Phuket aims to mix business with pleasure

PHUKET is strengthening its MICE offering by incorporating more customisable leisure components into its meeting and event packages in response to rising demand for “bleasure” products, according to travel trade experts speaking at a recent roundtable event.

Corporate clients were increasingly looking for ways to add more leisure activities into what were traditionally business focused meetings, noted Andre Gomez, general manager of Hilton Phuket Resort & Spa, which organised the roundtable.

“Travel used to be seen as an incentive in itself, but this is no longer the case as so many people are travelling for work these days,” he said.

“Clients are realising this and many companies are trying to help employees achieve a better work-life balance. We are seeing more demand for an increased leisure component in our MICE activities as a result.”

Gomez said the precise mix of business and leisure would vary with each client.

The hotel, however, has seen some general trends with clients from longhaul markets such as Australia and Europe enabling delegates to bring their family, while those travelling from within South-east Asia are increasingly offered the chance to access discounted room rates for extended stays before or after an event.

Meeting times are also generally being reduced with the increased leisure and teambuilding elements helping to raise productivity by keeping delegates more engaged, according to Gomez.

James Drysdale, group director of Inspired Events Travel Asia, said the “bleasure” trend helped clients to leverage their spending and build employee loyalty at the same time.

“Many of them are now actively encouraging delegates to bring their family which can make the whole trip more pleasurable for all. We are working with hotels and local suppliers to arrange activities for the delegates and their spouses, partners and children, both onsite and offsite.”

Pornthip Hirunkate, secretary-general of Thailand Incentive and Convention Association, said the island’s unique mix of MICE facilities and leisure products, such as water sports, island trips, soft adventure activities, meditation classes, spa and cooking schools, was a key driver of the “bleasure” trend.

“Incentive groups typically don’t return to destinations, but Phuket gets a lot of repeat business because of its combination of business and leisure products,” she added.

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau will be doing more to actively support Phuket’s “bleasure” products including promoting local trade partners at AIME next February.

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