MICE Event

MICE is an acronym that stands for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. In recent years, the terms “meetings industry” and “events industry” have been gaining popularity as alternatives for MICE. It makes up a big part of global business travel since every industry has regular events of some kind. The main goal here is always to bring professionals together, foster connections, promote new ideas, and push growth.

Meetings

Meetings are usually a single-day event held in hotel conference rooms or at convention centers. They can vary in size from only a small group of senior executives to larger gatherings like annual meetings or general meetings.

The main purpose is to bring together people from one company, industry, or project to address challenges, discuss plans, and set goals. Catering is often kept simple and there’s rarely an entertainment program.

Incentives

Incentives are probably the most fun part of the MICE segment. They include all types of travel rewards a company offers to individual staff, teams, or partners (e.g. affiliates). In this context, the goal of an incentive is to thank people for their great performance, boost morale, or increase employee loyalty.

Incentives can take different forms depending on the company organising them. Some may send their team for an all-inclusive weekend trip to an out-of-town resort. Others might plan a variety of activities closer to home to encourage staff to bond in an informal setting.

Conferences

Think of conferences as supersized meetings. They often last more than one day and can vary in size, but usually, they have more attendees than meetings. As with incentives, conferences can look very different depending on the organisers and the industry behind them.

Common activities at conferences include one, a mix, or all of the below:

• Panels: A group of experts discusses a topic and presents new findings. A moderator asks questions, ensures good flow, and may take questions from the audience.
• Presentations: At a company conference, senior leaders may present the latest successes or results of the business. At public industry conferences, thought leaders may be invited as guest speakers to share the newest trends and insights. Presentations often rely on props, slides, or other visual elements.
• Speeches: Also known as keynotes, speeches often mark the beginning or end of a conference. Sometimes it’s the host or organiser welcoming or thanking attendees for joining. Other times an industry leader may address an important issue and share ideas for solutions.
• Discussions: They can be part of a panel. In this case, a select group talks about a topic while the audience listens. Some organisers use breakout rooms to encourage active debate among small groups of attendees.
• Workshops: A small group of participants works on a specific problem case or researches a certain topic. This approach is a great way to offer attendees an interactive learning experience.

The purpose of conferences varies, but usually, they’re meant to address and find solutions to challenges in a business or industry. Sharing new insights and research is a big part of that. So are networking and team-building activities.

Exhibitions

Also referred to as trade shows, exhibitions are usually massive events that draw thousands of visitors and exhibitors from around the world. They can last anywhere from several days to a week. Exhibitions are usually very industry-specific and have a well-defined target market.

Exhibitors go to trade shows to present and promote their product or service, drive business, and liaise with existing and potential partners. Industry professionals go to network, find clients or jobs, and discover new ways to solve problems.

Common activities at exhibitions can include one, a mix of, or all of the activities present at conferences, as well as:

• Networking events: Trade shows often have networking parties for subgroups among their attendees. This is a great place to meet potential partners, discuss collaborations, and exchange thoughts on current trends. 
• Awards: An award show is part of many exhibitions and honors industry leaders for their achievements. It also gives winners quite a PR and marketing push. Even if you’re not up for an award, it’s worth checking out the nominees for inspiration.
• New business pitches: Since trade shows want to promote growth and innovation in their industry, there’s often a dedicated event for new business pitches. It’s great for start-ups to gain visibility, funding, clients, and job applicants.