The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry plays a crucial role in the global economy, facilitating networking, knowledge exchange, and business collaborations. It attracts thousands of delegates, exhibitors, and speakers from around the world.

Projected to reach a global value of USD 1,337.14 billion by 2033, the MICE industry has the power to drive economic growth by generating employment opportunities, attracting foreign direct investment, and boosting various sectors like hospitality, tourism, and transportation.

Countries around the world are looking to identify areas of opportunity for attracting more of this business. From well-established MICE markets like North America, where ample space and transport infrastructure make it an attractive meeting place, to emerging markets in South America and Africa, locations can use aviation data to develop and grow their MICE business strategy, identifying new MICE destinations, optimizing travel infrastructure, and creating targeted strategies that meet the needs of the modern MICE traveler.

The Role of Air Connectivity in MICE strategy

Given the nature of meetings and exhibitions, which bring people together based on their common ground – be it business, study or leisure – rather than geographical location, air travel connectivity plays a pivotal role in determining where events should be held.

Transportation and destination infrastructure directly impact an event's convenience, cost, and attendee experience. This makes connectivity one of the greatest concerns for MICE organizers, and central to winning over MICE business.

For those planning a strategy to attract more event business, there are some key areas of the air travel domain to focus in on:

• Location and accessibility. To maximize convenience for attendees, meeting spaces should ideally be near to an airport with frequent, direct flights.
• Connectivity and capacity. Well-connected hubs and plenty of capacity can help organizers accommodate the broadest possible range of event goers.
• Airline partnerships. Can airlines reduce cost for MICE bookings, or add value with frequent flyer benefits, upgrades, or other extras?
• Sustainability. Many organizers are keen to minimize the environmental impact of their events. This is where options such as carbon offsetting or contributions to local environmental initiatives can come in.

Strategies for New MICE Markets

Europe and North America already have well-established MICE markets.  Airports that rank highly for connectivity, like London Heathrow or Chicago O'Hare, give their respective destinations a strategic advantage with their extensive flight networks, making them prime locations for MICE events. Similarly, destinations like Singapore, New York, and Dubai are popular for due to their diverse flight options and high-capacity airports.

But how can we identify which growing cities should capture the interest of the MICE sector? New flight routes and increased capacity often signal up-and-coming destinations. By combining data-driven insights with strategic partnerships, would-be MICE destinations can enhance their connectivity and offer more value to planners. In doing so, they not only attract large-scale events but also establish themselves as cost-effective and accessible choices in an increasingly competitive market.

Using insight offered by aviation data, destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and airports can collaborate to create special packages that attract MICE travelers, offering perks like group booking discounts or exclusive services. For example, Singapore’s MICE Advantage Programme (SMAP) is a collaboration between Singapore Airlines, Changi Airport, and the Singapore Tourism Board. It provides discounted airfares, excess baggage allowances, and complimentary tickets for site inspections, with large groups receiving further benefits like in-flight announcements and discounts on airport advertising.

In Dubai, investment to create seamless connectivity across the city and its airports, and the important claim to being just “four hours away from one-third of the global population” has helped the city become a prime MICE destination that attracts millions of visitors each year.

A government push to develop infrastructure in India is being cited as at least one reason behind the strong growth of the country’s MICE industry, which is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6% between 2024 and 2029. The Indian government has focused on the strategic placement and construction of world-class convention centers, exhibition halls, and hotels.

Overcoming Barriers to Attracting MICE Business

To make a location as attractive as possible for MICE business, some logistical hurdles may be removed or lowered. Aviation data can help governments, tourism authorities, airports and DMOs work out where investment is needed.

Are there gaps in the flight network that need to be filled to ensure ease of access? Airline Schedules data can be used to identify them. Schedules data is also key to unlocking efficiency in public transport, to make sure it is available, with enough capacity, at the right times to transfer event attendees between airports, hotels and venues. To take this a step further, Status data can be used to make transfers smoother by providing information when flights are delayed or cancelled.

Aviation data can provide further insight into airport arrivals, capacity and even costs, to help local venues, transportation vendors, and activity providers proactively coordinate and ensure a seamless experience for MICE arrivals.

Embracing Data-Driven Strategies for Future Success

As the MICE industry continues to evolve, airports, DMOs, and tourism boards must embrace data-driven strategies to stay competitive. Aviation data offers valuable insights into business travel patterns, emerging destinations, and optimal event timings, helping stakeholders attract MICE travelers and create more engaging, seamless experiences.