Three Thoughts on (MICE) Travel of a Tuesday
Having just returned from a week’s getaway on Ireland’s West Coast where I had the opportunity to really unwind, appreciate the natural beauty that surrounded me, embrace the destination experience and ponder on the content of instalment six of this series, I feel a renewed positivity for the industry so on this day September 22nd 2020, here are three thoughts on travel of a Tuesday regarding the contributions made by MICE programmes.
- We know that the purchasing power of organisations engaging in MICE programmes is exceptionally high but apart from the actual spend itself, the real impact can be felt in how and where the money is spent. During my travels in County Clare, I was reminded of the fact that many of the best travel experiences are delivered by small, independent businesses. Of course there is always a place for the big players, whether they are global hotel chains, collections of venues, restaurant and bar chains or large catering companies and they all have their role to play but, by and large, most of what makes a MICE programme stand out is delivered by small, independent businesses. Case in point is Hazel Mountain Chocolate; a husband and wife duo who run, in conjunction with a talented team, a bean to bar chocolate business, retail offering and cafe in a remote location in The Burren in the West of Ireland. My friends and I experienced an informative and delicious tour and tasting, took full advantage of their culinary skills by devouring tasty cakes and sipping delicious coffee in their cafe and splurged on some wonderful chocolate treats to take home to keep the experience alive. I thought to myself how courageous it was of the founding duo to establish this business in such a remote part of Ireland and to deliver it in such an aesthetically beautiful and memorable way. It then led me to think of the difference a MICE programme could make to such a business. Imagine booking in 15 people at a time to experience what I experienced last week but doing this multiple times throughout a MICE programme and the positive impact it would have on such a business. Decisions on where money is invested in a MICE programme have a huge impact on those businesses included and this must not be overlooked or forgotten. Understanding that some of the best experiences that can be delivered during a programme are offered by such small, independent businesses also highlights the importance of engaging with them in a collaborative way and this is where the DMC plays such an important role. The DMC can help minimise the amount of back and forth needed when enquiring and making bookings, can mediate between the experience providers’s capabilities and the wishes of the MICE buyer and ultimately deliver a solution that works for all parties. As a MICE buyer, great satisfaction can come from knowing that your decision to incorporate an experience such as Hazel Mountain Chocolate will not only deliver a memorable experience to the attendees but also have a significant and positive impact on the business itself. It also made me realise that some experiences don’t need any enhancement but rather can be thoroughly enjoyed as they are and Hazel Mountain Chocolate certainly proved this to be the case. It also made me think of the thousands of similar businesses around the globe that benefit or could benefit in the future from being included in a MICE programme.
- Naturally a MICE programme wishes, amongst other things, to bring people together, to share experiences, to strengthen relationships, to reward and recognise, to share knowledge and learn from each other. Understandably, there are therefore many group elements to each programme but there is potential to see how money can be invested to promote the importance of individual / small group elements to any programme. Many examples already exist such as optional activities and dine arounds but in addition to the benefit a personalised approach has on the attendee, it is important to highlight that it also allows the MICE buyer to have a positive financial impact on many more businesses. Herein lies an opportunity for DMCs to share stories with their clients about businesses they are proposing to include in a programme, which will assist the MICE buyer in making more informed decisions and being more aware of the positive impact their purchasing power has. Working on full group elements of any programme, there tends to be a reduced number of options available and that’s OK especially when it is balanced with a more considered approach to the rest of the programme offering particularly around individual or small group elements. Taking dine arounds as an example, when selecting restaurants based on information shared by your DMC, the MICE buyer has the power to support those restaurants who are committed to a particular environmental ethos, who support employment amongst more vulnerable sections of society, who give back to the community in which they are located etc ensuring that the MICE spend has a positive ripple effect that extends far beyond the restaurants chosen. This type of positive impact can be achieved in many other elements of the programme too once the DMC is sharing the relevant information with their client and their client is able to convey the benefits of making such choices to all programme stakeholders. By personalising programmes, the MICE buyer in collaboration with their DMC is bringing more businesses into the fold ensuring a wider spread of that economic benefit, which can help ensure the survival and success of many small businesses.
- CSR has become somewhat of a mainstay within MICE programmes and I’ve always been quite vocal about my opinion on the effectiveness of some of these CSR activities. Often times, they have been simply a tick the box element to help attendees feel good without much regard for anything else. With the above two points in mind, CSR doesn’t have to be a single, specific activity within a programme but become an embedded element in any programme when more considered decisions are made around the where and how programme budgets are invested. Careful selection of suppliers utilised in any programme can have a positive social and environmental impact too and this is the direction I wish to see the industry go in knowing that there are already excellent examples of work being done in this area. Here the DMC once again can play a key role in sharing stories around such suppliers with their clients ensuring MICE buyers are fully aware of the power of their purchasing decisions. The DMC can also advise of areas where money could be saved and reinvested elsewhere in the programme that again has a more positive impact, economically, environmentally and socially. Creative “at leisure” time and alternative transportation options as examples could free up budgets without compromising on quality. Selecting social enterprises to form part of a MICE programme could be of far more benefit than a single stand alone CSR activity and would ensure that CSR isn’t seen as a separate element of a programme but rather an integral part of it. Looking at Dublin, Ireland, Secret Street Tours comes to mind. These are guided tours of the city by former members of the homeless community in Dublin. By providing such an experience to your attendees you are supporting employment amongst more vulnerable sections of society, generating awareness of a social issue, as well as giving an alternative take on a destination that will surely stay with attendees long after they have departed. I recently discovered Wee Choco in Northern Ireland; a business that offers hand crafted chocolate bars (totally delicious) as well as chocolate making workshops with all profits going toward supporting and benefitting people with learning difficulties and autism in the local community. Imagine the impact of including such workshops in a MICE programme and purchasing their chocolate bars could have on such a social enterprise.
We have long known of the positive economic impact MICE programmes have and I am enthusiastic about the opportunities that lie ahead by delving further into the decision making on the where and how budgets are spent and the positive social, economic and environmental impact these decisions can have. Such a shift in thinking will bring about an updated version of MICE programmes that will continue to achieve their core objectives but also ensure a positive and lasting impact is made on all stakeholders involved in bringing the programme to life. So there you have it; my three thoughts on (MICE) travel of a Tuesday as it relates to the contribution of MICE programmes, which also brings this series to its conclusion. Eighteen thoughts shared over six weeks with excellent engagement and dialogue amongst readers along the way. Thanks to all who have supported this series and details of future projects will be released soon.
