Attracting the right audience is key for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) looking to drive economic growth and boost local tourism. One powerful yet often underutilized avenue is MICE tourism. This specialized market focuses on business events and group travel, offering destinations the opportunity to attract high-value visitors while creating a ripple effect of benefits for the local economy.
In this blog, we’ll:
- Define MICE travel and its key components
- Highlight why DMOs should invest in this lucrative market
- Provide actionable strategies for attracting MICE events to your destination
- And discuss challenges to consider when entering the MICE sector
By the end, you’ll have the tools and insights needed to determine if MICE tourism is the right fit for your destination and how to create marketing campaigns that position you as a top choice for business events.
What is MICE Travel?
MICE travel—short for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions—is a part of the tourism industry that focuses on bringing groups of people together for professional events. It’s less about sightseeing and more about creating spaces for collaboration, learning, and connection. Here’s a quick look at what each piece of MICE stands for:
The MICE Acronym
Meetings: These are gatherings like team discussions, training sessions, or strategic planning events. Think of a company’s annual meeting or a brainstorming workshop held in a hotel conference room or a dedicated business space.
Incentives: Incentive travel programs are designed to reward people. Companies send top performers or key partners on trips to celebrate their achievements and strengthen relationships. Whether it’s a relaxing retreat or a team-building itinerary, incentive travel is all about saying “thank you” in a meaningful way.
Conferences: Conferences bring people together to share ideas and knowledge. Industry professionals gather to attend keynote speeches, breakout sessions, and networking events. These are larger events designed to inspire, educate, and connect.
Exhibitions: Exhibitions, like trade shows and expos, are where businesses showcase their products or services. These events are all about creating opportunities to connect with potential clients, partners, or customers in person and often take place in larger venues like convention centres.
Why Should DMOs Consider MICE Tourism?
MICE tourism might not be as flashy as leisure travel, but it packs a serious punch when it comes to economic impact. For DMOs, it’s the key to keeping tourism flowing year-round while boosting the local economy in tangible ways. Here’s why it’s worth considering:
It Brings in the Big Spenders
The global business travel spending is projected to break $2.0 trillion USD by the end of 2028. Business travelers are booking nicer hotels, dining out with colleagues, and sometimes even extending their trips to explore the area. On top of that, MICE events support local businesses across the board, from caterers and transportation services to event tech providers. It’s not just money spent; it’s money that stays in your community.
Year-Round Tourism
If you’ve ever struggled with those slow off-season months, MICE events can help level things out. Conferences, corporate retreats, and incentive trips happen throughout the year, filling hotel rooms and restaurant seats when leisure travelers might not be around.
It’s a Growing Market
MICE tourism isn’t going anywhere. The global MICE tourism market was valued at $782.80 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $1,337.14 billion by 2033 with a solid growth rate of 5.5% annually. Destinations like Las Vegas, Barcelona, and Dubai are already reaping the benefits, setting the standard with world-class facilities, MICE-focused logistics, and a focus on memorable attendee experiences.
Even though there are established MICE hubs throughout the U.S., there’s still room for emerging destinations to carve out their niche, especially with the way the industry is evolving. Planners are prioritizing sustainability, choosing destinations that offer eco-friendly venues and responsible tourism options. And with the popularity of hybrid events, destinations that invest in strong tech infrastructure can attract organizers looking to blend in-person and virtual participation.
Is Your Destination MICE-Friendly?
MICE tourism can be a great strategy for your destination, but not every place is set up to succeed in this competitive market. Before diving in, DMOs need to take an honest look at what their destination offers and whether it has the right mix of infrastructure, accessibility, and unique experiences to attract and support MICE events. Here’s what to consider:
Infrastructure
The backbone of any successful MICE destination is its facilities. Does your destination have convention centers or flexible meeting spaces that can accommodate both large-scale events and smaller breakout sessions? Hotels equipped with conference rooms, on-site catering, and the ability to handle large group bookings are also essential.
It’s not just about the event spaces, though. Supporting infrastructure like reliable public transportation, event technology services, and local service providers (AV companies, catering providers, etc.) are equally important. Event organizers are looking for destinations that can deliver a seamless experience for both planners and attendees, and state-of-the-art facilities go a long way in making that happen.
Accessibility
A destination’s ease of travel can make or break its appeal to event planners. Being close to a major international airport is a huge plus, especially for destinations aiming to attract attendees from around the globe. Once travelers arrive, efficient ground transportation like trains, buses, or ride-share options can make navigating the area simple and stress-free.
But accessibility doesn’t stop at getting to the city. How easy is it for attendees to move around once they’re there? Clear signage, well-connected venues and hotels, and smooth traffic flow all play a role in creating a positive experience. If attendees can get from a keynote session to a networking dinner without a hassle, that’s a win for your destination.
Local Attractions
Business events don’t exist in a bubble—attendees often carve out extra time to explore the surrounding area. This is especially true for incentive trips or post-event leisure. Destinations that offer unique experiences beyond the boardroom have a clear advantage. Coastal locations can highlight activities like water sports or sunset cruises, while historic cities might offer guided tours, iconic landmarks, or culinary adventures.
If attendees leave feeling both productive and inspired by what they experienced, they’re more likely to encourage future events in your destination. And for DMOs, that repeat business is the ultimate goal.
