Meaning of MICE
Industry
MICE is an acronym for meetings, incentives,
conferences, conventions, and exhibitions industry. The
MICE industry is one of the fastest-growing and
lucrative areas of the tourism and hospitality industry.
Definition of Terms
The following are the definitions of each sub-sector of
MICE:
1. Meeting - gathering of people for a common purpose
such as business, social, or religious purpose. Meetings
do not include exhibits.
2. Incentive-reward event intended to showcase
persons who meet or exceed sales or production goals.
It is also called incentive program.
3. Conference - participatory meeting designed for
discussion, fact-finding, problem- solving, and
consultation. It is used by an organization to exchange
views, convey a message, open a debate, or give
publicity to some area of opinion on a specific issue. No
tradition, continuity, or periodicity is required to
convene a conference.
Compared to a congress, a conference is smaller in
scale.
4. Convention - gathering of individuals in which the
planning activity of the attendees is to attend
educational sessions, participate in
meetings/discussions, socialize, or attend other
organized events. Conventions include exhibits.
Congress is the European term for convention.
5. Exhibition - the display of products or promotional
materials for purposes of public relations, sales, and/or
marketing. It is an activity designed for suppliers of
products, goods, and/or services to demonstrate and
promote to a certain market. It is the European term for
exposition.
6. Exposition-larger in scale than an exhibition. It
generally consists of a huge public display of the goods
and services of a particular industry.
7. Event - an occurrence, happening, and activity
designed around various themes in order to create or
enhance interest in a destination.
The Role of MICE in the Tourism and Hospitality
The MICE industry is an exciting and profitable segment
of the tourism and hospitality industry. A major source
of revenue for the tourism and hospitality industry
comes from the meetings, incentives, conventions, and
saw great increases in expenditures, meetings,
incentives, conventions, and exhibitions experienced
great growth as well. With the many changes the
tourism and hospitality industry has undergone in the
past 20 years, the importance of MICE has become
more with one another face-to-face has been the
driving force behind the growth of recognized.
Components of the MICE Industry
There are four major components of the MICE industry,
namely:
• planners and groups they represent,
• host facilities
• services, and
• exhibitors.
 Planners are individuals or groups that plan
meetings, conventions, and exhibitions.
Planners are classified into a number of
categories such as corporate meeting planners,
association meeting planners, and independent
meeting planners. Corporate meeting planners
work exclusively for a corporation. Association
meeting planners work exclusively for an
association. Independent meeting planners
contract their services to both associations and
corporations.
 Host facilities provide lodging, meeting rooms,
food and beverage, as well as a number of
other services for groups attending meetings,
conventions, or exhibitions. Host facilities
include hotels, conference centers, resort
hotels, universities, bed and breakfast inns, etc.
 Services refer to individuals and organizations
that provide support for the meetings,
conventions, and exhibitions segment of the
tourism and hospitality industry. Service
suppliers include transportation companies,
attractions, tour guide companies, and
entertainers.
  Exhibitors are financially linked with all
segments of the MICE industry. They provide
much of the revenue needed for the planners to
hold meetings, conventions, and exhibitions.
Exhibitors are persons who work for the
company. Other names for an exhibitor are
advertising director, communication director, or
director of marketing, who is involved with the
corporate exhibit program. The main aim of
exhibitors is to introduce their products, both
new and old, to an interested audience.
History of the MICE Industry
Archeologists who investigated ancient cultures have
found ruins that served as places where primitive
people gathered to discuss common interests such as
hunting plans, war activities, peace negotiations, and
tribal celebrations. Each village or hamlet had its
common gathering place. As geographical areas grew,
cities became the meeting places for people who
wanted to trade goods or discuss common problems. As
cities became the center of activities for geographical
regions and transportation improved, the desire of the
people to gather and discuss things of common interest
became more widespread. Trade associations,
professional, fraternal, and religious organizations
assembled to discuss relevant issues. Discussions of
trade regulations, as well as selling or trading of goods,
were the main reasons for convening. Many trade,
professional, fraternal, and religious associations have
historical roots in Europe. In the United States, such
activity took place only in the mid-1800s. As America
grew, so did its trade, professional, fraternal, and
religious associations.
In the Philippines, Manila, its capital, is proud to have
pioneered the international meeting industry in
Southeast Asia. 1976 was a memorable year for the
region. It was in this year that Manila opened its door to
Asia's first full-fledged convention center-the Philippine
International Convention Center (PICC) to the
International Monetary Fund/World Bank Meeting.
Since then, Manila has developed its professionalism
and expertise. It has developed an infrastructure of
deluxe accommodations, efficient transportation
network, and modern telecommunications to support a
versatile range of meeting facilities. In 1996, Manila
celebrated 20 years as a leading destination for
meetings, conventions, and exhibitions.
The Growth of the MICE Industry
The growth of the MICE industry has been remarkable.
Most of this development has occurred within the past
10 years. This growth has been due to several factors:
meeting planners associations, the airline industry, the
lodging industry, convention centers, conference
centers, meeting technology, and ground handlers.
Meeting Planners Associations
Development of associations is connected with meeting
planners. These associations not only grew in numbers
but also expanded the list of services they offered to
their members. Majority of these associations increased
their emphasis on education. Other growth factors
included the rise of the independent meeting planners,
the increase in the number of women planners,
certification and development of standards, and the
integration of travel agents into the profession.
Airline Industry
The advancement of the airline industry enabled people
to travel quickly and efficiently. This was made possible
by the introduction of the jet airplane-an invention that
revolutionized transportation worldwide. A relevant
factor was the deregulation of the airline industry which
resulted in vigorous competition among airlines to
attract more passengers. This caused a reduction in the
cost of air travel.
Lodging Industry
The lodging industry recognized the financial
importance of MICE. Hotels grew and became
convention centers. Hoteliers learned to adapt their
services to different clients. Property marketing
directors learned how to work with meeting planners.
Convention Centers
Convention centers expanded in terms of exhibition
spaces, accessibility, and storage facilities. They were
able to accommodate all the activities of a convention
and trade show under one roof. Traffic was improved,
allowing large numbers of people to move quickly from
one area to another.
Convention Bureaus
Convention bureaus grew rapidly both in numbers and
size of operations. The number of bureaus has doubled
since 1980, from 100 to more than 250. Their operators
have become more professional. They actively
participate in industry and association affairs.
Conference Centers
Conference centers changed their appearances during
the past two decades. For some time, they maintained a
"business only" appearance. This has been replaced by
modern restaurants, recreational facilities, and the
latest high-tech audiovisual equipment.
Meeting Technology
Modern audiovisual equipment gave meeting planners
a greater degree of flexibility and creativity that was
never possible in the past. Video projectors, 360-degree
projection techniques, multi-image presentations, and
unique sound systems have become very common.
Ground Handlers
Importance of the MICE Industry
One of the most rapidly growing segments of the
tourism and hospitality industry is the MICE industry. In
the United States, it has developed into an industry that
is worth more than $25 billion. The international
convention and exhibition market has grown
considerably in Western Europe mainly in France,
Belgium, Great Britain, and Switzerland.
Conventions and exhibitions generate a tremendous
amount of revenue within the tourism and hospitality
industry. Travel sales from meetings, conventions, and
exhibitions are so important to the economy that all
levels of government have organized, advertised, and
provided services to attract these groups. The United
States has offices in major industrial countries to help
organizations with travel arrangements to the country.
Each state allots a major part of its budget to
advertising to encourage conventions and business
travel to their state. Majority of cities with a population
of around 200,000 have visitor and convention centers
that aim to attract and support meetings, conventions,
and exhibitions.
Over the years, the International Association of
Convention and Visitors Bureaus has undertaken an
assessment of the economic impact of MICE. It was
found out that out-of- town convention delegates
spend an average of $638 for a 3.5-day stay. Delegates
to international, national, or regional conventions/
exhibitions stay an average of 4.1 days and spend an
average of $818. Trade show delegate expenditures
exceed $1,000, including exhibitor and association
expenditures.
The International Association of Convention and Visitors
Bureaus has conducted these studies for several years
involving the United States and non-U.S. cities. These
studies showed that approximately 82 million delegates
attended 267,810 meetings with a direct economic
impact of more than $56.6 billion.
Associations
An association is an organized body that promotes and
enhances a common interest activity or purpose.
Modern associations find their roots in historical times.
Roman and Oriental craftsmen in ancient times formed
associations for the improvement of their trade. In the
middle ages, associations were in the form of guilds,
which were organized to obtain proper wages and to
maintain work standards.
Associations are classified into two main categories-
trade associations and professional associations. Both
are organized for the betterment of their members.
The main activity for both types of associations is to
gather and exchange information through publications,
educational seminars, newsletters, and meetings.
Trade associations are nonprofit organizations that are
designed to address the needs of for-profit businesses.
The members are business agencies that have the same
objective. A good example is the Professional
Convention Management Association (PCMA) whose
members are involved in the conventions and meetings
industry. Professional associations are nonprofit
organizations that are not business-oriented.
They are designed to help their members realize their
objectives. Professional associations are divided into
three sections. The first sector consists of the members
with the same interests such as the American
Association of the Retired Person (AARP). The second
sector consists of scientific, engineering, and learned
associations such as the Council of the Hotel,
Restaurant and Institutional Education (CHRIE). The
third sector is concerned with religious, charitable, and
public services such as the American Heart Association.

