Zhu Wenjun Outlines The Government's Role In Xiamen's MICE

Zhu Wenjun is the general manager of the Xiamen China Comfort Travel Service MICE department.

What advantages does your company have with regards to MICE?
The company has undertaken many conferences and exhibitions of various sizes since it organized the First Xiamen National College Student Music Festival in 2001, and has also provided other supporting services. Large-scale events the company has undertaken include a national dance contest, the Cross-Strait Taiwanese Opera Art Festival, Challenge Cup contests, the First National Teenager Piano Contest, the Second Cross-strait (Xiamen) Cultural Industry Fair, and the FAW-Volkswagen Volkswagen Brand Reseller Partner Annual Meeting. As a result of all these years' experience, the company now has a professional MICE team with clear divisions of labor, and has established cooperation with MICE resource providers to get a better price and a better service.

What advantages in terms of resources does Xiamen have as a MICE destination?
First, Xiamen is the most important port on the west Strait, and is one of the ports for Little Three Links, playing a magnificent role in cross-Strait exchanges. Second, as an international garden city, it has beautiful natural sights and rich tourism resources which are correlated and complementary to surrounding cities. Third, Xiamen has good urban infrastructure that facilitates the movement of people and goods, and full meeting and exhibition facilities. Fourth, Xiamen has a relatively developed economy, an open society, higher levels of internationalization, and a fine legal environment, and it is very suitable for holding meetings and events.

What advantages does Xiamen have that can be combined with MICE?
For example, the rich marine resources provide the possibility of designing various maritime and island activities. The hot spring resources can be a pleasant surprise if used properly. And MICE resources in Xiamen's surrounding areas such as cultural relics and historic sites in Quanzhou, the Tulou and forest resources in Zhangzhou and Longyan, Mount Wuyishan, and Dajin Lake, can bring unexpected experiences to guests.

What do you think of the MICE market in Xiamen in 2010?
Due to the impact of the global financial crisis, Xiamen's MICE industry saw a small decline in 2009. However along with the recovery of economy, the industry is developing well and shows five characteristics: cross-Strait exchanges; the number of exhibitions spearheaded by government is increasing; MICE facilities getting better with the completion of Xiamen International Conference Center and the opening of upscale hotels; market-led conferences and meetings are showing good results; and the increasing number of large-scale conferences.

What are your requirements If an event or meeting is to be held in a hotel?
The organizer's requirements are the prior consideration in choosing a proper meeting venue, which usually includes the level and grade of the event, the size, and the budget. All things being equal the brand of the hotel is a decisive factor, because it is usually connected to the hardware facilities, the management, service level, and emergency response capability of a hotel. The quality of the marketing people quality is also very important since it is easy for guests to cooperate with people who are easy to communicate with. And of course price is also an important factor.

Please list all the hotels you have used in Xiamen and tell us which one impressed you most?
We have cooperated with most of the hotels in Xiamen and the Pan Pacific Xiamen Hotel is one of the mostly commonly used ones. Our company has already established a good relationship with the management and sales personnel of the hotel, so it is easy for them to cooperate. In addition the hotel has a perfect location at the financial and administrative center of Xiamen. Feedback from guests shows that they are quite satisfied with Pan Pacific Xiamen Hotel's service. And the guestrooms are well designed, being furnished with flat screen TVs, high-speed broadband Internet access, and an independent shower room. Some of the rooms feature sea views, lake views, and mountain views, and are quite popular with some guests.

Please share with our readers the details of a successful event organized by your team.
Our team has undertaken the reception work of FAW-Volkswagen Volkswagen Brand Reseller Partner Annual Meeting with about 1,000 participants. The company has booked all the guestrooms of several of the best hotels in Xiamen for this upscale meeting. The annual meeting was held at Xiamen Convention and Exhibition Center, and the dinner party was held at Xiamen International Conference Center. Guests visited Gulangyu Island after the meeting. Xiamen China Comfort Travel Service and China Comfort Travel had worked for almost a year to prepare this event. The company had made several plans and conducted field trips with clients, and finally made the event a great success.

What are the prospects for Xiamen's MICE business in the future?
I suggest that Xiamen look into the following measures to develop its MICE industry in the future. First, take the advantage of its location, and concentrate on Taiwanese products. Second, pay equal attention to conferences and exhibitions, and enhance the development of conferences. Third, change the paradigm from a government-led one to a market-led one. Fourth, the government should offer more policy support in terms of taxes or incentives.