What is MICE tourism and what is its future?

Do you know what MICE tourism is and, above all, what its future holds after the Covid-19 pandemic?

Is it a good idea to invest ina reservation systemto create business in this tourism segment?

What do you think? If you still don't have a formed opinion about MICE tourism, you've come to the right place.

Because here,in DoubleWe will explain everything to you.

We will briefly define what MICE tourism is, what its importance is for the Spanish tourism sector as a whole, and we will talk about numbers, future prospects and, of course, new trends.

What do you think of everything we have prepared for you? Isn't it interesting? Well, don't hesitate a second longer. Keep reading.

What is MICE tourism?

MICE tourismrefers to travel related to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions.

It is a segment within the tourism sector that must be taken into account, of course, becauseboosts the economy of the entire country.

Keep in mind that it is the tourist segment that attractsBusiness travelers and international eventsand this is a type of tourist with good purchasing power.

This type of tourism not only generates direct income through the organization of events, but alsopromotes the development of infrastructure and complementary services, such as hotels, restaurants and transportation.

Importance of MICE tourism for the Spanish tourism sector

We have made this little list about its importance.

1. Deseasonalization

Helps maintain aconstant flow of visitors throughout the year, reducing dependence on peak holiday tourism seasons.

2.      Impacto económico

MICE events usually have ahigh per capita spending, benefiting multiple sectors of the local economy.

3.      Promoción internacional

Improve the visibility of Spainas a tourist destination, positioning it as a leader in the events and congress industry.

4.      Desarrollo regional

Promotes the growth and development of cities and regionsthat host these events, promoting improvements in infrastructure and services.

What are the economic forecasts for MICE tourism?

If you are thinking of investing in creating, for example,a custom softwareIt is important to know what the economic forecasts will be.

According to a study conducted bythe Hosteltur portal, there will bean increase of 2.8 percentin meetings in Europe by 2024. This, taking into account that growth throughout 2023 has already been 3.2 percent.

On the other hand, 67 percent of professionals foreseean increase in the budgetearmarked for meeting tourism by 2024, with 13 percent expecting this increase to exceed 10 percent.

This study, to which we are referring, estimates that the sector could achieve an economic impact of13.23 billion euros in Spain in 2024, close to pre-pandemic levels.

Finally, it should be noted that costs per attendee at small events are estimated at $514 per day in Europe, while for incentive meetings it could reach $876 per person per day.

What can we add? All these figures show thatThis type of tourism has recovered.

The sector was not entirely confident after Covid-19, when all face-to-face meetings and events were replaced by online ones to prevent contagion.

Something like this was expected, since in 2022, congress centres in Spain had more attendees than in 2019.

In-person events are resurfacing but with the presence of hybrids

As we have indicated in the previous paragraph, face-to-face events are making a comeback. It is true. They have become, after the pandemic,the first choice for many companieswho value and desire human contact.

However,The pandemic has left a “mark”If you will allow us the expression, face-to-face events with an online component are becoming more and more frequent.We are talking about hybrid events.

Very common in one-day conferences, but also in congresses. Those people who, for one reason or another, cannot or do not want to travel, can follow the developments of said event online.

Now, the advantages of in-person events are clear:

1. They facilitate face-to-face contact, which improves communication and the creation of strong relationships.
2. Attendees can participatein a more active and sensorial wayat the event, which increases the emotional impact.
3. Allowestablish informal and spontaneous connectionswhich are more difficult to achieve in virtual environments.
4. They promotedirect participationin workshops, demonstrations and activities, which is more attractive and motivating.
5. They bring people together in the same space, which canfacilitate collaboration and the exchange of ideasin a more dynamic way.

New trends in MICE tourism

Sustainability

All companies are increasingly committed to adapting sustainable practices,reducing wasteand promoting the use of renewable energy.

In the events there is a clear tendency toPromote locally sourced productsIn this way, the environment is protected and the economy of the area where the event is being held is helped.

Technological

The artificial AIhas entered fully into the sectorAnd it is doing so, as in many other productive sectors, to increasingly personalize events, meetings, conferences…

All to improve the user experience, which is also done through data analysis.

Gamification techniques are also used to create attractive events.

That's all. If you were interested in MICE tourism, we hope to have answered all your questions here. And, you know what, if you are looking to create a reservation system that will help you attract clients, we are at your complete disposal.