Convention Centers
A comprehensive convention center is a public agency
whose aim is to host meetings and exhibits in a venue.
It provides banquet, food and beverage, and concession
services. Majority of convention centers are owned by
the city, country, or state government and are operated
by an appointed board or authority. An example of a
convention center is the PICC. Other examples are the
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York and the
Anaheim Convention Center in California. In some
cases, convention centers may be managed by private
management companies.
Convention centers provide big, flexible rooms for trade
shows and smaller spaces for banquets, meetings, and
association parties. The convention and visitors bureau
assists in marketing convention centers.
Historically, convention centers were organized to serve
the community. However, at present, convention
centers are profit centers. Many convention centers
obtain revenues by renting their exhibition and meeting
rooms. Other sources of revenue come from food and
beverage catering, concessions, and vending. Many
convention centers offer specialized services to
exhibitors who take part in shows held in it.
Examples are electrical, telephone, stage construction,
lighting, plumbing, air, and sound.
Conference Centers
A conference center is a specialized hospitality
operation which aims to facilitate and support small to
medium size meetings of 20 to 50 people. Conference
centers are different from convention centers because
majority of conference centers provide overnight
accommodations for their participants. The guests at a
conference center do not need to leave the center
during the entire duration of their conference because
all their needs, such as meals, accommodations, and
leisure activities, will be provided by the conference
center. The conference center was established to meet
the growing demand for specialized meetings. The
design of the conference center emphasizes comfort
and privacy for the attendees.
A unique characteristic of a conference center is that it
provides continuous refreshment throughout the
meeting, thus, allowing the attendees to take a break
whenever they feel like doing so. Another unique
feature of a conference center is that it charges only
one price that includes meals, room rates, meeting
rooms, audiovisual equipment, coffee breaks, and paper
supplies needed by the participants.
Tour Operators
Tour operators play an important role in the MICE
industry. They work with meeting planners in arranging
tours and activities for meeting attendees and their
families who combine business with pleasure. Most
often, convention delegates stay in the convention city
for a few days after the convention to relax, sightsee, or
enjoy the entertainment in the city. Tour operators
often create tour packages for the spouse, guest, or
children of the attendees. Thus, while the participants
attend their meetings, their spouses and guests may be
brought to a local museum or art gallery while the
children may be brought to a theme park or a zoo.
The convention delegates usually receive information
about the tours several weeks before the convention.
Because there is a growing trend for meeting attendees
to bring their families with them, the job of the tour
operator is becoming more important in the MICE
industry.
Trade Shows and Expositions
Trade shows, expositions, and scientific/technical
conferences are terms that are used interchangeably in
the MICE industry. Exhibition was historically a
European term. As we become more global, Americans
have adopted the term to refer to traveling shows such
as art exhibitions. According to the CLC glossary,
expositions are public shows. Historically, trade shows
are private shows which are open only to those involved
in the industry. Although some trade shows open
themselves to the public on their final days, majority
are still private.
All these terms describe an activity which aims to
represent a major industry marketing event. Trade
shows provide a venue in which individuals associated
with a particular industry can bring their products and
exhibit them together. The forum allows the attendees
and exhibitors to exchange information about their
products.
For example, an annual trade show is sponsored by the
American Hotel and Motel Association every November
in New York City. This trade show brings together all the
suppliers associated with the hotel and motel industry.
Trade shows have a very interesting history. According
to Evan St. Lifer, trade shows or expositions started
when caravans crossing the desert would meet and
exchange products. In the United States, the history of
trade shows dates back to 1876 when Alexander
Graham Bell showed his telephone at the Philadelphia
Centennial Exposition, a show celebrating America's
first 100 years.
With the advent of the industrial era, marketing of
products became very important. Salesmen spent most
of their time on the road selling their products. Because
it was impractical to call on customers individually,
salesmen began to rent hotel rooms to display their
wares. They invited their customers to look at their
display. This practice was beneficial to individual
companies.
As the trade shows industry expanded, hotels became
insufficient to use. By the mid-1920s, hardworking
individuals developed an exhibit hall in which large
groups of exhibitors who shared a common product
showcased their wares together. This gave trade shows
a new look. Clients were no longer crowded in small
hotel rooms and not allowed to leave the room until
they placed their orders. In exhibit halls, clients were
allowed to roam freely from one booth to another.
Hotels
Hotels play an important role in the MICE industry.
Hotels provide comfortable overnight accommodations
for out-of-town guests for a meeting, convention, or
trade show. In addition, many hotels provide meeting
rooms, convention facilities, and small exposition halls
for meetings and conventions. Meetings and
conventions have become a major source of revenue
for many hotels. This revenue is generated through the
rental of sleeping rooms, food and beverage, as well as
rental of meeting spaces.
The most important person in a hotel is the convention
service manager. He or she acts as a liaison between the
meeting planner and the hotel. This position has
increased the marketability of hotels as convention sites
because the primary aim of the convention service
manager is to service the meeting or convention.
Meeting planners need not deal with different
department heads within the hotel. The convention
service manager can help them with all their needs.
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
A convention and visitors bureau is a nonprofitable
organization designed to solicit visitors and conventions
to a community. Majority are privately owned although
some are housed within the state government. They are
funded through the hotel accommodations tax. The
convention and visitors bureau coordinates all activities
of meetings and conventions. These include marketing
the destination, providing information about possible
host facilities, coordinating familiarization tours for
meeting planners and associations, executives, and
acting as liaison between the group and several
suppliers within the community.
The Process of Providing a MICE Event According to
Rutherford, the process of providing a MICE event is
often compared with the design of a wheel. At the
center of the wheel is the MICE event which may be a
conference or exhibition that will be managed by a
conference organizer. All specialists who provide
services are located on the spokes of the wheel (see
Figure 2.1). During the planning of the MICE event, one
or more of the service specialists or suppliers might
assume a specific role that is very important for the
success of an event. An example is the transport
supplier who provides transfers of international
delegates from the airport to the venue. Around the
edge of the wheel are the delegates or customers. Any
time during the event, the delegates will come into
contact with the suppliers. Their overall experience of
the event will be influenced by each of the service
specialists or suppliers.
Hence, the interrelationship between each supplier and
the delegates is very important the success of the MICE
event. Figure 2.1 shows the key players of the MICE
industry. These include hotels, facilities, support
services, associations, professional congress organizers,
incentives travel organizers, and convention and visitors
bureaus.
 10. Prepare the exhibitor correspondence and
packet
11. Create a marketing plan
12. Plan travel to and from the site

