MICE FUTURIST ON THE FUTURE OF MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

10 Jul MICE FUTURIST ON THE FUTURE OF MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

Posted at 16:44h in Uncategorized by

As MICE futurists can tell you, most people who hear the term are often unfamiliar with it at first blush. But as it turns out, the  industry refers to a type of tourism in which large groups, usually planned well in advance, are brought together for a particular purpose. Curious what the acronym stands for? As frequent MICE futurist keynote speakers, allow us to provide a quick cheat sheet:

  • M: Meetings
  • I: Incentives
  • C: Conferences
  • E: Exhibitions (or Events)

Now let’s offer a brief explanation of each component:

  1. Meetings: Per MICE futurists, we’re talking about the gathering of people for a purpose, which may be business or educational. Typically, it involves a get-together between at least two parties – generally more like two dozen minimum in practice, however.

  2. Incentives: Travel that is offered as a form of reward to employees for their performance and productivity. It’s used as a motivational tool to achieve business objectives and incentivize individuals to give their best efforts.

  3. Conferences: Naturally, we’re talking about formal meetings, often lasting several days, which are organized around a specific theme or topic. Participants usually come from various organizations and backgrounds. A conference can accommodate groups of dozens, but more frequently than not welcomes around 300 or more people to its confines. Gatherings may even be so large as to contain different tracks or groups or programs and content.

  4. Exhibitions/Events: Think of such gatherings as public events where goods or services are displayed. Such programs are often organized so companies can showcase and demonstrate their latest products.

In any event, the MICE industry is considered a major segment within the tourism and hospitality sector, with entire locations, venues, and facilities dedicated to serving these types of professional events. Industry programs can range from major international trade fairs and exhibitions to corporate meetings, conventions, and workshops of all shapes, formats, and sizes.