Indonesia’s MICE comeback led by government events

Indonesian hoteliers report movement in the MICE sector after restrictions were lifted; Jakarta pictured

Hoteliers across Indonesia are seeing a pick up in business events from the government sector, following the relaxing of Covid-19 restrictions.

Emmanuel Guillard, Swiss-Belhotel International senior vice president of operations and development, and CEO of Zest Hotel International, noted that business events in almost every city across the country started to pop up in June.

Indonesian hoteliers are upbeat about the movement in the MICE sector after restrictions were lifted; Jakarta pictured

Similarly, Prita Gero, spokesperson for Santika Indonesia Hotels and Resorts, said that properties – particularly in Jakarta and Bogor – have started to see rising demands for business events after the Jakarta city government eased social restrictions.

Currently, a bulk of the meetings are coming from the government sector. This is as Indonesia’s ministries are encouraging their institutions and associations to organise events in hotels to help foster economic growth, Guillard pointed out.

For this reason, Johannes Hutauruk, Parador Hotels and Resorts’ COO, projects that the government sector will continue to be a major segment for the group moving forward, in particular, events organised by the different ministries. Currently, most of their business comes from the neighbouring city of Jakarta.

There has been movement in other segments too, a trickle-down effect of relaxed virus-related restrictions.

For Swiss-Belhotel, Guillard indicates that it has seen some corporate business activities too.

Guillard elaborated: “There are several companies (from the) oil and gas, mining, plantations, consumer goods and manufacturing sectors which continue to (send staff) on business trips during the pandemic.”

Meanwhile, Prita revealed that some Santika properties have also welcomed families of business travellers, who take the opportunity to go for a staycation.

On the new requests corporates have when organising an event in the new normal – apart from the standard health protocols – Guillard shared that full-board, residential meetings are the order of the day, while some companies are doing away with twin-share for the time being.

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