Home TTJ Spotlight Interviews Kesari MICE is optimistic and ready to optimise the upcoming MICE demand

Kesari MICE is optimistic and ready to optimise the upcoming MICE demand

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Kesari MICE caters to corporate clients of all sizes and is keen on leveraging the rapidly growing MICE industry. Kesari MICE designs and delivers products and services that offer them an edge in an increasingly competitive world. With the pandemic ebbing, provided there are no hang-ups, Zelam Chaubal, Director, Kesari MICE is very optimistic about getting back on track and strengthening their MICE business as they are completely prepared and ready to face the MICE boom once again.

Prashant Nayak

Over the years, Kesari has expanded its original business to encompass customised holidays and specialised business travel for a range of customers, The Kesari MICE division has established itself as one of the leading players in the MICE industry in India.

With the downfall of the travel industry due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the MICE industry has also faced immense complications. However, now, corporate travel is witnessing some movement. Hospitality, event, and travel companies have confirmed a substantial pick-up in MICE inquiries and bookings over the past few months and it is in tandem with the revival in leisure travel.

“We re-started our MICE operation a year back and did receive good business. Currently, our MICE business has many inquiries as almost all corporates are ready for business, but they have their own backlog due to the pandemic. We are very prepared as we have retained our core sales team, air team, and operations team, which is the true backbone of our MICE team,” informs Zelam.

As corporate tour experts, the Kesari MICE team has the unmatched industry experience, and the expertise required to help companies optimise their MICE programs. Based on extensive research and planning, the services offered by the Kesari MICE team ensure an unparalleled and completely tension-free experience. Stressing more on expertise, Zelam says, “We have been in the business for the past 15 years, so our SOPs are set. Our dedicated team knows how to deliver beyond 100 per cent. Every business has to be a success is our mantra and what we promise we deliver.”

Domestic travel has been a savior for many tour operators and agents, and once the pandemic is behind us, it will continue to gain traction. “We will focus on both domestic and international MICE business however, the Indian MICE industry has increased threefold. Indian MICE market is growing year on year, and post-pandemic it may be a tsunami, as almost all the corporates are ready to travel. Corporates now should be ready to try out new destinations. After the pandemic and if there is no further COVID wave, the entire tourism industry will see exponential demand,” explains Zelam.

While the travel industry is recovering from the impact of the pandemic, it still needs to be cautious in terms of maintaining some protocols and cannot be caught off guard. The industry needs to leverage technology in creative ways when serving its customers and also needs to develop new policies and reboot its services to focus on health and hygiene. While working for large MICE groups, one has to be innovative and find solutions for ease of access, documentation, facilitation, COVID protocols, etc.

“We are pretty well organised in terms of work and the focus is on digital rather than manual work. COVID protocols have increased our work tremendously, but we have to accept that as the new normal. Every MICE is like a customised tour, so we have to prepare, plan and execute in the best possible manner and our team is already doing it,” assures Zelam.

The MICE industry is going and will go through an enormous change with organisers and venues adjusting to the new world that COVID has brought. Speaking of a few trends in the new normal, Zelam shares, “For the start, people will choose places where visa access, airfares are comfortable. Even now, getting a European, American, or Canadian visa on an immediate basis is tough, so planning ahead of time is needed and those corporates planning MICE and incentive trips to these places, have to adjust more to the new normal which has brought in many procedures. Some of the corporates have increased their international budgets as things have also become expensive. However, the MICE industry may break the previous records if there is an ease in the visa process and all domestic and international flights start operating like before the pandemic.”