Meaning of MICE Planner 13. Arrange ground transportation

Individuals or groups who sponsor meetings usually 14. Organize shipping
appoint a single individual or committee to coordinate 15. Organize audiovisual needs
the meeting. The person coordinating the meeting is On-site Activities:
called several names-MICE planner, meeting planner,
meeting manager, coordinator, meeting director, and 1. Conduct pre-event briefing
professional congress organizer (PCO). 2. Prepare executive plan
3. Move people in/out
Characteristics and Responsibilities of MICE Planners 4. Troubleshoot
MICE planners must possess strong administrative and 5. Approve invoices
leadership qualities. In a study conducted by Strick and
Montgomery, the following are the 10 personality Post-meeting Activities
characteristics of successful MICE planners:
1. Debrief
1. Organized 2. Evaluate
2. Efficient 3. Provide recognition and appreciation
3. Responsive 4. Arrange shipping
4. Attentive 5. Plan for next year
5. Intelligent
These responsibilities may vary due to the nature of the
6. Prompt
association, corporation, or group that the planner is
7. Courteous
representing. In general, the association and corporate
8. Hardworking
planners are responsible for all aspects of the meeting,
9. Friendly
including the agenda, while the independent meeting
10. Hospitable
planner may only be responsible for certain aspects of
Majority of association and corporate meeting planners the meeting, such as site selection, agenda planning,
are between the ages of 35 and 55. More than 50 budgetary matters, and negotiations.
percent are women and 66 percent have a college
PRE-MEETING ACTIVITIES
education. Most of them have more than four years of
experience in the field. The Meeting Agenda

