarawak,
Malaysia on June 3 – 6.
cleverly designed to limit sunlight penetration and
thereby reduces air-conditioning requirements.
Facilities
It has 14 meeting rooms, one great hall (that
can be divided into four halls) with a total size
of 2,793 sqm and pre-function areas. The Great
Hall offers flexible space capable of seating
almost 5, 000 people both on flat floor and tiered
seating and can be quickly transformed into an
exquisite banquet area for over 2,000 people
or an exhibition area capable of hosting over
300 booths. An additional 14 meeting rooms
cater events for 20 to 500 people while The
Raintree Restaurant can seat up to 120 guests.
Other facilities include VIP suites, prayer
rooms, 800 car park spaces and a spacious
registration foyer.
Eating out
Eating out in Malaysia is a real gastronomic
adventure. The Raintree Restaurant at BCCK is
no exception. Situated close to the Great Hall and
Meeting Rooms, the restaurant offers a modern
food concept of “Global Cuisine” – a combination
of ethnic ingredients, the use of the classic basics
of French cooking techniques and paired with
Japanese food presentation skills.
Headed by Chef de Cuisine, Virginia Kedit, the
restaurant offers global cuisine prepared in
French classic cooking method and Japanese
presentation skills.
Hotels in vicinity
If you are planning an event at Borneo Convention
Centre Kuching, boarding and lodging is close
at hand. A slew of hotels in the vicinity provide
logistics support and services such as dedicated
event planning teams and 5-star culinary
production teams that provide a wide variety of
menu options with ISO certification.
Leisure activities
Kuching has plenty of bars and restaurants (variety
of Asian cuisines, fusion and international) to
help attendees relax and unwind after the event.
For those extending their visit, the city gives
easy access to several nature parks and
conservation areas, including Bako National
With strong backing from the
state government of Sarawak,
BCCK offers an attractive
proposition to conference buyers
– pairing world-class convention
facilities, international-branded
hotels and modernity with
culture, nature and adventurebased tourism – at favourable
prices to conference buyers and
delegates. These offerings are all
within comfortable reach from
the heart of Kuching.
Eric Van Piggelen
Chief Executive Officer
Borneo Convention Centre Kuching
Park and the Kuching Wetlands National Park,
as well as the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, which
operates an orangutan orphanage and
rehabilitation programme.
Convention support
BCCK work very closely with Sarawak Convention
Bureau that is an independent business travel
destination marketing organisation – established
by the Sarawak State Government. Their
primary role is to assist meeting planners to
present competitive bids, develop new meetings,
maximise attendance through delegate boosting
and develop tailor-made incentive proposals.
did you know?
X Inspired by the shape of the “Ririk Leaf”, the roof canopy
is supported by a series of exposed structural elements
resembling the trunks and branches of rainforest trees. The
roof is shaped in the form of a ‘Ririk’ leaf, a rainforest plant
that plays an important role in the local indigenous cultures.
With environmental preservation in mind, rain water will
automatically be channeled down the central vein of the leaf
on the rooftop and collected for irrigation in the Centre’s
gardens and grounds.
MICEtalk May 2015
47
trends
Breaking Bread
Top Food Trends for Meetings
As a key component of any meeting or conference, food not only breaks
the monotony of a formal event but also becomes an ice breaker for the
attendees. The recent years have witnessed a significant shift in the preference
of healthy and gluten free food from the traditional greasy and heavy foods.
The International Association of Conference Centre has discovered useful tips
for meeting planners towards healthier conferences by announcing the Top 10
Conference Food Trends. Take a look.
F
ollowing extensive research among
members of The International Association
of Conference Centres (www.iacconline.
org), the association released its Top 10
Conference Foods Trends for 2015, which are
influencing catering choices of meeting planners
across the globe.
