Upgrading MICE in India
Posted on June 26, 2008 in Travel by Prarthna
MICE has nothing to do with the population of the mice fraternity which is much of a nuisance to food and property. MICE in India is a responsible body or group that deals with Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions held in the country. It has been a constant effort of Indians to upgrade the process of meetings, conferences and exhibitions held in India in lieu of the gushing tourists to India.
India is not only popular for its ancient civilizations and one of the largest democracies but now a destination which looks forward to giving the tourists a myriad of experiences with its mystical brilliance, heritage sites and exotic beaches. Adventure holidays can thereby become a part of a pre or post conference tour in India.
Right from convention centers to airports, everything has been revamped to meet international standards. It is also perceived that the inbound MICE, that is, meetings, conferences and exhibitions held in India is growing at a rapid rate of 15 to 20 percent annually. It is also reported that India ranks 27th in the Global Meetings Market.
Stable Infrastructure
India boasts of an extensive infrastructure which the meets the requirements of every individual. For example, along with accommodation India provides other supportive facilities for conferences as well. The Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, the Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai and Cochin Convention Centre in Kochi are some standing examples of marvelous infrastructure and facilities provided for meetings and important conferences.
With better engulfing railway system, prompt airline facilities and technology, India is turning out to be one of the finest incentive destinations for tourists. The incentives provided are laced together with traditional, modern and sophisticated techniques.
Infact, marketing MICE products and targeting the MICE movement has become a norm with most travel agencies and airlines. The importance of MICE is very unique to a county because it is speculated that when a person travels to any country for a business, he or she visits a place at least 4 to 8 times as against those who travel for leisure and vacation. It is also reported that such business travelers spend more on business centric services and food.
Facilities Offered
Almost all conferences, meetings and exhibitions are well-equipped with the following facilities:
- Conference and banquet halls
- Convention centers
- Stadiums and auditoriums for ceremonies and events
- Fruitful accommodation
- Bars and restaurants
- Golf course
- Yoga, ayurveda and spa centers
- Discotheque
- Sports like tennis, badminton, squash, etc
- Easy accessibility and arrangement for domestic and international flights
A huge number of convention centers can also stack as many as 1700 people all at once. Some of the most popular conference centers in India include – New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Agra, Hyderabad, Goa, Jaipur and Kolkata. Some hotel chains that offer conference facilities also include – the Taj Group of Hotels, Oberoi’s, ITC, Merdien hotels and Marriott hotels to name a few.
The exhibition industry has also gained momentum with popular exhibition centers like the Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, the Chennai Trade Center in Chennai and the Nehru Center in Mumbai.
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