A REVOLUTION in MICE infrastructure and the way the business is regarded is required to further India’s MICE business development, according to Martin Sirk, ICCA CEO.
Sirk, who believes that India has tremendous potential for attracting international MICE events because of its status as an economic powerhouse, said: “India is certainly on the minds of (MICE organisers) because global companies are interested in doing business in India.
“(But) one has to understand that MICE is not just a tourism (business). Business considerations take a front seat when a company plans its event in a particular destination.
“India needs better and modern convention venues in major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai. India (also) needs purpose-built convention centres that offer facilities such as flexible space and world-class communication systems.”
The challenge of India’s limited MICE infrastructure is not unfamiliar to A T Seasons & Vacations Travel India managing director, Amaresh Tiwari.
“We had difficulty finding a venue for 2,000 delegates for the upcoming Indian Association of Tour Operators convention in Mumbai (in September), and were forced to reduce the number of delegates. We need convention facilities for large conferences in major cities,” he said.
Sirk emphasised the need for a shift in the way the MICE business is regarded by the government and private sector players, saying that “government-private sector partnerships ought to be more cohesive” and that the MICE industry “should be treated more as a knowledge economy”.
He encouraged industry sectors to regard conventions as knowledge enhancers that “can help (them) to grow through continued (interaction) with international experts”.
“The focus should move away from the immediate bottomline and be more long-term holistic gain oriented,” he said.
Read more in TTG Show Daily – IT&CM India 2012
Additional reporting by: Rohit Kohul
