2020 Trends in MICE
Understanding the client is a large part of working in incentive travel, and being able to suggest the right destination for each client is an important part of the role of MICE specialists.
1. Eco-Conscious Travel
Sustainable travel is one of the biggest trends that the industry has seen over the last few years, from an environmental, economic, and social perspective. The trend is making its way from leisure travelers to corporate and MICE travelers, and this is definitely the largest movement in the travel industry for 2020. Eco-conscious travel is about more than just avoiding single-use plastics, and should take a step towards long term sustainability through initiatives such as farm-to-table foods from local farmers, tree plantings, environmentally friendly transport, solar power and hotels and venues that follow green practices. Big brands are making a statement about what they stand for, and ultimately it is the consumers who are demanding it.
There is also a huge rise in travelers requesting gluten-free, vegan and locally sourced products, and a movement against food wastage at hotels and meeting venues offering grab-and-go food stations
2. Authentic travel
Along with the move towards greener travel is the desire from clients to really connect with their travels, through genuine experiences that are not mass created for a one-size-fits-all market. Travellers are more aware than ever of true connections and seek sincerity in their travels – both for incentives and for their own leisure. It’s also easier for guests to add tag-on holidays to their work trip if they feel that they are in a unique destination that they may never return to.
This can be achieved through supporting local people for all aspects of the incentive, such as using local dancers for entertainment pieces and sourcing local ingredients for meals. Some hotels are built directly in consultation with the local communities, such as the stunning SALT of Palmar in Mauritius, where everything was created by a local artisan. This trend allows the group to really give back in a valuable way.
3. Smaller groups, bigger budgets, better connections
The phrase mass-personalisation may seem to be an oxymoron, but this description sums up the movement towards offering truly individual concierge for each traveler. Varied flight times, add-on stays, food choices and more intimate meeting sessions all feature here.
The overall spend per person per day is also increasing, although group sizes are shrinking. This ties back into the authentic movement I am seeing, where people would rather have 20 people who have a spectacular experience and feel greatly valued, than 500 people who have an average experience and feel like just another number.
The improved technology at our fingertips also allows us to consider more and more unusual destinations, that may traditionally have been too difficult logistically to run events in. Hologram speakers and 5G streaming allows meetings and important presentations to take place in remote locations.
4. Cruising
Whilst most companies are looking to go smaller and add more value per person, those that have huge workforces are increasingly moving their MICE travel to cruising. Whether for 6000 people on a chartered ocean-liner in the Caribbean, or an executive board meeting of 12 on board a luxury river cruise in Europe, the total cost per person on a cruise is significantly lower than for a land-based venue of a similar standard. Cruises allow clients to pay one price that covers everything – from meeting rooms to accommodation, and the guest experience is vast – while still only needing to unpack once.
The need to stay one step ahead of the game in MICE is a definitely a reason to engage with specialized travel and events managers when considering your next incentive trip or destination event. Connect with me today to discuss your ideas and how we can bring them to life.