Target Industries
The key to standing out as a MICE destination is aligning your strengths with the industries that make the most sense for your area. Think about what your destination is known for: a thriving tech hub could naturally attract innovation summits or startup gatherings, while a region famous for its vineyards might draw food and wine festivals or agricultural expos.
Partnering with local universities, businesses, or trade organizations can amplify your efforts. These collaborations add depth to your destination’s appeal by offering resources and expertise that event planners value. When you focus on the industries that align with your strengths, you’re building meaningful connections that benefit everyone involved.
Strategies to Attract MICE Tourism
Positioning your destination as a top choice for business travel takes the right strategies and a bit of creative marketing. Here are some practical ways DMOs can attract MICE events and build lasting relationships with planners and organizers in the business travel industry:
Leverage Digital Platforms
Platforms like LinkedIn are a goldmine for connecting with event organizers and event management decision-makers. Use your profile to share stories that show off your destination’s strengths: case studies from successful events, testimonials from happy planners, or even behind-the-scenes content from your venues.
The goal here? Build credibility and spark conversations that turn into real partnerships. Event organizers want to work with destinations they trust, and sharing real-world examples of what you can offer is a great way to build that trust.
Create a Dedicated MICE Web Presence
A dedicated section on your website for MICE tourism helps organizers find the information they need without digging through pages of leisure travel content. Highlight everything that makes your destination event-friendly: versatile event spaces, convenient transportation options, and travel experiences for downtime.
And don’t forget the extras. Photos, videos, and testimonials can bring your destination’s story to life. Your website is the ultimate pitch, designed to wow event planners and make their job easier.
Geofencing Campaigns
Geofencing is a powerful way to reach the right audience at the right time. By setting up virtual boundaries around specific locations, you can serve ads directly to people attending nearby events like trade shows, corporate meetings, or conferences.
Event-Specific Marketing
When a major event is happening in your region—or even a nearby city—it’s a golden opportunity to get in front of planners and attendees. Paid ads, social media campaigns, and email outreach can position your destination as the perfect spot for future gatherings.
For example, if a tech conference is happening a couple of hours away, you might run a campaign highlighting your destination’s innovation-friendly facilities or local industry-specific connections. The key is aligning your messaging with the event’s audience, meeting people where they are, and making it easy for them to choose you next time.
Highlight Unique Selling Points (USPs)
What makes your destination stand out? That’s the question MICE planners are asking, and your job is to make the answer crystal clear. Whether it’s eco-friendly venues that align with sustainability goals, cutting-edge tech infrastructure for hybrid events, or one-of-a-kind cultural experiences that attendees can’t get anywhere else, your USPs are what will make planners stop and take notice.
Strategic Partnerships
Collaborating with local businesses is one of the easiest ways to make your destination more appealing to MICE planners. Hotels, in particular, are key players. Work together to create MICE-specific packages that include perks like discounted room blocks, complimentary meeting spaces, or upgraded amenities for large groups.
For example, a hotel might offer free shuttle services to and from event venues or throw in a welcome reception for attendees. Little details like these can elevate the overall experience and make your destination stand out from the competition.
But don’t stop at hotels—think about transportation providers, local restaurants, or even entertainment venues. Offering bundled packages that simplify logistics for event organizers makes their job easier and positions your destination as a seamless, well-rounded choice for business tourism.
Challenges and Considerations
While MICE tourism offers incredible opportunities for DMOs, it’s not without its challenges. Success in this competitive market requires strategic thinking, significant investment, and the ability to adapt to evolving industry trends. Here’s a closer look at what DMOs should be prepared for:
Competition in the MICE Sector
The MICE market is crowded with heavy hitters setting a high standard for what planners expect. For emerging destinations, the key to standing out is showcasing what makes your location unique.
Lean into your strengths and make sure your online presence reflects them. Event planners are researching, comparing, and weighing their options. A strong digital footprint, complete with testimonials and real-world examples, can position your destination as a fresh and compelling alternative to the big names.
High Upfront Investment
Building or upgrading convention centers, improving transportation infrastructure, and enhancing hotel offerings all require significant funding. On top of that, targeted marketing campaigns and networking at industry expos take time and resources.
That said, these investments can pay off big time. A well-equipped destination that consistently attracts MICE events can create a ripple effect across the local economy, bringing in revenue and jobs while establishing itself as a reliable player in the industry.
Adapting to Industry Trends
MICE tourism is evolving fast, and staying relevant means keeping up with trends like hybrid events and shifting attendee expectations. Hybrid events, which blend in-person and virtual components, are here to stay, so destinations need robust tech infrastructure to support them.
At the same time, post-pandemic attendees are looking for more than just a meeting room. They expect flexibility, enhanced safety protocols, and engaging experiences that justify showing up in person. DMOs that anticipate these needs—whether through innovative event spaces, sustainability initiatives, or creative leisure add-ons—will have the edge.
Partner with Paperkite to Elevate Your MICE Marketing
Ready to put your destination on the map for business travel and corporate events? At Paperkite, we specialize in crafting strategic marketing campaigns tailored to Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) aiming to attract Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism.
Contact us today to explore how we can help your destination shine in the MICE market!
