 | | Meetings,
Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions (MICE):
The
acronym MICE is applied inconsistently with the "E" sometimes referring
to "events" and the "C" sometimes referring to conventions.
MICE is used to refer to a particular type of tourism in which large groups, usually
planned well in advance, are brought together for some particular purpose. Recently,
there has been an industry trend towards using the term "meetings industry"
to avoid confusion from the acronym. Other industry educators are recommending
the use of "Events Industry" to be an umbrella term for the vast
scope of the meeting and events profession.
Most components of MICE are
well understood, perhaps with the exception of incentives. Incentive tourism is
usually undertaken as a type of employee reward by a company or institution for
targets met or exceeded, or a job well done. Unlike the other types of MICE tourism,
incentive tourism is usually conducted purely for entertainment, rather than professional
or educational purposes.
MICE tourism usually includes a well-planned agenda
centered around a particular theme or topic, such as profession trade organization,
a special interest group or an educational topic. Such tourism is often a specialized
area with its own exhibition. (e.g. IMEX, EIBTM, GIBTM, AIBTM, CIBTM and AIME)
and practices. Location of MICE events are normally bid on by specialized convention
bureau located in particular countries and cities and established for the purpose
of bidding on MICE activities. This process of marketing and bidding is normally
conducted well in advance of the actual event, often several years. MICE tourism
is known for its extensive planning and demanding clientele. | |
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