Responsibilities of MICE Planners Before a MICE planner can start planning the meeting,
he or she must know why the meeting is being held.
In general, MICE planners are responsible for the
Meetings and conventions are often held for several
following:
reasons- training, problem-solving, brainstorming,
Pre-meeting Activities: planning, networking, team building, etc. If the MICE
planner is involved in the meeting agenda, he or she
1. Plan the agenda of the meeting should give advice with regard to the proper handling of
2. Establish the objectives of the meeting specific types of meetings. For example, if the group
3. Predict the attendance sponsoring the meeting want team building
4. Set the budget of the meeting experiences, the MICE planner will give advice on how
5. Select the site of the meeting this could be achieved through room setup, education,
6. Select the meeting facility and recreational activities.
7. Select the hotel
8. Negotiate contracts Meeting Objectives
9. Plan exhibition
The meeting agenda provides the basis for the 14. Spousal programs
establishment of objectives. The meeting objectives, in 15. Food and beverage events
turn, will provide the groundwork for the budget, the 16. Gratuities
site selection, and the site facility. 17. Interpreter
18. On-site personnel
19. Rental fees for meeting and exposition space
Budget of the Meeting
Attendance
Setting a budget for the meeting is a difficult task. It is
Attendance determines the success of a meeting or
successful if the MICE planner is consulted before the
convention. To solicit attendance, the MICE planner
budget is finalized. A working budget should be
should develop a marketing plan. To develop a
established and used as a guideline in making decisions.
marketing plan, the MICE planner must know what he
The planner should be consulted when changes in the
or she and the sponsoring organization are marketing
budget are made. The budget should contain income
and who the prospective attendees are. The work of the
and expenditures as thoroughly as possible. Many MICE
MICE planner is easier if he or she has a list of attendees
planners have lost their clients or jobs because of their
and has demographic, psychographic, and historical
inability to hold the event within the established
data regarding past meeting participants. If the MICE
budget.
planner is not familiar with the potential attendees, that
Hence, it is very important that every possible person should develop a profile of them through
expenditure is included in the budget before the event discussions with the executive directors of the
takes place. association or corporation. The planner must develop
questionnaires to determine the needs, desires, and
Income for a meeting, convention, or exposition could expectations of the group. These questionnaires should
include the following: be administered before the event.
1. Registration fees The MICE planner should determine the marketing
2. Exhibitor fees strategies that are best suited to the target market.
3. Company or sponsoring organization money Successful marketing planners must understand the
revenues importance of marketing their meetings and should
4. Advertising revenues allocate enough time and financial resources to
5. Revenues from the sale of educational materials successfully market meetings.
6. Event sponsor contributions
7. Registration fee interest Site, Meeting Facility, and Hotel Selection
8. Grants or contributions
The success of a meeting, convention, or exposition
Expenses for a meeting, convention or exposition depends on the site and facilities chosen. The selection
could include the following: of the site and meeting facility is based on the purpose
of the meeting. The services provided by the site as well
1. Meeting planner fees as the personnel and ambiance have a great influence
2. Marketing expenses on the attendees perception of the event. Factors that
3. Printing and copying expenses determine the desirability of the site include airport
4. Mailing access, ground transportation, number of meeting
5. Shipping rooms and hotel rooms, as well as good services.
6. Support supplies such as office supplies
7. Support staff When selecting a host city, the following are the
8. Audiovisual equipment questions that should be answered:
9. Signage
9. Have you used the site before?
10. Speaker fees, honorarium, and expenses
10. Is the site easily accessible for the majority of
11. Mementos for guests and attendees
your participants?
12. Tours
13. Ground transportation
 11. Does the geographic area lend itself to pre- and
post-meeting or conference excursions?
12. Is the ground transportation appropriate for the
group?
13. What is the reputation of the site?
14. Is the climate acceptable to your participants?
15. Are there enough meeting spaces and sleeping
rooms available to accommodate your group
during the desired period?
When choosing the meeting facility and the hotel,
service is the first priority. MICE planners must provide
a level of service that makes the guests feel at home,
well cared for, and anxious to return. Along with the
service attitude of the staff, MICE planners are also
looking for a higher level of services for their special
attendees-the physically handicapped and those with
special dietary needs.
Another important area to be considered is the ability
to meet the needs of their international attendees. The
facilities, services, and amenities that have to be
provided are multilingual staff, easy exchange of
currency, interpreters, international codes and symbols
on guest information and signage, and the ability to
accommodate special dietary considerations.
When choosing the meeting facilities, the specific
questions to be asked are:
1. Have you stayed in the facility before?
2. What have you heard from other groups with
regard to this facility?
3. Is the facility accessible from the airport?
4. Is the physical appearance appealing?
5. Is the facility kept in good repair?
6. What kind of first impression does the facility
make?
7. Does the facility have the needed space
available?
8. What are the number, size, and caliber of
meeting rooms and guest rooms?
9. Does the facility provide VIP accommodations?
10. Are nonsmoking rooms available?
11. Does the facility provide appropriate food and
beverage services?
12. Does the facility provide appropriate
recreational opportunities?
13. What time is check-in?
14. Can special arrangements be made for early
check-in and late check- out?
15. Can special rates apply before the meeting and
after the meeting in case the participants would
like to arrive early or stay late?
16. What are the check-in and check-out
procedures?
17. Are staff members appropriately dressed,
knowledgeable, and courteous?
18. Does the facility provide the support staff the
group will need to successfully host the
meeting, convention, or exposition?
19. Is the signage appropriate?
20. What is the proximity of the facility to shopping,
dining, and entertainment facilities?
21. Is the room rate appropriate for the group?
22. What kind of deposit is required?
23. What is the guarantee and cancellation policy?
24. What other groups will be on-site during your
meeting?
25. What kind of room block will they provide?
26. Are the safety and security features working
and up-to-date?
• The person in charge of site selection should
never sign a contract with a facility unit after just
one site visit. It is suggested that the MICE planner
makes two visits to the site-one announced and one
unannounced. After the announced visit has been
successfully completed, the MICE planner should
visit the site unannounced, perhaps even using a
different name. This visit will give the planner a
view of how guests are usually treated. After
completing the two site visitations, the planner can
negotiate and sign the contract.
• After the site has been selected, the actual
meeting, conference, or exhibition can be planned.
A detailed agenda can be made which will include
meeting rooms and recreational activities. After this
has been completed, the planner, together with the
sponsoring organization should implement their
