We at Travel Daily Media recently had the opportunity to take part in the 20th edition of the Asian MICE Forum at the Taipei New Horizon in Taiwan.
The event was an insightful one that took participants through its two-decade history even as speakers charted a course for the Taiwanese and Greater Asian MICE industry for years to come.
In the course of the three-day event which took us from the heart of Taipei to Taiwan’s biggest MICE venues in the southern cities of Tainan and Kaohsiung, we picked up several points to ponder for both MICE and general travel professionals alike.
Five key takeaways
When it comes to event organisation, start with why
Simon Sinek’s theorem on brand value proposition was one of the most oft-quoted concepts presented by panellists throughout the Asian MICE Forum.
But there is a good reason for this: we have noticed in our attendance over a number of mega-MICE events throughout this year that the main idea of the event, the raison d’etre so to speak, tends to get lost with all the subtopics and gimmicks presented by individual exhibitors.
Reminding all stakeholders from organisers to participants of the true reason why an event is being held and actually ensures stronger brand identity recall in the long run.
Indeed, if a more cohesive thematic can be implemented throughout an event, it will go a long way towards making it more memorable and encourage participants to return and even invite others to be a part of the next edition.
When planning events, begin at the end
Sounds oxymoronic when you read it, but it’s actually the course of prudence followed by such major global events like the biennial Paris Airshow and the Dubai Expo.
This second point is a throwback to the first in that the question of why you’re holding the event leads to the question of what you seek to accomplish through it.
This reverse planning strategy enables event organisers to look closely at their end goals, go through the different programmes and activities, and consider more effective and efficient ways of bringing these to life for optimal results.
Interactivity amplifies engagement at events
One of the features of this year’s Asian MICE Forum was a Tunnel Through Time which presented a dynamic audio-visual timeline of the event’s history.
Placed at the very entrance of the primary event venue, it enabled participants to catch more than a passing glimpse of the event’s past, its primary purpose, along with key projections for its future.
But this tunnel wasn’t the only way by which attendees could interact during the event: rather than keeping question-and-answer and reactive activities for the end of each panel, Slido QR codes inviting people to react to certain topics were flashed throughout the duration of each session, thus giving participants their own part to play.
Likewise, moderators also involved the audience in every session by asking them to form thought huddles to discuss key topics and formulate their own opinions or conclusions regarding specific issues.
Yes, it’s all sustainable and healthy
One of the notable aspects of the Asian MICE Forum was the way it put sustainability into action throughout the event.
While the main meal of the event, lunch, was presented blue-plate style, it came in the form of reusable lunchboxes which participants were required to surrender at the end of the meal hour at recycling stations just outside the venue.
At these stations, lunchboxes were segregated from utensils, while any food waste was properly binned for either composting or animal feed to be sent to farms on the outskirts of the Taiwanese capital.
At the same time, reusable coffee / water cups were offered at snack stations, and participants were encouraged to hold on to them and reuse them throughout the event.
The total step count of participants was also measured and totted up at the end of the Forum as a way of encouraging people to move dynamically as opposed to merely sitting in at sessions.
MICE benefits everyone
While it is commonly assumed that MICE only benefits the industries that host the events, the Asian MICE Forum served to remind us that MICE benefits a whole range of supporting industries.
MICE events aren’t just the remit of event planners or organisers, as well as venue management companies; they also bring in significant revenues for the hospitality sector as participants need accommodation for the duration of an event; food and beverage providers to feed them at the event and even out of it; service providers ranging from tech staff to translators, and even emergency medical personnel.
MICE also enables retail to flourish, along with domestic tourism and entertainment / leisure venues that can offer some well-deserved rest and relaxation following an event.
Taiwan is becoming the place for MICE in the Asia Pacific
While the plenary sessions for the Asian MICE Forum were held on 19th September, a splinter session titled Asian MICE Link was held outside of Taipei on 20th September.
Asian MICE Link served as a showcase that presented Taiwan as an up and coming powerhouse for the Asian MICE sector thanks to mega-venues like the International Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICC) in Tainan as well as the Kaohsiung Exhibition Centre, both of which are located in two of the country’s foremost trade hubs.
In presentations delivered in Tainan and Kaohsiung, Taiwanese officials highlighted the country’s preparedness to host major events from the annual conventions of multinational corporations to global and regional sporting events like the Asian Games.
This preparedness covers everything from facilities and services, to post-event activities under the Taiwan Biz Fun programme which takes event participants on fam tours to give them a better appreciation and understanding of their host country.
Beyond all that, of course, Taiwan’s popularity as a tourist destination in its own right also serves to make it one of the most attractive venues for events anywhere in the world.
