Macau has been working hard to capitalise on the positive publicity and subsequent surge of interest from India following its successful hosting of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend and Awards 2009 at the Venetian last June.
Nicknamed the ‘Bollywood Oscars’, the IIFA awards saw the top level of the Indian film industry descend on Macau along with thousands of fans.
The intense media coverage, and in particular the near-worldwide television broadcast, shone a spotlight on the territory, introducing several hundred million people to a new regional destination capable of hosting large-scale events.
EARLY SUCCESS
One year later, the number of business event groups from India has grown markedly. The post-IIFA response this spring has seen the Venetian hosting four corporate events from India in quick succession.
“Our objective is to offer the Venetian as an all-in-one destination for planners who want a memorable delegate experience,” says Grant Johnson, director of business tourism and events marketing at the Venetian. “The strategy is succeeding with MICE business from India, up 63 per cent year on year.”
In early April, a Fiat dealer’s conference was held at the hotel with 378 delegates for six days. Later in the month, Zee Entertainment Enterprise took 220 people there for a four-day management meeting. May saw 600 delegates from Havells Group, an electrical and power distribution equipment manufacturer, visit the Venetian for an incentive trip. Another group from paint manufacturer and marketer ICI India brought 230 of its top-performing paint dealers to Macau for a two-day incentive.
FUTURE POTENTIAL
These groups are indicative of Macau’s dedication to wooing this fast-growing market. “We have a presence in India with offices in Mumbai and Delhi, and a third opening in Bangalore in September,” says Johnson.
As the IIFA 2009 host and Macau’s largest MICE venue (and its strongest marketer), the Venetian is clearly seeing results, but the benefits are being felt across the broader industry too.
Benjamin Fox, director of events for DMC Off-Site Connections Macau, also sees the market’s strong potential. “Most of the hotels in Macau with MICE space are targeting this upcoming segment,” he says. “We have only organised one event so far, but we are getting a lot of interest.”
The Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) has also noted the increase in business. San Jeet, from MGTO’s India office, says: “We have hosted a range of MICE groups from India including an Iron Ore Summit for 350 people in late January that also benefited from our Strategic MICE Market Stimulation Program [government support for the local MICE Industry]. Some companies have combined incentives and meetings during their visit to Macau, including Nokia India, Hyundai India and Hewlett- Packard among others.”
MARKET DEMANDS
Gary Grimmer, CEO of industry consultant Gary Grimmer & Company, also noted the incentive trend. “India is a strong growth market and Indian companies are looking for regional products. The most exciting right now is Macau,” he says. “The entertainment options drive incentives with high-quality hotels and a diverse product offering. What’s also good is that Macau is a compact destination.”
Spouses and families often accompany MICE groups, creating a demand for more retail, entertainment and dining options. The latter has been the last to develop and an opportunity still exists for enterprising restaurateurs to establish major off-site Indian restaurants.
“Macau already caters to the vast majority of palates,” says Grimmer. “And it will cater to more speciality markets, with Indian food being one of them.”
Indeed Macau’s enthusiasm to accommodate Indian groups bodes well for future visitors.