Meetings

The “Meetings” in MICE and what it entails.

As a large and diverse industry sector with limited formal structure, the “meetings” in MICE tourism has not had a single unifying statement to define its parameters and aspects, set its operating principles and advance a value proposition. The result has been an ongoing evolution in what the industry does, believes and offers as benefits to the international community.

Who are the key players?

The players in these meetings include corporate meeting planners, meetings and convention departments of hotels, conference centers or cruise ships, food and beverage managers and caterers, logistics and freight firms, private tour operators, travel agents and consultants, incentive houses, trade organizations, tourism and trade associations, and visa and documentation consultants.

The International Association of Professional Congress Organizers defines a meeting as any number of people coming together in one place for a particular activity. It can be a one-time event or may recur periodically. A conference is similar but usually has a specific objective and exchange of information. A congress is usually a larger gathering. However, all of these constitute the “M” in MICE.

What do these meetings achieve?

The activities of the Meetings Industry (MICE) are an increasingly significant element in the future growth of the global economy. It is an essential part of the transfer of knowledge and professional practices from work cultures all over the world, to building a better understanding and relations amongst different regions and cultures. Specifically, the Meetings Industry is a key component of the knowledge economy, acting as a vehicle for business, professional and academic communities to achieve the interactions required to effect the knowledge transfer, collaboration and information dissemination that is the primary purpose of these events.