Mice Tourism as an Innovative Tool for Promoting Oman - Term Paper Example

The paper "Mice Tourism as an Innovative Tool for Promoting Oman" is a great example of a term paper on tourism.

• Introduction

This chapter will explore the literature that is relevant to understanding MICE tourism. It will contain a discussion of major themes in this work-business tourism, MICE, its advantages and opportunities, its challenges, and competition among tourism destinations. Major themes as well as major contributions of significant articles and studies will be covered.

• • Business Tourism

Business tourism refers to the trips undertaken with the purpose of participation in seminars, congresses, and other important business events (Devashish 2011). It is the provision of services and facilities to businesspersons who attend meetings, exhibitions, corporate hospitality, congresses, incentive travel, and other business events. Incentive travels are worldwide management means that employs an extraordinary travel experience to recognize and/or motivate employees for superior performance levels in support of corporate goals (Faulconbridge & Beaverstock 2007). Business events such as meetings and conferences play an important function in the professional, economical, and educational development of a county by offering important opportunities to educate, network, motivate and communicate. Business tourism is a rapidly rising and lucrative division of the largest industry sector in the world (Devashish 2011).

According to the “World Tourism Organization UNWTO” (2014), the current business volume of tourism equals or even exceeds that of automobiles, food products, and oil exports. Consequently, tourism has become one of the key players in global commerce and it is the major source of income for most developing nations (Fenich 2008; Davidson & Rogers 2006). The growth has contributed to an increasing diversification as well as competition among tourist destinations. The worldwide growth of the tourism sector in developed and industrialized nations has generated employment and economic benefits in numerous related sectors such as telecommunications, agriculture, and tourism (Crouch & Weber 2003; Davidson & Rogers 2012). Business tourism has contributed to competitive trends where countries market themselves as exotic and cost-effective locations, where company goals can be realized in a rejuvenating location; they try to meet the businessperson's need for both relaxation and efficiency.

Business travel comprises about 9% of all global travel. Leisure activities come together with business travel (Davidson 2003). The business travelers are less cost-sensitive compared to leisure travelers and spend more every day. Their ability to utilize time in an efficient manner within their business travel plans primarily influences their purchase decisions. The majority of the business travelers also extend their business excursions for leisure activities when possible, and hence there exists a huge potential in the market. Faulconbridge and Beaverstock (2007) and Lassen (2006) noted that there is a blurring of boundaries between business and leisure travel.

Lassen (2006) showed that the distinction between business tourism and leisure tourism has been blurred because modern-day employees share with their employers the determination of their travel, involving jointly both pleasure and business elements. Incentive travel, a form of business tourism, employs leisure tourism as remuneration for superior performance at the workplace hence bridging the divide between leisure and business tourism. In the coming years, business tourism will be one of the largest growth markets in the tourism sector (Berridge 2007). Transition and developing economies focus on individual business travelers as well as the conventions and meetings market in order to expand revenues from business tourism. Given the expenditure levels of business travelers, most destinations are usually keen on attracting all forms of business tourism (Howie 2003). Business tourism support and complements overall tourism and provides business for accommodation suppliers during times when there are fewer leisure visitors (Bowdin et al 2006). This enables them to support messages of an active and thriving destination and they are able to return as leisure visitors in the future, extend their business trips to stay on as leisure visitors, or bring family and friends with them on business visits.

Pizam (2005) and Lee and Lee (2006) noted that most business travelers combine leisure with their attendance at a convention, and often bring guests with them and stay additional days. In addition, the spending of meeting participants and those accompanying them are significantly higher compared to the leisure tourists’ category (Weber & Ladkin 2003). The view that business tourism leads to better inner investment is also prevalent. There is limited experiential evidence supporting this idea; however, the idea is that some business tourists, who are owners of businesses visit a destination as a business tourist, decide to establish new businesses or relocate their existing businesses to the tourist destination after liking what they see in the tourist destination. Business tourism is an important point of the plan of both industrialized cities that seek to modernize and diversify their economies; and traditional coastal resorts that are interested in extending their season and attracting lucrative businesspersons from other countries (MPI 2006).

Although business tourism has numerous benefits for destinations, it also brings certain problems such as congestion as well as attracting criminals who view business tourists as beneficial and easy marks. Addressing the demanding business tourists also compel destinations to make larger investments in infrastructures such as convention centers and airports, without a guarantee they will pay off the investment (Rogers 2008). Nonetheless, business tourism is a helpful experience for destinations. Business tourism destinations encourage extended stays through extended hotel access, increased hotel business centers, influencing corporate travel managers, developing air tourism, developing infrastructure, and attracting conventions and meetings (International Trade Center 2001). By extending hotel room access, hotels are encouraged to stay longer after or before their business undertakings. Tourist destinations are also increasing hotel business centers to encourage extended stay for business travelers. They provide business support facilities to enable businesspersons to conduct their business efficiently 24hours every day (Tum, Norton, & Wright 2006). Most hotels have embraced the idea of business-class rooms and facilities that have improved working space and lighting, data ports, internet access, private faxes, and two-line cordless phones. This leads to an increase in visitors who stay longer after completing their business activities and take part in tourism activities (International Trade Center 2001).

