Marketing Hong Kong As A MICE Destination

Located in the center of the world's fastest growing economic region, with its unique location, good infrastructure, and a fast paced lifestyle combined with a mixture of the Chinese and Western culture and various professional talents, Hong Kong has become an important destination for corporate meetings, incentive travel, conferences, and exhibitions.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board recently announced the establishment of its Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong Office to enhance MICE promotions, aiming to improve Hong Kong's competitive position in the global MICE market and provide a more professional service for MICE organizers. James P. C. Tien, chairman of HKTB, said that many countries in Asia see MICE as a key area for development, and Hong Kong's competitors are already setting up dedicated MICE bureaus or departments. The MEHK office is only the first in a series of measures being taken by HKTB to strengthen its MICE promotions, next HKTB plans to cooperate with the government and its trade partners to build-up the image and awareness of Hong Kong's MICE brands. Although acknowledging the volatile economic environment, HKTB won't miss an opportunity for MICE development and will strive for an advantage in timing in order to gain market share.

Anthony Lau, Executive Director of HKTB, said that as the MICE center of the Asia Pacific region, Hong Kong organizes more than 1,300 MICE events each year, attracting over 1.7 million people from all over the world and this has brought in more than HKD11 billion in income. The newly established MEHK team will provide dedicated services for each of the meetings and incentives, conventions, and the exhibitions segments. On the marketing front, the MEHK office will focus on the high-potential markets, such as mainland China, India, Korea, Japan, Britain, and the United States, providing a one-stop service, including business expansion, consulting, and market promotion as well as value-added services like tailor-made planning to cater to tourists' special needs, to enrich companies' experiences, and to improve the awareness of Hong Kong's brand.

Three Major Responsibilities Involved in Developing the Mainland Market
For corporate clients from Chinese mainland, Becky Ip, director of HKTB in Chinese mainland, said that MEHK would make the Chinese mainland one of its key markets and aim to enhance communication and cooperation with the mainland's tourism industry, strengthen their promotion in the mainland and consolidate Hong Kong's position as a popular MICE destination in Asia Pacific through providing a value-added service that keeps up with the pace of modern business, and promoting in-depth MICE service. According to Ip, MEHK will bring its three major responsibilities into play for the potential market from the mainland, sending special staff to key Chinese cities for important promotions and assisting MEHK's partners in exploring the MICE market.

Responsibility One: Provide Highly Efficient One-stop Service
MEHK has formally launched its official website mehongkong.com. The new website provides detailed and comprehensive information on Hong Kong, the "MICE Capital", and features powerful functions so that it is more accessible to business partners and a broader range of consumers.

The main task of MEHK at the moment is to actively seek for and offer support to sponsors. After they successfully bid for a MICE project, MEHK will provide 360 degree assistance, ranging from writing the initial proposal, selecting venues, arranging marketing and schedules, to the successful holding of the event and the solving of anyrelated issues. Besides, they will communicate with the concerned parties to understand consumers' demands, create flexible and tailor-made plans and try to make Hong Kong's resource match with the market demand, bring Hong Kong's geographical and resource advantages into full play and properly seize the opportunities on the MICE market.

Responsibility Two: Provide Value-added Service and Programs
For target cities with great potential in the Chinese mainland, Ip said that they would work with the trade offices of different regions and the industry associations to hold themed forums and seminars for the purpose of propaganda, and would cooperate closely with departments like Invest Hong Kong and Hong Kong Trade Development Council to further enthuse MICE sponsors, provide value-added service to them and work with them to encourage the development of MICE business.

Responsibility Three: Improve Hong Kong's Image As a MICE Destination
While strengthening cooperation with the mass media and carrying out effective and diversified promotions such as direct mailing, exhibiting at fairs, public relations activities, symposia and workshops, MEHK will work to bring Hong Kong's MICE product brand to people's attention and win a better reputation for it.

