Despite Treasury pleas for cut-backs in government spend on conferences and similar undertakings that bear limited justifiable results – a number of government agencies continue to spend on MICE activities.
The MICE Academy has information from reliable sources that instead of tempering MICE spend on modest facilities and services in accessible areas for the majority of the delegation – exotic locations with plenty of sun, sea, sand plus casino night-life are being selected.
The result is low attendances with the conference outcomes about nil in relation to moving forward positively. Those delegates that do complain of the poor participation levels in plenary or break-aways at any given time – are met with a deaf ear.
Distracting MICE venues with plenty of leisure temptations are generally not an issue within the private sector as the delegates are obligated on behalf of their organisation to participate and provide feed-back to management. If the average delegate does succumb to the various entertainments – it is in their private time – out of the conference’s time-table.
With the public sector – the same commitment of the financial outlay to attend – together with the accommodation and other necessary amenities – seems to be viewed in a very different light.