Company travel managers select departure and arrival times for business travelers. They influence travel schedules for them, for instance, ensuring early arrival to that the travelers get adequate rest and conduct their business proficiently. Airport tourism is also being structured in a way that the travelers offered a 1-hour sightseeing package; they are offered a speeded up custom and immigration clearance or remain in transit (Page & Connel 2006). The travelers are thus offered an opportunity to foresee the country around the airport and this encourages some of them to plan a return visit (International Trade Center 2001). Tourist destinations also enhance meetings and conventions traffics using cost-effective, high-quality services and promoting various locations. Due to the rapid increase of international business, both conventions and company meetings rate higher when it comes to business travel. According to the International Trade Center (2001), attracting these major business events necessitates marketing to convention and meeting planners and major trade fair organizers. Due to the growth of business tourism, countries are improving their attractiveness as a destination for conventions. For instance, about 280 companies in the United States have established offices with business facilities, which include 802 guest rooms as well as meeting rooms that accommodate about 1,000 persons (International Trade Center 2001). Upscale resorts and hotel properties worldwide are being converted to conference resorts; they are offering full-service business facilities and report spa facilities. There are also tourism packages for conventions for business tourists. Business conferences and international trade shows attract a large number of businesspersons, mostly from numerous countries. Convention and tourism planners normally include add-ons for businesspersons and the events including sightseeing, golf, and city tours are a regular component of their programs. Competitive trends in business tourism include accompanying families, adventure travel, corporate travel experts, new technologies, industry sector specialization, and business alliances (International Trade Center 2001).

There are many connections between leisure tourism and business tourism when it comes to the demand side and the supply side. Business tourism utilizes most of the supply side aspects as leisure tourism, though it also requires other services that leisure tourists do not need (Mackellar 2006). Business tourists mostly use aspects shared with leisure tourism in dissimilar manner to leisure tourists, for instance, most leisure tourists visit museums during normal opening hours whereas business tourists possibly stopover in the evenings for a private trip with drinks and canapés (Swarbrooke & Horner 2001).

Business tourists usually pay more money for using the same facilities as used by leisure travelers, since, they often demand or need extra special facilities and better quality facilities, compared with leisure tourists (McCartney 2007). Leisure tourism and business tourism overlap in various ways; business travelers normally become leisure travelers once they finish working; conferences mostly comprise a plan of leisure activities amid conventions and meetings. Incentive travel also entails providing leisure trips as remuneration for excellent performance in the workplace (PCMA 2006).

Some business travelers are also accompanied by their families whose intent is leisure travel. The various forms of business tourism-conferences or conventions, trade fairs or exhibitions, and individual business trips have grown worldwide due to various factors related to both the demand as well as the supply side. Business tourism is made up of meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (acronym: MICE). Its attractiveness is increasing everyday and in various instances, it has become the major form of tourism (Morgan & Condliffe 2006). 2.2 MICE Tourism 2.2.1 Introduction In tourism, MICE is an acronym for “Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions” (Figueroa 2014, par. 1). It is a special form of group tourism focused on booking, planning and facilitating seminars, conferences as well as other business events.

MICE is one of fastest developing sectors in the tourism industry (Becken & Hay 2007). It involves various components, which include corporate event planners, logistic firms, food and beverage managers, conference centers or cruise ships, meetings and convention departments of hotels, travel-selling professionals, tourism trade associations, tourism boards, professional trade organizations, incentive houses, and private tour operators and transfer firms (Figueroa 2014). Travel sellers that specialize in MICE are normally associated with large company agencies because organization and planning involved usually take place years in advance.

In essence, MICE tourism entails a well-planned agenda centered on a topic or theme such as educational topic, special interest group, or profession trade organization. The MICE industry plays a key role in developing tourism in most destinations (Getz 2006). For MICE travelers, the qualification of the staff, as well as the infrastructure of a location are the two key aspects in choosing a hotel. Tourists travelling for MICE purposes are mostly professionals from varied important industries such as technology, IT, engendering, and medicine among others.

In addition, they are regarded in the hospitality and tourism industry as “big spenders” relative to the leisure tourists. MICE tourism is a significant sector in the tourism industry and generates millions in revenues for countries and cities (Figueroa 2014). 2.2.2 History of MICE During the ancient times, meetings were held to discuss communal interests. The cities served as focal points, for instance, Rome had Comitium and the Roman Forum. The Congress of Vienna held in 1814-1815 kick-started the history of conventions in Europe.

The need to communicate with the intention of exchanging information, goods, knowhow, and services accelerated rapidly due to the Industrial Revolution that started in Great Britain (Wood & Brotherton 2008).