marketing strategy.
• In a corporate training meeting, the marketing
may only be a flier or memo
discussing the time, date, place, and agenda. If the
event is a major convention, marketing starts one
year before the event. In general, the convention is
marketed in the registration packet of the previous
year's convention. The type of information that
should be included in the marketing piece should be
 dates, places, and a general overview of the theme.
As the dates for the meeting, convention, or
exhibition approaches, the marketing material
should become more specific. The MICE planner
should also develop the exhibitor correspondence
and packet. The exhibitor correspondence should
include the correspondence sent to the registrants
together with the information specific to the
exhibition. The exhibitor packet may be developed
by the MICE planner or by the exhibition manager.
• The last thing the MICE planner will be
responsible for is to develop the final blueprint for
the actual meeting, convention, or exhibition. This
blueprint is often called the staging guide, staging
book, planner's guide, planning book, or
coordinator's book or guide. This book provides
step-by-step detail about everything required for
the event. It provides the MICE planner with all the
pertinent information during the event, thus
allowing that person to check all room setups,
audiovisual needs, and so forth.
ON-SITE ACTIVITIES
• The MICE planner should arrive at least one hour
before the event in the case of a single meeting. In
case of a major convention or exposition, the MICE
planner should arrive several days before the event
to oversee the move in activities.
During the move-in process, the MICE planner will
work closely with facility managers and other
individuals responsible for the successful execution
of the event. The MICE planner acts as the director
of the move-in process and coordinates the
functions of these key individuals.
• When an event is sponsored by an association,
the MICE planner will work with the executive staff
as well as the association members who work with
the executive staff and volunteer committees.
Before the move-in, those individuals involved
should be trained in their respective roles. During
the event, communication lines should remain open
between all key players.
• Open communication is maintained through pre-
convention meetings. Regardless of the size of the
event, there should always be a pre-event briefing
meeting to ensure that all the bases are covered.
Pre-event briefing meetings should include all
responsible individuals on the venue's staff. These
individuals could include the general manager,
salesperson, convention service manager, catering
manager, chef, front desk manager, and room
division manager. The sponsoring organization
should be represented by those individuals who
have management responsibilities. If the sponsoring
organization is an association, those attending the
meeting could include the president, vice president,
secretary, treasurer, and the association's
professional staff.
• During the pre-event briefing, the participants will
brief each other regarding the changes that have
taken place since the event guide was developed.
Each department head will discuss the
arrangements he or she has made to service the
group.
• After the pre-event briefing, the MICE planner and
his or her staff will monitor all events to ensure that
the needs of the attendees are being met. They are
also responsible for managing all the people
associated with the meeting to be sure that the plan
is properly executed.
• In order to execute the plan properly, it is
necessary to have a thorough event guide and
maintain open lines of communication between the
sponsoring organization and the host venue. If the
event lasts for more than one day; there should be
meetings at the start of each day to enable the
sponsoring organization's representative, the MICE
planner, and the convention service coordinator to
discuss problems that may have arisen and review
the changes made. No matter how thorough a
planner has been, there will be changes. The
success of the event will depend on the planner's
ability to respond to these changes.
Another important function of the MICE planner is to
approve all invoices. It is the practice of host venues to
present an invoice at the end of each major food and
beverage function. It is the responsibility of the planner
to check the accuracy of these invoices and to make the
necessary changes, if any.
POST-MEETING ACTIVITIES
After the conclusion of the event, the MICE planner
should hold a debriefing session. This meeting should
include all the persons present at the pre-event
briefing. The aim of the debriefing sessions is to allow
all those involved to discuss openly their perceptions
about the meeting. At this time, the items of contention
will be discussed and resolved.
The MICE planner is also responsible for administering
the evaluation. This can be done in a number of ways.
The sponsoring organization may place evaluation
information in every session so that it can evaluate the
perception of the attendees for each event. An
evaluation form may also be placed in the registration
packet of the attendees, and attendees should be
encouraged to complete the evaluation form before
they leave the site. The evaluation may also be mailed
to the attendees once they leave the meeting. A
summary of the evaluation should be compiled and
used in the planning of future events.
Sponsors of MICE can be:
1. Associations
2. Corporations
3. Trade unions
4. Independent companies who sponsor and
operate trade shows
5. Religious groups
6. Theater and arts groups
7. Social organizations
These organizations have varied reasons for sponsoring
MICE. In the case of corporations, meetings may be
designed to disseminate information, solve problems,
train people, or plan for the future. Associations may
sponsor meetings and exhibitions for purposes of
networking, educating members, solving problems, or
generating revenue.
Sponsors of MICE are responsible for determining
whether or not there is a valid need for the meeting.
After justifying the need for holding the meeting, the
sponsor must decide how to plan the meeting, Planning
is often assigned to individuals who have little
knowledge on how to plan, organize, and execute
meetings. Thus, it is not surprising that meetings are
poorly organized, and the participants become
disappointed. To avoid this problem, many sponsoring
organizations hire individuals who have formal training
in MICE management.
In the case of exhibitions, sponsors either take the role
of the exhibition manager or find someone to fill the
position. Exhibition managers can be employees of an
association or a show management company or they
can be private entrepreneurs who perform tasks such as
the conceptualization and development of trade shows.
The Process of MICE Planning
There are several steps to be followed in the process of
MICE planning. These are the following
1. Establishing goals and objectives
2. Targeting the population
3. Designing the program
4. Creating a budget
5. Selecting a site
6. Negotiating contracts
7. Formulating committees
8. Establishing a marketing and promotion plan
9. Hiring sub-contractors
10. Designing food and beverage functions
The process continues on-site during the actual event,
Activities include move-in/move- out, implementing the
plan, coordinating the various participants in the event,
and managing the overall meeting. Post-event activities
include evaluation, feedback, and planning for the
future.
Goals and Objectives
The goals and objectives of MICE should be established
by the sponsor. One of the first responsibilities of a
MICE planner is to meet with the sponsor of the event
in order to know the reasons for holding the meeting.
The MICE planner should understand whether the
sponsor of the meeting or convention is interested in
providing an educational experience for the attendees,
entertaining the attendees and their families, boosting
the morale of the attendees, solving a specific problem,
