“We have a marketing partnership with Singapore Tourism Board and Changi Airport enabling us to reach MICE buyers during the months outside of peak family holiday groups,” says RCI’s Diane Chiang
According to a recent study by Mordor Intelligence, bleisure travel, a burgeoning trend where employees blend business with leisure, is poised to reach USD 880.43 billion by 2029. And with growing demand for unique and customised experiences, the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry is increasingly turning to cruising.
It’s an interesting pocket of bleisure travel that’s picking up steam; after all, cruise ships already combine a stress-free holiday environment and leisure activities with business facilities.
According to Royal Caribbean International (RCI), not only do cruise ships provide an ideal setting for MICE events with dedicated conference centers and venues, but cruise packages also offer cost savings—approximately 30% less than traditional, on-land venues. Cruises also feature onboard experiences and activities that can be integrated into team-building or recreational programs.
We had a chat with Diane Chiang, APAC Director of Sales and Commercial at RCI, to get more insights about the emerging trend of MICE on cruises in Asia, the technology needed to make these events a success, and the overall outlook for the industry moving forward
Q: What gap in the industry, both MICE and cruising, does RCI address by catering to the MICE market?
Traditional MICE events often require planners to coordinate multiple vendors for accommodation, food and beverage services, meeting spaces, entertainment, and transportation. This can be a logistical nightmare, especially for large groups. We address several gaps in the MICE market by offering an all-inclusive solution that combines accommodation, entertainment, dining, and event logistics into a package.
RCI provides a solution where all these elements are integrated within the cruise experience. MICE planners can rely on RCI to handle the logistics with our MICE and sales team, along with a shipboard group coordinator, significantly reducing the complexity of event planning.
Holding events at traditional venues like hotels and convention centres can be expensive, especially when factoring in separate costs for accommodation, meeting spaces, meals, and activities. The rising cost of living and inflation in Asia exacerbate these expenses.Our package is on average 30% less costly than comparable land-based options.
Q: In terms of marketing, how is RCI reaching out to the MICE industry to promote its facilities as an event venue, catering to the bleisure segment?
RCI extends invitations for ship visits and site inspection cruises, allowing potential clients and MICE planners to experience the cruise facilities firsthand, showcasing the features and capabilities of the ships for hosting MICE events. RCI will also be providing incentives for MICE planners.
In Singapore, RCI has a marketing partnership with Singapore Tourism Board and Changi Airport enabling us to reach MICE buyers during the months outside of peak family holiday groups. We also participate in MICE Shows globally to connect and network with direct corporate clients, MICE buyers and Event Planners. Our other MICE reach includes targeted marketing via eDMs and corporate roadshows at our clients’ premises.
“MICE bookings will continue on an upward trend, as RCI is seeing meeting and incentive bookings for the upcoming few years on the rise,” says RCI’s Diane Chiang
Q: What sizes of events and capacity can RCI accommodate, and how does that work in a shared space like a cruise ship?
Private charters are dependent on the ship’s full capacity ranging from 2,000 up to 7,400 pax and are increasingly popular due to their convenience and flexibility, which greatly benefit event organisers. These charters provide exclusivity, allowing clients to fully brand the ship with their company’s identity.
Personalisation options are extensive, including branded décor throughout the ship, custom drinks named for the event, tailored shore excursions, and even company logos on cabin key cards. Typically, 3-night and 4-night charters are in high demand, with bookings confirmed 1-2 years in advance to ensure all details are perfectly tailored to the client’s needs.
Q: What incentives does RCI have in place to draw more events to cruises while competing with standard venues and event spaces?
There are many benefits for companies and event organisers onboard our cruises as mentioned; we have all event aspects in one value-for-money package to fulfill clients’ needs, for example accommodation, all meals, onboard entertainment/nightly live musical performances, morning to night programmes, usage of amazing first at sea facilities/amenities, complimentary meeting rooms, theatres and event spaces.
The ship is a destination that brings you to other destinations without wasting time nor logistics to deal with, as all these will be managed by our MICE teams and onboard group coordinators, making it easy for organisers.
Q: What is your outlook for the industry moving forward and how will this segment of ‘cruise x MICE’ grow in the coming months and years?
The global cruise industry is set for 2024 recovery with $30B revenue and 27M customers, emerging strongly from pandemic lows. A survey by Statista Market Insights revealed that the global cruise market generated $25.1 billion in revenue last year, which is $2 billion shy of the 2019 figures. The same report anticipates a significant turnaround in 2024, with predictions reaching a revenue of $30.1 billion, a nearly 20% increase from the previous year, positioning the cruise sector as the fastest-growing area within tourism.
MICE bookings will continue on an upward trend, as RCI is seeing meeting and incentive bookings for the upcoming few years on the rise. We see the demand for incentive trips inching up due to the wide range of programmes we have onboard our ships, as well as facilities that are ideal for team building.
Tags: Diane Chiang, Royal Caribbean International, RCI Singapore Tourism Board, Changi Airport, MICE
