By investigating the trends of MICE tourism, we can argue that there was a drastic drop on the market of MICE trips in 2009 due to the reduction of travel related expenditures of companies. It is typical that they merge more, shorter trips, and, instead of luxury services they put the emphasis on good service. Due to the saving measures of business enterprises and the decrease in the discretionary incomes of consumers, the importance of price-quality ratio is even larger, and the importance of personally customized products and that of flexibility continues to increase.
By investigating the expected development tendencies of the MICE segment in the following 5 years, we can get an answer to the question which factors will exert the largest effect on the evolution of the market. The demand for unusual locations is increasing recently, and not only exotic, distant places belong here but also less well-known regions and cities of known places. Every location can make a profit from the market increase that can break out from the common programme supply and offers unique, novel experiences and programmes for the participants in the event and the accompanying persons. As a kind of reply to globalization, the philanthropic, hospitable and regarding local culture authentic locations and environment become especially important against the multitude of impersonal, uniform standards and services.
In 2009 the following trends can be observed in the international outlook of MICE:
- The demand for corporate meetings in 2010 already exceeds the results of last year and is permanently increasing. The solid conference organizer relation network is appreciated. The number of reservations in 2011 is spectacularly increasing.
- The reservations do not come long before the timing of the conferences (app. 30-45 days). The reservation and realization usually happen in the same given month. The organizers are reluctant to commit themselves for a longer reservation period, jeopardizing so the possible cancellation of the event, and the payment of penalty.
- Extraordinary price sensibility: the hotels are starting to compete again with especially favourable package pricing for the MICE events. Those conference centres can successfully emerge from the economic world crisis which have stable base, retained the high quality of their services and carefully maintained their partner relations.
- In 2010 the number of participants of professional events decreased and also their stay shortened by a day.
The meetings usually had regional or local scope and their topics were more bound. They neglected social functions and working dinners to cut expenditures.
- By today, environmental responsibility and ―green programmes‖ are generally expected, but in some corporate segments, e.g. in case of state and educational companies this is a basic requirement.
- Conferences less typically offer team building and complementary programmes. Due to tight budgets, there is no room for unnecessary expenses during conference organization; the emphasis is laid on basic attendance.
- Maximal broadband internet connection is a basic requirement against conference organizers. Business partners arrive to meetings and conferences with the expectation of full equipments to present online contents.
- Due to the crisis of the previous years, organizers hope that service providers offer significant allowances.
Complex conference packages are valued again.
- Healthy and protein-rich diet contributes to maintain the attention of participants. An important task of organizers is to care about menus and buffet tables. Also wellness centres of hotels play an emphasized role in the assurance of healthy living.
- Community media is gaining on importance, but personal contacting is decisive in the case of business meetings. However, LinkedIn and Trip Advisor are increasingly important for conference organizers, since there are information and consumer opinions available on the destinations. In addition, more and more organizers use Facebook and add representatives of service providers to their friends to establish new connections in favour of strengthening their business relations.
The following trends of Hungarian MICE tourism can be observed:
- the cooperation among places and accommodation providers in Budapest is increasing
- the Hungarian Congress Office (HCO) presents itself on the two most important European fairs, on IMEX and EIBTM, and also publishes the following, English and German editions of the Meeting Planner‘s Guide to Hungary
- the Business Travel Show will be organized in October
- the HCB devotes a special attention to its Conference Ambassador Programme that aims to bring meetings of international organizations to Hungary
- the HCB strives to introduce its new partners (for example SYMA, OPUS 2010, New York Palace Event Centre, Expo Congress Hotel, Hilton Visegrád, Gotth‘Art Hotel, Mária Valéria Hotel etc.) on the market with the available marketing tools (internet and media presence, press materials, exhibitions, outward promotions etc.)
- a common, internet based marketing system will be introduced, where conference participants can book their accommodation at a pre-determined price
―Green Event‖ Strategy (2001) must be mentioned among the factors influencing development that was established and accepted on the Annual Congress and Exhibition of the National Reuse Coalition (USA), and revised in 2007. Some useful pieces of advice:
- usage of recycled and/or environmentally friendly paper and office tools - two-sided printing, reuse of papers
- in food processing, using raw materials that are seasonal and produced in local farms - using only large packaging beverages, cream etc. on events
- usage of biodegradable and recycled personal hygiene products and environmentally friendly cleaning materials
- selective waste collection
- increasing the air quality of offices and shared offices with green plants
- centrally set energy consumption principles (lighting, temperature, ventilation, shading etc.)
8. Peculiarities and difficulties of research, recommended data bases
Two problems must be mentioned related to MICE tourism research:
- we can rely primarily on literature in English,
- lack of update, reliable statistics; there are no precisely defined technical terms, it varies by countries and cultures who comprehends what as MICE tourism.
