The MICE industry embraces the term ‘paying it forward’ which means describing the beneficiary of a good deed repaying it to others instead of to the original benefactor.
In other words, if a company partakes in a community project such as house building, teaming up in a soccer game or helping out in a vegetable garden as part of a team building or group activity with various company objectives – the MICE industry will not hesitate to be involved and pay good money for the experience. In turn the community group will hopefully do the same for others less fortunate than themselves at a future time.
The bottom line for the MICE industry, however, needs to be a generous helping of message-retaining activities which are well-orchestrated and entertaining to be of value and productive benefit back at the office.
Yet with all this feel good community project participation there is a certain line that must not be crossed.
These are primarily safety and security – real or perceived.
So when the MICE industry hears of community projects which describe the inclusion of rehabilitated murderers, repeated rapists coupled with danger areas and no-go zones, even the most adventure-driven among us will step back and say ‘no thanks’.
The leisure market may differ in that the attitude is laid back with a devil-may-care attitude of ‘let’s give it a try!’ Even then the amount of ‘take-up’ is likely to be limited.
The MICE industry attitude is a business one with a common purpose of the community engagement being of value to the employer going forward. Any threat to life and limb – the commendable community projects in our land will be dead in the water.