or a combination of these objectives. MICE objectives
should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic,
and timed (SMART).
Targeting the Population
After determining the goals and objectives, those
involved in the planning stage of the meeting,
convention, and exhibition must determine who should
attend.
In the case of exhibitions, the development of the
exhibitor list, as well as the target audience, must be
considered. The sponsoring organization must attract
exhibitors to their exhibition. To do this, the sponsor
should convince exhibitors that the show will provide an
excellent marketing opportunity for them. The
sponsoring organization should provide the exhibitor
with a prospectus outlining the proposed audience,
thus, allowing the exhibitor to determine whether or
not the attendees are their targeted audience.
Targeting the population is very important to both
meetings and exhibitions.
Designing the Program
The program design is the structuring, balancing, and
pacing of the program by combining major topics and
sub-topics, passive and active sessions, and serious and
fun presentations to provide professional and personal
growth, and networking opportunities for participants
The program design should include the theme and the
agenda of the meeting, convention, and exhibition. In
designing the theme for the meeting, convention, and
exhibition, planners should ensure that the theme
should take into consideration the needs of the
audience, the objectives of the event, and should
provide continuity. For example, the theme for the
Annual Convention of Tourism Educators of Schools,
Colleges and Universities (TESCU) held at the Traders
Hotel was "Innovating Tourism Education: Creating a
Research Culture." Included in the agenda were several
resource speakers who spoke on the value of research
in tourism education, different research methodologies,
as well as trends in tourism research.
Hospitality Programs/Spousal Programs
At present, conference attendees no longer use the
conference as an excuse to get away from their families.
Now, they use the conference as an excuse to take a
mini- vacation with their families. The programs for
guests of conference participants are called hospitality
programs or spousal programs. These programs are
designed to entertain the guests of the conference
attendees. These programs usually have an extensive
itinerary that keeps the participants busy. Hospitality
programs increase attendance at conferences. They also
increase revenue for the host property because guests
of attendees eat in the restaurant, shop in the stores,
and use other services offered by the host facility. For
this reason, many host properties include in their bids
hospitality programs designed to entertain conference
attendees and their guests.
At present, the wants and desires of hospitality program
participants are different from those of past
participants. The addition of children as hospitality
program participants must be considered when
planning hospitality programs.
In addition to the meeting planner and the association
executives, the host property should take an active role
in the planning of a hospitality program.
Design of Hospitality Programs
The history of a group must be reviewed carefully
before planning a hospitality program. The program
evaluations from previous years should be analyzed to
determine the likes and dislikes of the group.
After the historical review, the meeting planner and the
host property should survey the participants to
determine the likes and dislikes of the group. The
survey will include the following areas:
1. Hobbies
2. Sports they enjoy
3. Ages of the participants
4. Gender of the participants
A list of the local sites and attractions as well as the
services provided by the hotel should also be included.
After reviewing the sites, attractions, and the host
property services, the participants should be surveyed
to find out whether or not they are interested in any of
the suggested activities. After compiling this
information, the meeting planner and the host property
can start planning a hospitality program.
In designing the program, meeting planners may use
the services of destination management companies
who know the location of local sites and attractions as
well as their unique qualities. They are also familiar with
all the local contacts and are able to work as a liaison
for the group in developing the hospitality program.
Tour companies may also provide services for the
meeting planner, such as transportation, planned tours,
theme parties, airport greetings, and staffing for the
hospitality room. The host property can provide service
by helping meeting planners contact local businesses
that service conventions, meetings, and exhibitions.
The design of the program will vary from group to
group. The program will vary from year to year. Some
components that do not vary are the hospitality suite,
planned social activities, food and beverage activities,
and free time.
The hospitality suite provides a space for the
participants to meet new friends, reacquaint
themselves with new friends, meet for tours, ask
questions, or just to relax. The hospitality room should
be located near the meeting rooms to provide easy
access to the attendees. The hospitality suites are
staffed by a host property employee, a volunteer from
the community, or a member of the group association's
local chapter. The attendant should know the group's
itinerary in order to provide important information
about the local community to the program participants.
Planned social activities for hospitality programs include
the following:
1. Tours
2. Plays
3. Concerts
4. Sporting events
5. Tournaments
6. Guest speaker
7. Shopping trips
8. Demonstrations
9. Cooking lessons
10. Craft activities
11. Movies
These activities are chosen based on the interest of the
group as well as the budget for the hospitality program.
Programs are financed in various ways. Some groups
pay for the program out of registration fees. Others get
corporate sponsorship. Another way is to have the
participants pay the cost. Social activities can also be
financed by combining some of the above options.
Food and beverage take several forms in a hospitality
program. Some groups have a continental breakfast,
afternoon tea, evening cocktails, and late night snacks
all served in the hospitality suite. Others may just
provide soda and coffee. The degree of service depends
on the funding of the program.
Although a hospitality program should be structured,
there should be free time built into the program. The
free time enables the participants to sightsee, relax, or
visit friends. In addition, it enables the attendees to fully
enjoy their free time by having information already
provided with regards to major attractions, prices for
the activities, and transportation options to and from
activities.
Children's programs are another area that hospitality
programs should consider. Children's programs are
designed to entertain the young guests of program
participants. These programs can be elaborate such as
providing whole day activities in the form of day camps
or they can be simple such as a trip to the zoo.
Programs can be designed to include both parents and
children or they can be designed to entertain children
while their parents attend their social functions. The
inclusion of children's programs is becoming popular
with several groups. Individual or group babysitting is
usually provided through the hospitality program. If the
hospitality program does not provide babysitting
services, many host properties offer babysitting services
for a fee.
Once the program is developed, the itinerary must be
marketed properly to ensure adequate participation.
This usually requires at least two mailings of the
itinerary and several brochures describing the events to
the program participants. The host property should
make sure that a full-color brochure of their property
and a detailed description of all their amenities are
included in the first mailing.
Marketing of the hospitality program must continue on-
site as soon as the guests arrive. This can be done