Official statistics: the most important data on conference and MICE tourism can be found among the statistics of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office. Main characteristics of MICE tourism can be found also in the annual publications of the HCSO. MICE tourism related figures contain data collected on the participants of congresses, business trips, exhibitions and fairs. The Hungarian Tourism Inc. and the Hungarian Congress Bureau publish every year a summary report and statistical tables on the state of MICE tourism. These reports are on the international events organized in Hungary, respectively on conference and business tourism.
In addition to the Hungarian data, also the database of UNWTO contains reports on MICE statistics. The last edition containing the summary data of MICE tourism 2000 was published in 2003.
Other statistical data: data on business tourism motivated travels organized by travel agencies and PCOs are available at the enterprises. Also surveys of pollster companies can be listed here, usually these are ordered by the Hungarian Tourism Inc. and most of the data are also published.
Researches are also supported by scientific publications published several times a year.
MICE tourism related scientific research started in the middle of the 1980s. At the beginning, publications appeared in three countries (United States, United Kingdom and Australia) which represented developed MICE destinations of the market. Recently, the research both on the demand (consumer behaviour analysis, motivation research, consumer decision) and supply side (criteria and decision phases of the selection of receiving areas, marking, destination marketing, the role of DNOs) have become significant.
Bibliography
DAVIDSON, R. (1994): Business Travel, Pitman Publishing
FARAGÓ, H. (2005): Idegenforgalmi rendezvények és kongresszusok szervezése (Organisation of tourism events and congresses) , Képzőművészeti Kiadó, Budapest, 132 p.
ICCA (2008): The International Association Meetings Market 1998-2007, ICCA Statistics Report
LAWSON, F.R. (2000): Congress, convention and exhibition facilities: planning, design and management, Architectural Press, 235 p.
LENGYEL, M. (1994): A turizmus általános elmélete (The general theory of tourism, 2nd Edition, KIT Képzőművészeti Kiadó, Budapest
Magyar Turizmus Zrt.–Xellum Tanácsadó és Szolgáltató Kft (2005): A magyarországi MICE turizmus (MICE tourism in Hungary). – In: Turizmus bulletin XII. évfolyam 2. szám. pp. 33-44.
MICHALKÓ, G. (2004): A turizmuselmélet alapjai (Foundations of tourism theory), Kodolányi János Főiskola, Székesfehérvár, 218 p.
RODEKAMP, V. (2003): Zur Geschichte der Messen in Deutschland und Europa (On the history of fairs in Germany and Europe). In: KIRCHGEORG, M. – DORNSCEIDT, W. – GIESE, W. – STOECK,N.:
Handbuch Messemanagement (Handbook of fair management). Betriebswirtschaftlicher Verlag, Wiesbaden. pp. 5-14.
SCHOOP, K. (2003): Historie und Entwicklung von Fachmessekonzepten (History and development of specialised fairs) . In: KIRCHGEORG, M. – DORNSCEIDT, W. – GIESE, W. – STOECK,N.:
Handbuch Messemanagement (Handbook of fair management). Betriebswirtschaftlicher Verlag, Wiesbaden. pp. 15-29.
SWARBROOKE, J., HORNER, S. (2001): Business travel and tourism, Butterworth-Heinemann, 352 p.
TASNÁDI, J. (2002): A turizmus rendszere (The system of tourism), Aula Kiadó, Budapest. 281 p.
Recommended literature:
WTO (2003): MICE Outbound Tourism 2000
BÁLINT, GY. (2006): A kiállítás gyakorlata (The practice of exhibitions), G50 Kiadó, Kecskemét, 150 p.
TOMECSKÓ, E.(2003): Konferencia típusú rendezvények szervezése (Organisation of conference type events) , BGF KVIFK, Budapest
NAGY, .L. (1991): Nagyrendezvények és kongresszusok szervezése (Organisation of mega- events and congresses), VIVA Kft. Budapest
GYARMATI, I. (2001): Rendezvényszervező kézikönyv (Handbook of event organisation), Szókratész Külgazdasági Akadémia, Budapest
Related homepages:
http://wttc.org/
http://www.unwto.org/index.php http://www.hcb.hu/magyar http://itthon.hu/szakmaioldalak http://www.iccaworld.com/
http://www.uia.be/
Case studies:
Egy konferenciaközpont szolgáltatásai (Services of a conference centre): Europa Congress Center
Business törzsvendég programok szállodákban (Business returning guest programmes in hotels) Törzsutas program légitársaságoknál (Frequent flyer programmes at airlines): BA for Business
Magyar Kongresszusi Iroda hivatásturisztikai marketingterve (MICE tourism marketing plan of the Hungarian Congress Bureau)
Kiállítási helyszín: Hungexpo (An exhibition venue: Hungexpo
Tasks of the PCO feladatai (Tasks of the A PCO)Úszó resortok a MICE-piacon (Swimming resorts of the MICE market)