Mark Cooper
CEO, International Association
of Conference Centre
Mark Cooper, CEO, International Association
of Conference Centre said, “People are always
looking for new and interesting ways to cater for
their conference attendees and food has become
so much more than just fuel. Recently there has
been an enormous shift towards health and the
impact that food can have on concentration
and productivity. The trends identified in our
research take this knowledge to the next level
and will help meeting planners to deliver the
ultimate experience when it comes to catering for
conferences across the globe.”
1
48
MICEtalk May 2015
Go local
The importance of adding a local feel to
meetings has been identified as a major
trend as attendees want to experience as
much as they can about the meeting or
event area.
Friendly dining
reception mid way
through the event
allows guests to meet
and bond in a causal
environment and
build relationships
while enjoying their
meal.
2
Network your heart out
Small plates of food items, continuously
served in a reception format add a nice
break to an extended event. Another
popular choice is to hold a more substantial
networking friendly dining reception mid
trends
way through your event as it provides a
great way for guests to meet and bond in a
casual environment and build relationships
while enjoying their meal.
3
Small is the new big!
4
In with flavour, out with fats
Bite size desserts have overtaken larger
portions in popularity. Conference
delegates turn their backs on the big slice
of cake and head for the easy to handle
signature bite size dessert station. Warm
house made donuts, chocolate truffles,
French macaroons and mini cupcakes top
the list for planners.
Healthy choices don’t need to resemble
rabbit food and conference chefs work
with exciting new ingredients including
whole grains, protein alternative (quinoa,
amaranth, tofu, beans) green vegetables
(kales, spinach), low fat and low sugar
foods which sound, look and taste great!
5
Cooking classes
6
Contrasting environments
7
Finale NOT gala
Bite size desserts have
overtaken larger portions
in popularity. Conference
delegates prefer the easy to
handle signature bite size
desserts.
Nothing brings the team together like
food. The opportunity to cook collectively
can bring out hidden talent of a colleague.
Culinary teambuilding has all the
ingredients to cook up a winning team!
Utilising outside space to create a change
in scenery and a casual dining experience
will revitalise attendees, especially during
multi-day meetings and events.
Make sure the last night of your event has
all the components to create a dynamic
environment and bring people together
to celebrate the end of a great conference.
Be creative and choose your room
seating layout and dining style to deliver
that finale.
9
10
Go micro for max effect
With the explosion in microbreweries
offering brews that appeal to all tastes, ask
your conference planner if they can make
pre-dinner drinks a local affair!
Infused tea cocktails
The English may drink a lot of it and now
the World has caught on to the latest
trend, infused tea cocktails. Combine this
with trend number nine and you can have
a double brew at your next reception!
did you know?
X The Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly (GFAF) Expos are
8
That’s theatre darling!
Adding a chef interactive station can also
highlight the menu with freshly prepared
items (panini, clubhouse or slider);
remember to ask for gluten free options.
the largest and fastest growing special diet consumer
events in the US. Started in 2007, the Expo welcomes
those with gluten sensitivities, auto-immune/inflammatory
diseases and autism.
MICEtalk May 2015
49
expert talk
POSITIVE
Attitude To Health
In an increasingly health conscious environment we tend to become
paranoid about diseases. This negative attitude in turn affects our
health. Read on to find out how to achieve a right balance between
being health conscious and disease cautious.
‘L
ive healthy’ is the most consistent mantra
trending today. Almost everybody has
a health regime and even if they can’t
follow it entirely they are conscious of it and
do at least talk about it. There have been major
awareness campaigns and information uploaded
to help people recognise what is healthy for them
and what’s not. Plus there is no dearth of wellwishers either who are ready to offer advice at
every single sniffle.
INFO
As the awareness level goes up, people often find
themselves alternating between the merits and
demerits of the same food, so if one month coffee
is harmful, the next month scientists discover
its virtues and another food is put on the hit list.
And as the world struggles with these mysteries,
newer and more advanced versions of diseases
keep popping up from various corners of the
world leaving people flummoxed with how to
deal with it.