through posters in the lobby, brochures, and itineraries
being placed in the registration packet and fliers
strategically placed in the host property. If the host
property has a television information system that shows
the conference agenda, the itinerary of the hospitality
program should be included in the daily calendar.
Servicing the participants require careful attention. The
primary goal of the hospitality program is to make the
participants feel comfortable, well cared for, and
anxious to return.
Budget
According to P.C. Dotson, a budget is an estimate of
income and expenses and a plan to adjust the
anticipated expenses to the expected income. Overall
budget figures are usually provided by the sponsoring
organization, and but specific guidelines are normally
obtained from previous conferences, meetings, or
exhibitions budgets, A budget includes fixed expenses,
variable expenses, and sources of revenue. Fixed
expenses are not dependent on the number of
attendees. Examples of fixed expenses are
administrative fees, postage and printing, advertising
and promotion, staff travel, speaker fees, and contracts
with certain suppliers such as audiovisual firms.
Variable expenses are those that fluctuate depending
on the number of attendees. Examples are food and
beverage, hospitability programs, exhibition expenses,
guest rooms, gratuities, registration materials, printed
materials such as programs, proceedings and hand-outs,
support personnel, and evaluation materials.
After determining the expenses, sources of revenue to
support the activities must be developed. Registration
fees to support the activities must be developed.
Registration fees are the most constant source of
income for conferences. Other sources of revenue are
advertising, educational material from the event,
sponsorship, grants, company funding, and funding
provided by the sponsoring organization or company. It
would be impossible to host a meeting, convention, and
exhibition without these sources.
Site Selection
The site selection process is a significant activity of the
sponsoring organization. The site is very important for
the success of the event. Convenience and cost are very
important in site selection
In site selection, the planner must first determine the
aims of the meeting, convention, and exhibition. A
meeting plan of format is formulated based on the
aims. Thus, a group prospectus is made to help the
MICE planner to know the physical requirements for the
meeting, convention, and exhibition.
The MICE planner should bring a checklist during the
site selection. The checklist includes the following areas:
sleeping rooms, meeting and exhibition space,
transportation (airport and ground), food and beverage,
recreation (on site and local attractions), and services.
but specific guidelines are normally obtained from
previous conferences, meetings, or exhibitions budgets.
A budget includes fixed expenses, variable expenses,
and sources of revenue. Fixed expenses are not
dependent on the number of attendees. Examples of
fixed expenses are administrative fees, postage and
printing, advertising and promotion, staff travel,
speaker fees, and contracts with certain suppliers such
as audiovisual firms.
Variable expenses are those that fluctuate depending
on the number of attendees. Examples are food and
beverage, hospitability programs, exhibition expenses,
guest rooms, gratuities, registration materials, printed
materials such as programs, proceedings and hand-outs,
support personnel, and evaluation materials.
After determining the expenses, sources of revenue to
support the activities must be developed. Registration
fees to support the activities must be developed.
Registration fees are the most constant source of
income for conferences. Other
sources of revenue are advertising, educational material
from the event, sponsorship, grants, company funding,
and funding provided by the sponsoring organization or
company. It would be impossible to host a meeting,
convention, and exhibition without these sources.
The MICE planner should determine the following when
he or she reviews the sleeping rooms. These are the
number of available rooms, types of rooms, quality of
furnishings, security of the rooms and corridors,
accessibility for handicapped persons, quality of lighting
for reading, and adequacy of work surfaces.
The following should be determined in reviewing the
meeting rooms. These are the number, shape, and size
of rooms, quality of furnishings, lighting, accessibility of
audiovisual equipment, and suitability for exhibits. The
following should be determined during the inspection of
accessibility: limitations placed on move-in and move-
out activities, utilities, policies regarding storage, and
exclusivity of sub- contractors.
Room Setup and Layout
In order to meet the requirements of clients, it is
important that the venue has the necessary amount of
space and the proper type of space to service the
conferences or meetings. The capacity of meeting room
space is affected by a number of factors such as the
number of attendees, the physical configuration of the
room, as well as the audiovisual requirements needed.
The following are the different kinds of room setups:
1. Theater or auditorium setup - it is the most
functional seating arrangement especially when
the meeting involves a large group of
participants. It involves placing chairs in rows,
either straight or in a semicircle. Chairs should
be placed 4 to 6 inches apart, with
 approximately 2 1/2 feet from the back of one
chair to the front of the chair behind it. This
setup is suitable for lecture type meetings. The
main advantage is it can accommodate large
groups of participants. The disadvantages are it
is difficult for note-taking and there is poor
visibility from the back of the room
2. Schoolroom or classroom setup - it is
conductive to participants taking notes, reading
materials, or working on projects. It is suitable
for small lectures and workshops where note-
taking is required. Its advantages are it uses a
large amount of space per person, and it is good
for note-taking. Its disadvantage is it has poor
visibility from the back of the room
3. Hollow square, U-shape, and the herringbone
layout - these setups are suitable for board
meetings, management meetings, and small
group discussions. The main advantage is they
encourage discussions and interaction among
participants. The disadvantages are they use a
large amount of space per person, and the use
of audiovisuals may be difficult
4. Banquet or round table layout this layout is
suitable for banquets, seminars, and round
table discussions. The advantages are it can be
used when meetings break up into smaller
discussion groups without participants having to
exchange rooms, and it can accommodate food
and beverage service comfortably. The
disadvantages are it uses a large amount of
space per person, and the use of audiovisuals
may be difficult.
Hiring Sub-contractors - Technical Transportation
Because a large part of its budget is allotted to
transportation, there are two issues that need to be
considered. First, the planner should determine how to
transport the participants to the host city where the
meeting is to be held. Second, the planner should
determine how to transport them from one place to
another within the host city. The planner must also
determine how to transfer the exhibit materials, office
supplies, and registration materials to the exhibit site.
At present, majority of individuals who attend meetings,
conventions, and exhibitions either fly or drive.
Participants who take the airplane should be able to
travel from the airport to the host facility in an efficient
and safe manner. Attendees who drive should be given
city maps, hotel maps, and street signs that are
detailed, accurate, and clear so that they will not get
lost. The MICE planner should examine all possible
means of transportation such as airport shuttles, taxis,
city buses, and car rentals.
A ground services operator may be contacted if the
program design requires transporting attendees from
