“As life in general – and travel specifically – becomes more complicated, meeting planners seek a no-hassle experience for their clients/employer” and the MICE Academy echoes this sentiment expressed by Chris Klauda, director of destination research based in the USA.
In a well-written article Chris Klauda adds that: (1) convenience, (2) cost and (3) cleanliness will be leading factors.
1. Convenience
Ease of access has always been an important issue unless the topic or incentives are so compelling that attendees are prepared to tolerate a huge amount of inconveniences. The venues with access inhibited by high-traffic volumes, poor to no direction signage, hunting or queuing for a parking bay including eye-watering hourly parking fees is not going to draw the bookings;
2. Cost
There are well-over 3000 venues with a MICE component in South Africa. Determining a price structure or package deal based on other similar venues is just a lazy, copy-cat way of pricing a venue’s MICE component.
3. Cleanliness
Venues that are tatty-around-the-edges will just not cut it in the big bookings picture, especially in comparison to the wide-choice out there.
Hot tip:
Calculate what the actual cost of operations are, taking account of a percentage increase – especially on the food component, and do an in-depth assessment of operating expenses over the cost per attendee per each varying type of package. Be realistic with net profits and if seriously competitive against other venues – the planners will find the venue.
