ASPECTS OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT APPLIED IN ...

Annals of the University “Constantin Brâncuşi”of Tg-Jiu, No. 1/2008, Volume 2,
ISSN: 1842-4856
ROLE OF AND RECENT TRENDS IN THE MEETINGS, INCENTIVES,
CONVENTIONS AND EXHIBITIONS (MICE) INDUSTRY
DODU SILVIA PATRICIA, LECTOR UNIV. DRD., UNIVERSITATEA
ROMÂNO-AMERICANĂ
ABSTRACT: Le tourisme a fait un nouveau pas en répondant à des demandes de plus en plus exigentes du marché: un
produit complexe, sophistiqué (bien fait ou bien organisé) et à coût raisonnable. Aujourd’hui le MICE est considéré
comme une formule contemporaine du tourisme, quelque chose de “à la mode” permettant de diversifier les produits
touristiques d’un pays ou d’une région. MICE est l’abréviation internationale utilisée pour Meetings, Incentives,
Conventions, Exhibitions. Cette industrie internationale est l’une des plus importantes dans l’organisation de foires et de
congrès internationaux, mais également un segment touristique du futur en pleine évolution. MICE est le secteur qui se
développe le plus rapidement dans l’industrie des voyages. Il est estimé à 300 billions d’Euros.
MICE represents meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions and represents one of
the fastest growing segments within the tourism industry generating millions in revenues for cities
and countries. Europe and United States still remain the major markets worldwide in respect of the
number of meetings, conferences and exhibitions. MICE tourism is fundamentally different from
general business tourism as it has everything to do with tourism industry infrastructure, marketing
and perception and several crucial levers that exist within the City's ability to expand demand in this
sub-sector. Tourism is a staple industry for many country's economy. It is a service industry
providing a generous distribution of income to all sectors of the economy, including those directly
related to tourism such as resorts, restaurants, transport and activity providers and souvenir shops as
well as those that are indirectly involved such as communications, advertising, public relations, and
produce suppliers. In addition to revenue, the tourism industry, and more specifically the MICE
industry, creates jobs and the potential for knowledge exchange between people of the same
professions leading to national human resource development.
Within the tourism industry, the MICE sector is singled out as an alternative component, a
must for numerous destinations, especially due to the significant advantages involved by the
development of this type of tourism. The key characteristic of the MICE tourism is the fact that it
can be incorporated into any type of offering, no matter the resources available at the destination, as
long as a wide range of services targeted at the business customers is available.
Within the development strategies of certain regions, MICE is listed as a top priority, not
only because it leads to the creation of important social-economic benefits, but also because it might
prove to be the most appropriate solution for reducing the seasonality faced by those destinations.
For example, numerous resorts in areas with high seasonality consider the development of the
MICE sector as a key objective, investing significantly in the infrastructure required for such
events, in order to be able to yield economic benefits during the off-peak season, when the demand
for tourism services is limited. Among the benefits of organizing such events we can list the boost
in the demand for tourism services during the peak season from clients who otherwise would have
opted for a different destination, as well as the extension in the length of their stay by clients
attending events (such as fairs, expos, sport events) not initially part of their travel plans. In other
respects, this kind of tourism also plays a major part in generating a positive image of the
destination, having the potential of becoming a key factor in the marketing of a specific destination
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