one facility to another during the conference. A ground
services operator is a company or person in a
destination city that provides local transportation and
other travel needs. They transport attendees to special
events that are held far from the host city.
The MICE planner should give special care to attendees
with special needs such as the older attendees, those
traveling with small children, and the handicapped
attendees.
The MICE planner should also consider the service
attitude of individuals who will be interacting with the
attendees.
During the site selection process, the MICE planner
should examine the ability of the host city and property
to provide services and facilities for leisure time
activities. According to J. Conlin, golf, free time, tennis,
and tours are the four main leisure activities which are
important for the success of MICE.
Negotiations and Contracts
After the site selection, the negotiation of price and
services will start. Negotiations are held between the
representative of the host property and the sponsoring
organization. Examples of negotiable areas are sleeping
rooms, function space, safety, security, accessibility,
food and beverage, renovation and construction,
contingencies, restrictions, and cancellations. A contract
is written and signed after the negotiations have
concluded. A contract is a legal document that explains
the responsibilities of the concerned parties.
Formulating Committees
The formulation of committees is essential in
sponsoring a meeting, convention, or exhibition. Each
committee must have its own aims. If a professional
association is the sponsor of the conference, the
association is authorized by its constitution to form a
committee that will plan, organize, and operate the
conference. Each committee should have a chairman.
Marketing and Promotion
The following should be determined in order to ensure
a successful conference:
1. Know the number of break-even attendance
2. Establish a marketing plan
3. Establish a timetable
4. Carry out the program
5. Appraise the program
The first step in the marketing procedure is to know the
break-even attendance. The break-even attendance is
the minimum number of attendees who have paid for
the conference. This is done to avoid losing money. The
minimum number of attendees must generate enough
revenue to pay for the expenses. To determine this
number, the sponsors must know their budget.
A marketing plan must be established after determining
the break-even figures. A marketing plan is a written
record of the marketing activities of an organization
with regard to a particular meeting, convention, and
exhibition.
It consists of the aims of the marketing and promotion
of the conference, target market, and the marketing
strategies to be used.
A timetable must be made after the marketing plan has
been developed. According to P.C. Watson, all
significant information with regard to registration,
transportation, housing, seminars, etc. should be sent
six to eight weeks before the meeting, convention, and
exhibition.
Food and Beverage Functions
The food and beverage functions must harmonize with
the program design and budget for the meeting,
convention, and exhibition. The sponsor is responsible
for the following:
1. Ascertain the number of food and beverage
functions needed for the conference
2. Ascertain the kind of food and beverage
functions needed for the conference
3. Guide on the cuisine
4. Determine the number of attendees
5. Establish a system for record-keeping
The sponsor must keep in mind the overall budget when
he or she decides on the number of food and beverage
functions that will be included in a meeting, convention,
and exhibition.
After deciding on the number of food and beverage
functions, the kind of function should be determined.
There are several ways of providing food and drink to
the participants.
These are:
1. Breakfast
2. Lunch
3. Dinner
4. Refreshment breaks
5. Hospitality suites
6. Theme parties
7. Late-night suppers
8. Recreational activities
In choosing the cuisine for a meeting or convention, the
MICE planner should know the desires of the attendees.
Although there is a trend toward lighter menu choices,
there are still some attendees who prefer heavier food.
The planner, therefore, must know his or her group and
choose menus accordingly.
Once the MICE planner has determined the number,
type, and cuisine for the food and beverage functions,
attendance figures must be established. Because food
and beverage functions are very expensive, the
sponsoring organization and the MICE planner must
give special attention to the number of guarantees.
According to C. Price, a guarantee is the minimum
number of meals to be served and will have to be paid
for. Host properties generally require 24 to 48 hours
advanced minimum guaranteed number of attendees.
This allows both the planner and the host property to
operate within a margin of safety.
The area to be considered in food and beverage is
record-keeping. There are many ways of ascertaining
the number of people served at food and beverage
functions. The most common methods are head count,
ticket count, plate count, and food consumed. Food and
beverage play a vital role in the overall success of the
meeting, convention, and exhibition. Hence, it is
necessary that the MICE planner works closely with the
food and beverage department of the host facility to
ensure that plans are accurately made, and that the
execution of these plans is efficiently done.
On-site Management
On-site management involves overseeing every aspect Another method is a focus group which may give
of the meeting or convention from the time the suggestions for improvement.
registration table opens until the last guest departs. For
Formal methods such as questionnaires or surveys are
large meetings that last several days, one person cannot
other ways of evaluating the meeting or convention.
attend every activity. Thus, the planner and sponsor
Questionnaires should short and easy to understand. To
should have a good working relationship with site staff
increase the return rate, questionnaires should be
and suppliers to be sure that every activity is carried out
designed in such a way that it can be easily and quickly
on the scheduled time.
completed. Thorough evaluation makes poor programs
The planner should arrive a few days before the event good and good programs excellent (Jeurgens, 2000).
to meet with the hotel staff, suppliers, personnel, and
other key individuals. This pre-convention meeting
allows

all parties to understand their needs during the event.

C. Price recommends that the pre-convention meeting
should include each department that has specific
responsibilities during the meeting, such as the front
desk, accounting, security, electrician, and bell staff. In
addition, the hotel sales manager, the convention
services manager, and the general manager should also
attend the meeting.

The planner should make sure that all employees are at

their assigned areas, pick up messages regularly from
the staff office, and maintain regular communication
with the suppliers and personnel.

The planner must also monitor the on-site attendance.

It is important to know how many people attend each
function. Attendance figures should be recorded on a
form prepared for this purpose. After the convention,
the planner and the sponsor can use the attendance
results to plan for next year's meeting or convention.

The planner should also conduct a post-conference

meeting to evaluate the meeting-its strengths and
weaknesses. Other important post-meeting activities
include writing thank-you notes, reviewing and paying
bills, tipping, and gift-giving.

Evaluation A meeting has to be evaluated in order to

ascertain whether the goals that were established
during the conceptualization phase were realized.

There are several ways of evaluating meetings. Smaller

meetings can be evaluated through informal methods.
Comment cards and informal conversations with the
planner can be used to obtain general feedback. After
the meeting, the sponsor or planner may contact some
attendees and ask their impressions of the event.