DESTINATION MARKETING
DESTINATION MARKETING
COMPETITIVE FORCES LIKELY TO AFFECT MICE TOURISM IN 2017
By Ben Asoro
For quite a while now , some competitive factors in the MICE industry have shaped the conference subjects influencing the frequency of meetings in Africa . The Year 2017 is likely not going to be an exception but some factors are definitely going to influence the trends and the frequency of meetings in Africa .
It goes without saying that these are the sector that stake holders in the industry need to keep an eye on with a view to exploiting fully , conferences associated with these sectors
Africa – the misunderstood MICE destination
Africa will remain the most misunderstood market in the global MICE industry . This portends both positive and negative connotations depending on how a meetings planner would be looking at it in 2017 .
For optimistic planners , this is an opportunity to partner with Africa destinations to bid and win conferences which Africa destinations are eligible to bid for in 2017 .
The exact opposite of this viewpoint is that of the Meetings planners and international congress organizers who will maintain that even in 2017 , Africa still remains a very risky destination to even think of hosting a conference .
This is the group that lacks even the very basic appreciation of geographical limits in Africa
‘‘ Africa will remain the most misunderstood market in the global MICE industry . This portends both positive and negative connotations depending on how a meetings planner would be looking at it in 2017 .’’
Meetings and Internet Connectivity in Africa
Like the world over , internet has increasingly played a critical role in bid protocol evaluations . The last couple of years has seen many Africa MICE destinations record impressive connectivity comparable to what a delegate would get in say Vienna International Centre or Osaka ICC .
Nevertheless , internet penetration , internet speed , and investment in internet infrastructure in Africa will continue to impact on how conferences are charged and conducted in this continent in 2017 . It is worth noting at this point that the game changers in the MICE industry for Africa would be mobile telephony ( 3G and 4G ) and trend setting initiatives like mapping of African countries and street view technology likely to open-up Africa ( for example the Virtual tour of Robben Island , which if exploited well would not only promote pre and postconference tours but also dispel traditional misconceptions of Africa ).
26 MAL 16 / 17 ISSUE