All aboard the MICE boat
TRAVEL agents and
operators are seeing
double-digit growth in
cruise bookings for MICE.
When South Africa enters a
recession, the MICE market
shifts towards regional
destinations or value-add
products such as cruising,
says Anthea Leonsins, md
of Travkor Sure Travel. She
says cruise operators are
snapping up the majority of
bookings from this sector,
driving sales with excellent
rates and offering extra value
for MICE passengers.
It’s also easy for agents
to book, Anthea says. “The
agent makes one booking
for an entire itinerary and allinclusive drinks packages can
be purchased ahead of time
so the passenger doesn’t
need to reach into their own
pocket during the trip.”
Jane Davidson, director of
Development Promotions,
says MICE passenger
numbers have grown by
37% over the past year, with
revenue up 61%.
“Our rate comparisons
have shown that passengers
save in the region of 20%
to 30% on an average daily
cruise rate, as compared
with the same experience on
land,” Jane adds, making it a
valuable alternative to other
packaged products.
Lizaan Schnettler, groups
and incentives manager of
Cruises International, has
also noticed an increase
in MICE bookings, saying
conference facilities
and meeting spaces are
complimentary as part of
Cruises’ group rates, and
include state-of-the-art AV
equipment, which is a good
sell for agents.
Hello Alaska
Development Promotions
has noted demand for a
wider spread of cruising
destinations, including
itineraries in Alaska and
the Baltic capitals. There’s
also been an increase in
requests from MICE clients
for exploration trips on
Hurtigruten, Jane says.
Europe, the Mediterranean
and Alaska are currently the
most popular MICE cruising
destinations, says Lizaan.
Alaska, the Caribbean,
USA, Norway and the
Mediterranean are Travkor’s
most popular MICE cruising
itineraries, says Anthea.
Samuel Herman, brand
leader of MICE for FCM Travel
Solutions, says he has also
seen an upswing in cruise
bookings. “MSC local cruises
are very popular with the
budget-conscious market.
We have also seen a lot of
interest in Asian itineraries.
The Mediterranean remains
ever popular,” he says.
Ross Volk, md of MSC
Cruises, says local cruises,
with shorter stays, are
popular with corporate clients
as it means less time out
of the office. MSC’s twonight ‘Cruise to Nowhere’
and its three-night cruise to
Portuguese Island are its top
sellers for the South African
MICE market.
“Delegates also appreciate
the convenience of having all
restaurants, entertainment
and facilities in one venue,
with no transportation
hassles for moving the
group,” he says.
Short and sweet
MICE trips are shorter and
groups smaller than in
previous years as clients with
tighter budgets would rather
forfeit the number of people
they reward at the expense of
a luxury trip.
Gustav Lammerding, sales
and marketing director of
Uwin Iwin, says shorter and
smaller trips are the easiest
way for clients to comply with
smaller budgets during tough
economic times. He says
the trend works in favour of
cruise and resort bookings
as delegates spend less time
travelling during their stay.
The size of conferences
has reduced, agrees Martine
Sanderson, group sales
manager of World Leisure
Holidays. “Our group sizes
range from 16 to 500,
averaging between 120 and
200 passengers. Larger
groups are not as prominent
as they used to be.”
Sweet deal
Cruises International is
sweetening its MICE offering
with a 5% group account
credit on Royal Caribbean
International bookings
(calculated on the total base
fare) for all groups of eight
or more staterooms booked
with a deposit before the
end of March. This credit
can be claimed as extra
commission for the agent or
toward a reduction on the
final payment for the group
or toward on-board credit
per person, team-building
events, high-speed Internet,
shore excursions, cocktail
receptions, beverage
packages or speciality
dining.
Unique venues from Celebrity
Celebrity Cruises’ new Celebrity Edge features unique areas for MICE groups, including
a rooftop garden that offers a special area for alfresco celebrations, such as movies
under the stars. The venue can accommodate up to 270 delegates. Another special
area on the new ship is The Meeting Place – a multipurpose space with a mobile bar
and pantry, which allows quick set up of food and beverages after hosting delegates
for the day. The venue accommodates 200 delegates.
Whats's tranding?
EXPERIENTIAL travel is
becoming popular with
the MICE market. More
corporates are looking
for unique adventures to
reward their clients and
top performers, says Lillie
Elpida of travel company,
Nomadical. These trips
tend to be smaller, with
an average of about 10
passengers and generally
involve ‘bucket list’
experiences.
Gorilla-trekking tours and
animal relocation projects
that allow small groups to
tag along are very popular,
she says. She has also
organised a number of
rhino-tagging tours in
local reserves such as
the Pilanesberg, where
the support vehicle with
her passengers follows
the helicopter in search of
untagged rhinos, who are
then darted.
The group are able to
watch the rhino being
darted and observe the
data collection and rhino
tagging process, which
usually takes between
30 and 45 minutes.
Ocean safari trips are
also a favourite, with
whale and dolphin diving
experiences.
Keen on green
Corporates are tracking
their carbon and looking
for ways to make their
conferences sustainable,
says Lillie.