Finally, Ip stated that with the increase of the global MICE business, the competition will grow fierce day by day. She said that under the current dismal economic climate, Hong Kong should, as an international city, drive up China's domestic demand more than ever before and this is a new and meaningful mission for Hong Kong.

Cathay Pacific: Providing Value-added MICE Services
Needless to say, airline companies will play an important role in turning Hong Kong into a classic MICE destination. Asked how to attract MICE clients, Cathay Pacific said it would provide special air ticket deals to MICE clients who attend specified meetings and enable the meeting attendees to book special price tickets easily via an online booking system. In addition, it will provide value-added services, including seat selection, airport reception and special check-in service, interpretation booths and specified language services for businesspeople traveling to Hong Kong.

Cathay Pacific's MICE team can assist with clients' special demand, such as making special booth earphones and menu envelopes and meeting gifts, and assist them in organizing tours in the hinterland of the destination.

We were told that Cathay Pacific will work with Invest Hong Kong and Hong Kong Trade Development Council to jointly explore Hong Kong's MICE market. The airline company has even been nominated as Official Airline for many of the events of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. In 2008, Cathay Pacific became a member of the executive committee of the Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association. This offers the company the chance to meet with MICE organizers and to offer a hand in improving Hong Kong's MICE industry.

In 2009, Cathay Pacific will continue to improve its online MICE booking system, focusing on MICE teams and business clients. The system will be publicized with a new look and provide more exclusive benefits for online MICE bookers, such as extra Asia Miles, increased baggage allowance and 10% off on Cathay Pacific's partner hotels.

Taking the opportunity of the establishment of MEHK, HKTB invited more than 100 media people from home and abroad to visit the unique MICE reception venues in Hong Kong, including The Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, The Pawn, Disneyland Hotel Hong Kong, Aqua, Crown Wine Cellars and The American Club Hong Kong. This gave the visitors an opportunity to acquire first hand information about these venues.

JCCAC, A Symbol Of Creativity
JCCAC was chosen by HKTB for the opening ceremony of MEHK. Built by Hong Kong government as one of the first factory buildings in the 1970's to provide cheap workshops for smaller factories, this building has witnessed Hong Kong's economic development in the past years. JCCAC has turned the old factory building into a big production and innovation site, similar to Beijing's 798 Art District and made it home to more than 150 artists and art institutions.

With an experiment theater of 119 seats, an art gallery, a public art workshop and a studio, JCCAC can be used for various large events. In addition, its terrace can be transformed into a roof garden for outdoor sports.

Experiencing Old Hong Kong At the Century Old Pawn
The first creative activity of the newly established MEHK was "Asia Vogue Capital", a fashion themed nostalgia masquerade, at The Pawn. This event, featuring guests wearing clothes from the 60's or 70's, impressed the tourists a lot with its creativity.

In Hong Kong, "Da Ya" means pawn. The Pawn is the first up-market restaurant opened inside an old cultural building. This Cantonese Qi Lou style building combines bars, restaurants, and a roof garden. It integrates a brand new food concept and brings life to the cultural relic. On the ground floor is the sitting room where various delicate dim sum and drinks are provided. The first floor is the restaurant where one can enjoy various British style food and hold your private banquet in the 12-person hall. The second floor is the roof garden, which is suitable for event releases and group activities.

Practicing Tai Chi on The Peak
The Peak is the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island. Each year it attracts more than seven million tourists. From the Sky Terrace at The Peak Tower, tourists can gain a 360-degree bird's eye view of Hong Hong. Moreover, they can learn to practice Tai Chi with a professional teacher speaking English and Chinese, which adds more fun to their tour. After that, they can have an outdoor breakfast at the Sky Terrace to refresh their body for the rest of the day.

The viewing platform at the Peak Tower is now available for corporate events. The Peak Tower has even been opened to the public for activities like weddings, company, and private parties, and business banquets.