50
While the basic
recipe for a
good immune
system is a
mix of diet and
exercise, a key
ingredient is
the mental and
emotional state
and outlook.
MICEtalk May 2015
In a way it’s like the IT industry,
where newer versions of software
and hardware are churned out and
hackers still manage to introduce
viruses into them. Taking a leaf
from technology, just like a good
anti-virus programme needs to be
installed to protect the machine, a
strong immune system needs to be
developed to protect the body from
the diseases. While the basic recipe
for a good immune system is a mix of
diet and exercise, a key ingredient is the
mental and emotional state and outlook.
This outlook determines the body’s
actions and reactions which in
turn trigger stress creating
hormones. Each time this
hormone is triggered, the
brain triggers the fight or flight syndrome and
in a reallocation of blood supply, one of the first
systems to shut down is the immune system.
Repeated cycles of shutdown naturally reduce
the body’s immunity.
Working on the mental state is driven by an
individual’s own intent and it’s important to
create a healthy frame of mind. With constant
bombardment of do’s and don’ts to maintain
health and watching out for symptoms of one
illness or the other, appears to be tuning the
frequency of people to becoming sickness
conscious. People are talking about how tired
they are, how bad the cough is and generally how
under the weather they feel. It doesn’t help that
over the counter medicines mostly just suppress
the symptoms, allowing the root cause to
linger on. Even the non-controversial topics
of health and weather in a conversation have
become disturbing with talks of climate
change and pollution impacting
our lives. And it is only natural
that every time a person reads
or hears about symptoms of an
illness, they start checking their
own body for the same.
There are some people who
benefit with the attention when
acquiring some rare ailments
with a “cool quotient” but mostly
no one wants to be sick. Then why
not create an environment which
focusses on being healthy rather
than what can happen when you are
not healthy. Giving this thought
a positive intent will
do half the job of
creating a healthy
body and mind.
expert talk
If you can prove
your abilities at the
current job you will
automatically invite
the trust of the senior
management making
it easier to make a
lateral shift
should you do if you receive a job offer from a oneQ: What
of-a-kind company with great repute, a place you have
always dreamt to work – but not in your ideal role? The
role does build on your previous experience. However, it’s
a very niche role that a lot of companies need but do not
have. If you work hard, you could be a manager in a couple
of years. Should you accept the offer?
A:
It’s a tough call when you find the organisation of your choice but
the role is not, however it may be a good idea to do a SWOT and
understand the opportunity you have given your background to
excel at the job you are getting. If you can prove your abilities at
the current job you will automatically invite the trust of the senior
management making it easier to make a lateral (or even upward and
lateral) shift to the role of your choice. Even if that role doesn’t exist
in the organisation at present, after understanding their vision and
style of operations you can make a case for it. Judge for yourself,
the probability of getting your dream job from where you are placed
today versus the probability of making it happen by taking the other
job and I am sure you will find the answer.
about the author
works better in the long run — being a specialist in a particular
field or being an all-rounder? Can being a specialist turn boring in a
Q: What
few years and does an all-rounder face stagnation over the years?
A:
The long run is full of change both expected and unexpected, so you shouldn’t
be surprised if your view about being a specialist or an all-rounder itself may
change. Nowadays job functions and responsibilities change very frequently
and many a times people with no technical experience or specialist skills can
find themselves placed at the head of a team. This could be because of their
ability to adapt and learn or their inherent management / organisation or
leadership skills. The days of classifying people as generalists or specialists may
itself be numbered. It’s more important to pursue a career where you enjoy
yourself and connect in terms of aptitude and skill. And finally the ability to
adapt and being open to different roles is what will help you avoid stagnation
and boredom in your job.
Shabnam Mehra
Life Coach & EFT
Practitioner
Do write in with your views and feedback. And if you have any queries or feel any limitations in your own journey,
please write in to the Q&A column care of the editor at the Micetalk and I will be happy to respond. You can also
o
write directly to me at shabnamsmehra@yahoo.com or via my website www.reflectingangles.com
MICEtalk May 2015
51
etiquette talk
Elevator
Pitch
Elevator can be an odd place to meet
your boss, but it may be all you need to
make an impact. Here are some quick tips
to keep you prepared for that surprise
meeting and to make sure you don’t fail to
rise up to the moment.