Clients keen on
reducing single-use
plastics request reusable
water bottles and water
stations, she says. “We
source accommodation
establishments that are
eco-friendly and we are
seeing more hotels taking
measures in this regard.
This involves water-saving,
solar energy, and recycling
initiatives.”
Corporates are picking
menus that cut down on
meat consumption. Where
a three-course menu
would previously have
included meat in two of
the courses, corporates
are now choosing menus
with only one meat course
or vegan options.
When it comes to
itineraries, agents should
try to involve as little
motorised transport as
possible, giving delegates
the option to walk or cycle
between venues as often
as possible.
Getting an education
Business emersion is a
form of MICE travel that
is growing in popularity.
These are educational
roadshows organised for
clients, future leaders
and investors, where
groups travel to different
destinations to study
emerging or established
markets to learn about
unique products and
business opportunities.
Samuel Herman of FCM,
predicts that this sector
will show substantial
growth in the next few
years, with clients
expressing interest in
China and Africa trips in
particular.
These trips are already
popular with MBA
programmes.
Top destinations
The Far East and South
America are most popular
with incentive clients,
says Gustav Lammerding,
of Uwin Iwin. Europe has
shown a downswing due
to its comparatively high
costs, but he says Eastern
Europe is the exception,
with destinations such as
Croatia and Czech Republic
offering better value for
money.
Anthea Leonsins of
Travkor Sure Travel agrees,
saying that South East
Asia and Croatia as well as
Brazil are appealing valuefor-money destinations.
She adds that Travkor has
sourced suppliers directly
in the destination to cut out
“middle-man” costs.
Croatia and Turkey
are becoming popular
with the MICE market,
says Martine. “These
are hot commodities at
the moment due to the
excellent rates they offer
for cash-strapped South
Africans.”
Local is still lekker for
budget-conscious clients,
says Samuel. Cape Town
requests have picked up
again following an easing
of water restrictions. He
adds that FCM has seen
an increase in requests for
Réunion from companies
looking for something “a
little bit different”.
“Sports event requests
continue to stream in
with the Rugby World Cup,
the Olympics, Grand Prix
bookings and the Cricket
World Cup being their
most frequently requested
events,” he says.
Addis Ababa ups its game
THE capital of Ethiopia,
Addis Ababa, is investing
heavily in infrastructure
development and hotel
expansion in a bid to grow
its MICE business.
Ethiopian Airlines has
constructed a new five-star
hotel that will open at the
end of January.
The Ethiopian Skylight
Hotel is located a stone’s
throw from Addis Ababa
Bole International Airport. It
features a banqueting hall
that can accommodate up
to 2 000 guests and five
meeting rooms.
The hotel also features
373 rooms, four
restaurants, swimming
pools, a gym and health
centre, and an airline ticket
office.
A second phase of
development will see the
number of guest rooms
increase to 1 000.
Addis is the diplomatic
capital of Africa, with 120
foreign embassies and
diplomatic missions as well
as the headquarters of the
African Union (AU) and the
United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa
(UNECA), says Abel Alemu,
Ethiopian Airlines regional
manager for Southern Africa.
“There is a growing
number of international
hotel groups, including the
Hilton, Sheraton, Radisson
Blu, Golden Tulip, Marriott
and Ramada by Wyndham
entering the capital,” says
Abel.
“There are also world-class
conference venues at the
AU and UNECA.”
From an airline
perspective, Abel says MICE
bookings across its network
are growing, with Lagos, Tel
Aviv, Mumbai, Dubai, Madrid
and Rome proving most
popular with South African
clients.
Golfing getaway
Paradis Beachcomber
Golf Resort and Spa
hosts two annual golf
tournaments per year.
This year’s events take
place from July 1 - 6
and August 26 - 31. For
every four ball booked,
one person receives free
land arrangements. Golf
is played in the mornings,
leaving afternoons free
for conferencing or leisure
activities. Beachcomber is
also offering an optional
extra where delegates can
choose to extend their
stay at Trou aux Biches
Golf Resort and Spa,
including one game of golf
at the recently opened
Mont Choisy Le Golf.
News flash!
Air Mauritius’s new-generation A350-900 aircraft, which now operates
on the Johannesburg route, and the A340-300 on the Cape Town route,
together allow the airline to accommodate larger MICE groups, says
Carla da Silva, regional manager for Southern Africa and Latin America.
Air Mauritius’s MICE offerings include a free tour leader for every 50 air
tickets issued, discounted group fares, discounted business-class lounge
access, dedicated account management and airport check-in, printed
headrests on board, and free pre-seating for groups.
Case study: fresh destination for a high-profile incentive group
Q: What was the brief?
A: Travellers were high
profile and had travelled
extensively locally and
abroad in their personal
capacities. Based on this,
we proposed destinations
where the participants
would have been unlikely
to have travelled on their
own and Sri Lanka was
one of them. It’s still
a fairly unfamiliar and
unexplored destination for
South Africans, especially
in the MICE industry.
Q: How did you find the
process of working with
travel suppliers in Sri
Lanka?
A: It was smooth and
efficient. We worked
with a commendable
supplier who has good
representation here in
South Africa.