Disneyland Brings Team Building To Life
For corporate meetings and incentive travel, Hong Kong offers a hugh variety of venues and numerous challenging and innovative ways to inspire a team. In 2008, Hong Kong Disneyland launched "It's Time to Team", with the purpose of helping companies motivate their employees and enhance team spirit through holding team activities at Disneyland's vacation area, and fusing business activities with entertainment.

Disneyland Hotel Hong Kong a total of 16 meeting venues which can be flexibly adjusted to meet different demands. In addition, there is Disney Hollywood Hotel nearby to accommodate company employees with its film style design. These two hotels provide a total of 1,000 rooms and suites, and offer exclusive check-in service for group guests.

By making use of the meeting facilities at Disneyland, corporate clients can choose to hold events, business meetings, or group activities in the whole of Disneyland or at one of its particular sectors. The areas available includes the whole of Disneyland, Adventure Land, and Fantasy Land. For team events, professional MICE staff can help organize the event according to the client's requirements.

Hong Kong Disneyland will continue to strengthen its MICE reception capacities. Up till now, it has cooperated with KPMG, L'Oreal, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Charle Group. Apart from clients from the Pearl River Delta Region, it also to expanding its customer base to Beijing and Shanghai.

Feel Privileged At Crown Wine Cellars
Located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, Crown Wine Cellars' original structures were first constructed in 1937 by the British Military to serve as a munitions storage depot. They were later turned into four air-raid shelters which were further transformed into three cellars and a clubhouse. In 2007, the site was declared a UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Site. At present, Crown Wine Cellars has more than 500 members and stores about two million boxes of wines, the oldest of which even dates back to 1896. The cellar maintains a constant temperature of 13 degrees Celsius and 70% humidity all the year round.

With a seating capacity of 220 people, Crown Wine Cellars' clubhouse is suitable for holding various corporate activities. For it has successfully served as a venue for events from Cathay Pacific, Mercedes-Benz, and Lamborghini.

The American Club Hong Kong, A Club For The Elite
The American Club Hong Kong began to serve as an American style networking, party and business events venue in 1925. It has become a pre-eminent social club for those with aspirations to be the international elite in Hong Kong.

The American Club's Country Club, which is opposite to the southeast coast of Hong Kong, overlooks beautiful Tai Tam Bay. At present, it is open to both members and non-members for everything from private parties, business events, and weddings to recreational activities. The Vista Hall at the Country Club can hold 400 people for cocktail parties. In addition, the lawn beside the swimming pool and the terrace can be used for outdoor parties and private gatherings.

Board Aqua Luna To Sail Victoria Harbor
Aqua Luna used to be the name of a band of pirates in the South China Sea. It has now become the name for a popular Chinese style sailing boat in Hong Kong. Designed by Aqua Restaurant Group, the boat was built with old Chinese boat building techniques and is a unique place for business activities, parties and group events. The boat consists of two decks The upper decks is equipped with two rows of davenports that can accommodate 80 people. The lower deck and cabin can be used for catering. Aqua Luna now sails in Victoria Harbor every day so tourists can gain a full view of the Harbor and experience Hong Kong's effervescent style life.

With flexible space, Aqua Luna has been frequently rented by groups and has been highly spoken of by corporate clients for its uniqueness and sense of privilege.

Interview Postscript
When our four-person journalist group arrived at Hong Kong Airport, we were given the opportunity to experience the "Guests Reception at the Airport" service offered by HKTB. According to Qiu Zhaohua, the PR director of HKTB for the Chinese mainland, this service is available to MICE groups (even if it is just one person). Incentive travel and meeting groups with more than 150 people can enjoy the service free of charge during promotion periods.

When we left Hong Kong, we saw that HKTB's staff were requesting tourists to complete questionnaires. The questions they asked include whether tourists will come to Hong Kong again, whether they will recommend Hong Kong to their friends, how they traveled to Hong Kong, their reason for coming, how long they have stayed, and with whom they have traveled. The data collected is said to be used in making marketing strategies, and parts of it will be made public for policy-making purposes.