H
ave you ever bumped into your
company’s CEO in the elevator ride up
and realised that you had nothing smart
to say? Or, when he tried initiating a conversation,
you were tongue-tied? Legend says that Steve
Jobs’ favourite question to Apple employees in
the office elevator was “So, what are you working
on?” leaving them petrified for days after the ride!
While entrepreneurs and salesperson are familiar
with the ‘elevator pitch’, others need it when
meeting with the Big Boss at internal networking
events, at office parties, during overseas visits
and of course the elevator.
For a compelling elevator pitch:
Shital Kakkar Mehra
Practitioner of Corporate
Etiquette and International
Protocol in India
52
MICEtalk May 2015
¢
Prepare: Although extroverts display ability
to effortless ‘wing it’, like stand-up comedy, an
elevator pitch is not impromptu – you have
to prepare for an hour to create impact in a
minute. To prevent being caught off-guard,
prepare a crisp response to “What sets you
apart from the others in the company?”
¢
Topics: Using these time-tested topics,
add a compelling nugget which makes you
memorable:
1. Your work: Mention your name,
department and a recent accomplishment
which highlights your abilities e.g. “Hello. I’m
Arati Gupta from the marketing team. I am
currently working on the latest ad campaign
for our successful xyz” – he’ll remember you,
as in his mind you get linked with a profitmaking product.
2. Your CEO’s achievements: Always
works! e.g. “Yesterday, your speech at our
leadership academy was very informative and
thought-provoking”.
3. Make a social connect: Conduct small talk
to create a social relationship that stretches
beyond your work e.g. Boss’s hobby, a
common interest or your similar background
(same school / college/ hometown).
¢ Rehearse: Visualise this meeting, focus on
your performance and rework, if needed.
Keep it conversational-style and concise
(CEOs meet several new people in their
work day). Lastly, speak with energy and
enthusiasm, displaying your love for your job.
new apps
App to cut queues
at airports
The Airports Council International (ACI) has launched a first-of-its-kind
application in collaboration with the Customs and Border Protection (CBP),
to boost the efficiency of passenger processing. Read on to find out how this
new App will improve travel facilitation and reduce passenger traffic.
T
he Airports Council International (ACI)
is collaborating within and outside
the industry on passenger facilitation
solutions and supporting implementation of
Automated Border Control (ABC) solutions
that use interoperable equipment and common
international standards.
Angela Gittens
Director General, ACI
Representing airports which handle 95 per cent
of the world’s passenger traffic, the ACI has
collaborated with Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) to launch a first-of-its-kind application
to expedite travellers’ entry processes into the
US. This new technology App allows eligible
travellers to submit their passport information
and customs declaration form via a smart phone
or tablet prior to CBP inspection, complete
the required travel documentation at kiosks,
increasing the efficiency of passenger processing
and freeing passport control/immigration officers
to focus on their security tasks. The increased
throughput from this technology will allow
passengers to move more quickly through the
did you know?
X Dubai International became
the sixth busiest airport in the
world in 2014. It also overtook
London Heathrow as the world’s
top airport for international
passengers.
X The world’s airports last year
handled 6.6 billion passengers.
X Airports Council International (ACI)
has 590 members operating 1,850
airports in 173 countries.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) process,
thereby improving travel facilitation.
Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI, spoke at
the Future of Borders Conference in Dubai about
the growing concern of passenger traffic and
the method to reduce it efficiently. “The current
concentration is on gaining reductions in the visa
process, going country by country to help them
understand the impact of their visa requirements
on their tourism and travel market,” she said.