Q: What were
some of the other
considerations you
had to factor in when
designing a successful
incentive programme
for your client?
A: We had to consider
shortening travel
distances where possible,
especially since the
programme was short
(four nights) and jampacked. After a site
visit, we changed the
programme slightly by
moving the group to
a beach resort closer
to the airport without
compromising on the
quality and experience.
Q: What challenges did
you encounter along the
way?
A: While on the site visit,
I was surprised by the long
travel times. Sri Lanka
is not big, however the
country is in the process
of constructing highways
– a 100km distance
takes an average of twoand-a-half to three hours
because you have to drive
on two-lane congested
roads through small towns
and villages. I made
certain that this was
communicated clearly to
the client on the itinerary
and in person. We also
broke the journey up by
stopping en route. On our
way to Kandy
from Colombo, we had
lunch at Ambepussa,
which is a halfway point.
On board the coach we
provided WiFi and a variety
of refreshments and
snacks for each transfer.
Q: What were some of
the main highlights?
A: Unquestionably the food
and the humility, kindness
and warmth of the Sri
Lankans! Others were the
Colombo Highlights tour
in tuk-tuks, Sigiriya Rock
Fortress, a traditional
Kamatha lunch and a
three-hour trip between
Kandy and Negombo on
board the vintage train,
Viceroy Special.
Q: Any tips?
A: I would recommend a
minimum of a five-night
programme, for a good
balance of group activities
and leisure time.
TGCSA sorts the rats from the MICE
THE Tourism Grading Council
of South Africa (TGCSA) has
announced its new grading
standards, gazetted for
implementation from April
1, with a strong focus on
satisfying the needs of the
MICE market.
Darryl Erasmus, TGCSA’s
chief quality assurance
officer, says the council
worked closely with the South
African Association for the
Conference Industry (SAACI)
to determine what conference
organisers’ requirements
were when planning MICE
events using graded venues.
A number of new venue
subcategories have been
added to TGCSA’s Meetings,
Exhibitions and Special
Events (MESE) category,
allowing venues to position
themselves in one or more
class.
Venue subcategories
include conference or
exhibition centres with
dedicated meetings rooms;
multi-functional spaces that
can accommodate meetings,
receptions, banquets and
exhibitions; large convention
centres with a variety of
different venues for events;
in-hotel convention centres
on the same property as
a hotel; event venues with
indoor or outdoor multipurpose facilities designed
for hosting events; historic
venues or landmarks that
reflect historical value that
have been adapted to host
special events (such as
galleries, museums, castles,
wineries and stately homes);
and function venues that
provide space for smaller,
special events.
News flash!
Legacy Hotels and Resorts is currently constructing a major multipurpose hotel development in Sandton,
costing an estimated R2 billion. The hotel will feature conference facilities that can host approximately
350 people. Other features include 140 guest rooms, 200 apartments and a three-floor penthouse
Leonardo suite. The hotel will also feature a pool, restaurant, spa, gym and eight floors of parking.
Photocap: Book it!
The recent refurbishment of Beachcomber’s Canonnier
Golf Resort and Spa has seen increased demand from
MICE organisers for the hotel, says Joanne Visagie,
sales and marketing director of Beachcomber Tours.
Beachcomber Tours is currently offering 30% off
stays at Canonnier for travel between June 1 and 30,
booked this January. Packages start at R16 360pps.
For more details, see Travelinfo.
Ideas for events in Sandton
Traffic, traffic, traffic
Take rush hour into
consideration and start
meetings at events between
09h00 and 10h00 to allow
delegates to make it on
time. Encourage delegates
to use the Gautrain or Ubertype transport and ensure
that the venue you have
chosen has ample parking.
It is always best to send
delegates clear advice on
where and how to access
parking.
What’s on locally?
Remember that big venues
such as the Sandton
Convention Centre can
host a couple of thousand
delegates at its expos,
so it is important to find
out about the local events
planned when saving the
date for your event.
Choose your rooms
There are multiple
accommodation options
in varying price categories
ranging from large, five-star
hotels to smaller boutique
hotels and apartments.
The client’s budget will
largely determine where you
accommodate delegates
but often it is more costeffective to book 24-hour
conference packages at
a more expensive hotel
than to choose stand-alone
accommodation venues that
appear to be cheaper.
Always negotiate a good
package at the hotel where
the conference is actually
taking place. Or, if it is a
conference venue that does
not offer accommodation,
enquire who their
accommodation partners are
and what sort of discounts
they can arrange.
Activities and dinner
venues
Take into consideration
the activities a group
might want. There are
some wonderful and varied
restaurants in Sandton that
cater for groups. Pappas
on the Square for Greekinspired cuisine, Hard Rock
Café for burgers and local
bands and Grill House for
excellent steaks, are a few.
Theatre on the Square often
has excellent productions
and fabulous jazz evenings
if your group is looking for
something different.
Budget considerations
During some months of the
year, venues have specials
and Sandton hotels are no
different. January is usually
a slow month for venues,
as are the school holiday
months – generally April, July,
and December. If you, as the
planner, can arrange your
meeting or event in these
months, you are generally
assured of a special or
discounted rate.
