Opinion by Stephanie Tanpure, vice president of sales, Sands Resorts Macao
Today, MICE is so much more than just organising large-scale events. It’s about curating an experience, integrating the destination and blurring the lines between business and leisure. Sands Resorts in Macao are located in one of the fastest emerging markets in Asia from both a historical, political and cultural perspective. Macao offers a unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese heritages. These influences have left an indelible mark on the architecture, the food and the people themselves. Macao has around 25 World Heritage UNESCO sites, so integrating a unique destination such as this is an easy sell to attract MICE delegates.
The local Macanese people are proud of their history, which has helped them become true global citizens, that boast the world’s highest levels of education and life expectancy. It is the ninth-biggest tourism destination in the world with one of the highest GDPs and per capita incomes. Further, its gaming industry that’s even larger than that of Las Vegas needs no introduction.
Not only are we fortunate in this respect, but as a major hospitality group with a range of hotels, we are in a strong position to capitalise on the international visitors who flock to this fascinating place. They stay at our properties, eat at our restaurants, enjoy our entertainment facilities and increasingly utilise our MICE offerings — which are all under the one roof. That is a unique proposition for meeting organisers who don’t have to worry about transporting delegates to off-site destinations.
And it is here that we are seeing some fairly significant changes. With substantial, flexible meeting spaces – more than 1.4 million sqm – numerous restaurants and a talented in-house entertainment team, we can create virtually any kind of event a client wishes for. While many of these events, big or small, fall along fairly conventional MICE lines, there is a shift away from traditional programmes towards experiential ones that can connect with meeting delegates on a more personal level.
MICE is now less about seminars and keynote speeches and more about creating memorable experiences for delegates. These experiences need to go deeper than the usual hotel stay, and at the same time include the local community. Forward-looking companies are now curating unique experiences to connect to a larger crowd.
Delegates want to try sunrise yoga and traditional Chinese tai chi, street food in downtown Macao, Macanese cooking classes, visits to local markets, charity and community locations — basically escape the beaten track to get a feel of this amazing destination. This is partly fuelled by the concept of authenticity. Delegates want to experience the real flavour of a place, escaping the run-of-the mill programmes traditionally available. We are seeing creativity incorporated into the main program like never before.
Alongside this, is a greater sense of social responsibility, with meetings delegates keen to make a positive impact, to leave a place richer for their having been there. Millennials are also very prevalent and a big part of the evolving MICE landscape, and for them, experiential travel is a priority.
It’s clear that in the MICE sphere experiential travel has become integral to people’s lifestyles. Competition is high and the desire for unique trips coupled with value for money is at an all-time high. When we start to tap into our customers’ aspirations and understand what they really want we can differentiate ourselves from mundane offerings and present a MICE experience that will be remembered.
The traditional perception of MICE will continue to hold an appeal for those who favour it, or find it better suits their business model. But more and more MICE clients are valuing this approach and the memories they return home with.
There are five key things travel and hospitality partners can do to bring value
- Leverage your destination culture
- Customise your experiences
- Diversify your offering
- Add value
- Inspire social interaction
