Incentive seminars, festive events such as afterworks, dinners, cocktails or product launches: these two types of business meetings have been driving MICE demand since the end of the pandemic, gaining further market share last year according to the 31e Coach Omnium's annual study on the development of business tourism in France, conducted for the second time with the 1001 Salles group. " What's interesting is that this step up is not at the expense of other activities, but in addition to themsays Perrine Edelman, Associate Director at Coach Omnium. Seminars and study days are still the most popular form of meeting." .
Covid has come and gone, as has the pandemic and the growing need to unite teams in the face of the expansion of teleworking and video-conferencing, as well as to consolidate relationships with partners and customers. Against this backdrop, only 37% of companies were interested in events in 2017, compared with 72% today, while incentive trips have risen over the same period from 17% to 50%. In this context, fun team building activitiess - The traditional treasure hunt, but also more and more collaborative team building activities - are at the top of the list, proposed by 88% of companies, far ahead of activities with a cultural connotation (62%) or eco-responsible activities (56%), even if these are gaining in importance.
While MICE demand from companies remained at its best stable last year, or even up for 33% of them compared with 2022, the past year has seen an increase in events abroad, with a third of companies having organised a meeting outside France, compared with 20% in 2022, and this in Europe in the vast majority of cases.
The study also shows that organisers' expectations are changing over time, with events in particular tending to get longer. " Two-day seminars were in the majority at the beginning of the 2000s, before declining over the following decade. They have been making a comeback since 2022, even though full-day or half-day seminars are still the most popular format. A third of companies even organise three-day seminars." says Perrine Edelman, making the link between this trend and the development of incentive holidays.
Another element of the MICE market, hotels are also regaining popularity as seminar venues. Popular in the 2000s and down to 40% in 2019, chain and independent establishments are once again in favour with organisers, having attracted 72 % of companies in 2023. Here too, there has been a change, since while three-star establishments used to drive demand, it is now the four- and even five-star establishments that are most in demand, not least because of the move upmarket. Atypical venues are also being chosen by a growing number of organisers: 62 % for atypical and event venues such as converted factories, lofts or museums, and 42 % for châteaux and residences with character.
CSR is also a major trend in the MICE market, and one that is set to grow. " Three-quarters of companies say take account of the impact of their events todaystresses the Associate Director at Coach Omnium. This is a relatively new phenomenon, compared with just 2 out of 10 in 2016. In addition, a third of organisers say that they always or often carry out a carbon audit of their event." . However, the concerns relate mainly to modes of transport, with the study noting that " the requirements placed on MICE service providers are fairly minimalist, focusing mainly on short-distance catering supplies" . However, organisers are paying increasing attention to the sustainable commitment of venues and their service providers, their certification or labelling representing a decisive choice criterion for more than 80% of those questioned.
Among the other changes observed in companies over the last three years, the responses (54%) focus on a smaller MICE budget, a greater proportion of in-house meetings (44%) and a reduction in the number of events (43%). CSR guidelines came in fifth place, at 34%, behind greater attention to the conditions for cancellations and postponements (37%).
It is against this backdrop that the MICE market should continue to grow in 2024. Demand for meetings should be stable this year compared to 2023 for 58 % of the professionals surveyed, and even higher for 26% of them. And this is despite the fact that a major event will collide at the end of the summer with a traditionally strong period for back-to-school meetings: the Olympic Games. Rising transport and hotel prices: this global event will have an impact on the MICE business, with 35% of companies forecasting a drop in events business due to the Olympic Games, without calling into question the attractiveness of Paris for events in the second half of the year.