“Smart Security, Airport Collaborative Decision
Making (A-CDM) and Airport Service Quality
(ASQ) are among programmes that will help
airports get there, along with collaboration on
multiple facilitation projects,” she stated.
A-CDM consists of sharing information among
the various players whose operations affect the
movement of planes, passengers, baggage and
ground vehicles.
Angela observed, “We can put more efficiency
and reliability into the system by sharing
information among the players. This is especially
critical during periods of irregular operations—
either of a particular aircraft, airline or the airport
as a whole.”
54
MICEtalk May 2015
visa talk
Scotland
equire
;Passport: Original Passport with validity of
minimum six months and minimum two blank page
for visa stamp.
a) Attach all old passports to show previous travel
history (if any).
;Financials:
a) Company and personal Bank statements for last 6
months
b) Company and personal ITR for last 3 year
;Accommodation Proof: Hotel booking along with the
;UK Visa Application Form: Visa application form
has to be filled online by the applicant. Follow the
instructions to fill the form. Kindly log on to the link
given below:
https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/Account/login
naming list and passport no of all applicants (on tour
company letter head)
;Airline Reservation:
photographs with matt finish, 60%-80% face coverage,
white background and without border (Size: 35mm x
45mm)
Please note: Photograph should not be more than 3
months old, scanned/stapled and should not be used
in any of the previous visas.
;Cover Letter:
a) Cover letter from company on its letterhead
with naming list and passport details of all
applicants. The letter should be duly signed by
the authorised signatory mentioning his name
and designation along with the company’s
stamp.
A UK
Visa
is also
valid for
Scotland
b) Brief company profile
c) Individual covering letter from applicant stating
his/her name, passport number, purpose and duration
of visit in brief
Cover letter on letter head if self employed or on plain
paper if employed
Please Note: The letter should be addressed to The
Visa Officer “British High Commission, New Delhi”
56
MICEtalk May 2015
Ticket itinerary
;Passport Collection Procedure: Applicant has to
;Photo Specification: Two recent passport size
Source: Udaan
t
n
me
s
V
isa
R
personally collect the passport or can opt for courier
service at the time of submission of documents at VFS
Please Note: The below mentioned can collect the
passport on applicant’s behalf provided they have an
authorisation letter from the applicant
a) A parent collecting for a dependent child
b) A member of a family group collecting the
passports for the whole family
c) Government Ministry representatives and
a Business Express Programme (BEP) company
representative, approved by the company’s authorized
signatories
Please Note:
a) Prior Appointment has to be scheduled for the
submission of application
b) Personal appearance is mandatory on the
appointment date, as Fingerprints & facial photograph
(known as biometric information) are required by the
UK Border Agency as a part of application for UK visa
Jurisdiction: Applications can be submitted at any
of the UK visa application centres in India as per the
appointment
Fees: Single Entry / Multiple Entry up to 6 months`8300 per applicant
events
event calendar
July 2015
10
24
31
Vkonect
MICE
Travel &
Tourism
Fair (TTF)
Travel &
Tourism
Fair
Hyderabad
Kolkata
Holiday Inn
Aerocity
New Delhi
August 20155
18
28
IT&CM
India
New Delhi
India
International
Travel Mart
Mumbai
5
China
Incentive
Business
Travel Market
(CIBTM)
Beijing, China
Sept 2015
3
6
11
18
24
India
International
Travel Mart
PATA Travel
Mart
TTF
TTF
TTF
Ahmedabad
Surat
Mumbai
15
19
22
24
28
30
Bangalore
Gurgaon
12
15
International International International World Routes Luxury Travel
Meetings
Trade Fair
Mart
Travel Expo
Durban
Industry
&
For
Luxury
South
Africa
Kiev, Ukraine
Ho Chi Minh City
Business Travel
Travel
Vietnam
Exhibition
Moscow, Russia
Moscow, Russia
24
25
Astana
Leisure
Luxury Travel
Mart
Astana, Kazakhstan
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Ukraine
JATA Tourism ILTM Americas
Travel
Market
Expo Japan
Mexico
Tokyo, Japan
Kiev, Ukraine
MICEtalk May 2015
57
Hotels high on MICE
Hermann Wegmueller
Chief Executive Officer
Meeting Point Asia
Saeid Heidari
General Manager
JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai
Sahar
Hermann Wegmueller has
been appointed as the new
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
at Meeting Point Asia with
headquarters in Bangkok. Prior to
this posting, Wegmueller worked
for Go Vacation Thailand for
two years as Executive Director
Product & Contracting. His
other stints include Contracting
Manager Asia at TUI, Resident
Manager Indonesia at Voegele
Reisen and Destination Manager
Maldives at Meier’s Weltreisen.
