Bali's hotels have played a key role in making the island a top MICE destination
Top-notch properties boost island's MICE reputation, writesKeith Chan
While Bali is known as a top beach resort destination in the Asia-Pacific, it has also become a popular meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) location, as evidenced by the increasing number of international and regional events held over the past few years.
Bali is standing firm as one of the most preferred MICE destinations in the region, thanks to its complete facilities, accessibility, and government support, in addition to direct flights from most major cities in the region, according to Bipan Kapur, managing director of The Westin Resort Nusa Dua.
"Convention centres in Bali offer a combined capacity for up to 20,000 people. There are up to 200,000 hotel rooms in various categories, state-of-the-art audio-visual facilities, fibre-optic support and toll-free highways that can drastically reduce the travel time from the airport to the main MICE centre of Nusa Dua," Kapur says.
The hotel also manages the Bali International Convention Centre (BICC), which can seat up to 2,500 people for meetings. "The Westin Resort Nusa Dua and BICC are a purpose-built convention resort in Bali where guests can walk from their guestrooms to the meeting facilities, all under cover," Kapur says.
Bali's culture and activities make the island the ideal location for those who want to combine business with pleasure, says Dario Orsini, general manager of Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort. "From beaches to nature and from traditional culture to the hustle and bustle of Kuta and Seminyak, there's something suitable for all occasions," he adds.
Orsini believes MICE business in Bali will remain stable and improve slowly. "The key to win business is trust, hence we always focus on building trust with our partners. Secondly, being proactive in reaching out to both loyal and returning clients as well as [potential] new clients is of utmost importance in this competitive environment. Lastly, we highlight flexibility - not necessarily in terms of pricing, but in terms of making arrangements and thinking along with our clients."
