ASIA – After four years of the country’s MICE Advancement Programme (which ended in 2012), a new phase, ‘Taiwan’s MICE Pilot Programme’ has been ushered in and the government departments responsible have outlined the new priorities.
The MICE marketing baton has been taken on by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) under the Ministry’s Bureau of Foreign Trade, which will take responsibility for running the new Taiwan MICE Pilot Programme.
The new four-year programme is designed to promote Taiwan’s MICE industry in gaining entrance to the international market and breaking new ground for the industry.
Pilot Programme Managing Director and TAITRA Vice-President, Walter Yeh, describes some of the Pilot Programme’s content and objectives: “TAITRA will proceed to execute a Taiwan MICE Training and Certification Project acting in concert with the government’s policies.
“Corporate meetings (including incentive tourism), international conferences, and exhibitions will be our main focus. We will be employing strategic marketing to attract buyers to organise their meetings in Taipei, Hualien, Kaohsiung, Kenting and other parts of Taiwan in order to assist the local urban development of the MICE industry.”
Yeh added the aim also was to consolidate and expand existing exhibitions.
“It is crucial to keep up with the industry’s innovation and cultivate new exhibitions. Therefore, providing subsidies for the showcasing of new exhibitions in Taiwan will also be included in the Pilot Programme,” he said.
This year, prioritised target regions will revolve around emerging economies including India, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Brazil, and Russia.
The burgeoning market in Mainland China for incentive tourism would be a target, he added, notably the headquarters of multinational companies, Chinese enterprises, and Taiwanese corporations in the Mainland.
Yeh claimed the majority of the international MICE industry had gradually shifted its focus to Asia.
Japan was beginning to reinstate its domestic market after some years of inactivity, he noted.
Among specific sectors noted as strongpoints for Taiwan, Yeh listed: computers, auto parts, bicycles, fasteners, safety equipment, printed circuit boards, and other capital goods.
The original Meet Taiwan mobile application will also be further developed into a well-known international MICE brand.
The new phase in MICE development will see professionals from the ICCA Bidding Workshop invited to pass on valuable experiences to Taiwanese enterprises of successfully earning opportunities in hosting international conferences.
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