Saeid Heidari has recently been
appointed as the General Manager
for the newest edition to the
Marriott Mumbai portfolio – JW
Marriott Hotel Mumbai Sahar.
Heidari, a German national, brings
with him 25 years of hospitality
experience with Marriott hotels
across Middle East and Europe.
Heidari holds a graduate degree
in Chemical Engineering and Law.
His first position in the hospitality
industry was that of a Security
Manager, after which he changed
his field of expertise to Food &
Beverage.
JW Marriott Hotel New Delhi
Aerocity has appointed Dilpreet Singh
Bindra as the Director of Operations
at the hotel. Bindra started his career
as a management trainee in 1996 at
Taj Mahal Palace and Towers Mumbai
and worked as Assistant Manager in
Food and Beverage operations at the
hotel for two years. Following that,
he was part of the preopening team
at Taj Extoica Bentota, Sri Lanka
and worked there to set up the Food
and Beverage department. He came
Dilpreet Singh Bindra back from Sri Lanka and worked with
Director of Operations
JW Marriott New Delhi Vivanta by Taj till March 2005.
Aerocity
58
MICEtalk May 2015
Anil Chadha
Area Manager South &
General Manager
ITC Grand Chola
Athena Salim
General Manager
Four Points by Sheraton
Bengaluru, Whitefield
Kallol Saha
Training Manager
The Leela Ambience Gurgaon
Hotel and Residences
ITC Grand Chola has appointed Anil
Chadha as Area Manager South
and General Manager for ITC Grand
Chola. In his new capacity, Chadha
will oversee the hotel’s Operations,
provide insight about the nuances
of the ITC Grand Chola Dynasty
and its Responsible Luxury as well
as elevate the hotel to a world class
luxury hotel. He will also oversee
operations of other ITC Hotels in
Bengaluru, Kerala, Hyderabad and
Chennai. His previous roles span
successful terms with other ITC
hotels including ITC Maurya, New
Delhi and ITC Gardenia, Bangalore.
Four Points by Sheraton Bengaluru
Whitefield, has announced the
appointment of Athena Salim as
General Manager. At Four Points
by Sheraton Bengaluru Whitefield,
she will be responsible for the
entire hotel operations. She has
over 13 years of experience in the
hospitality industry. She has been
General Manager with Keys Hotels
& Resorts and Olive bar and kitchen.
Prior to this, she was the Training
Manager at The Claridges, New
Delhi. She has been associated with
Oberoi Hotels & Resorts for more
than nine years.
Kallol Saha has joined The Leela
Ambience Gurgaon Hotel and
Residences as the Training Manager
after eight years of experience in
Training & Development. Saha
has completed his Bachelors in
Hotel Management from the PES
Institute of Hotel Management,
Bangalore. He started his career as
a Management Trainee with Park
Hyatt Goa and moved on to IHG
as a Training Executive for a preopening property. He then moved on
to The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon as
an Assistant Manager and worked
there for two years.
Postal Reg. No. :DL(ND)-11/6150/2014-15-16
WPP No.:U(C)-305/2014-2016, Posting on 29th-30th of Advance Month
PSO, Market Road PO, New Delhi-110001, Date of Publication:22/04/2015
RNI No.:DELENG/2010/34144