1. MICE and Fiji; 2006 and beyond February 2006

2. Making money from MICE

3. Background  In March 2001 the FVB completed qualitative research into the MICE market  A lot has changed  Specific FVB programs to address MICE  PCO education  Flavours of Fiji roadshow  Flavours of Fiji website  Specific collateral  Corporate hosting  Talanoa Newsletter  Where does this place Fiji?

4. A changed world  The coup was an issue in 2001  Since then…  September 11 th 2001  Bali bombing  War in Iraq  Tsunami in Thailand  Service expectations have changed  An online world  Technology  Improved service standards  Global standards  It is the right time to revisit the research

5. Research approach  Last time  Two group discussions with PCOs  One in Sydney and one in Melbourne  This time  Four mini-groups with PCOs  Two mini-groups completed in Sydney  Two mini-groups completed in Melbourne  Quantitative online survey  To be completed

6. Incentives and conferences  Two different ‘animals’  A conference is ‘serious business’  “An incentive it is effectively a holiday that they have earned because they have worked their butts off to get to a certain stage”

7. Incentives  A reward for work  eg exceeding targets  Fun  Conference element  Sometimes for ‘compliance’  Sometimes taken very seriously  Creative  Lasting memory  Partners

8. Conferences  Challenging and complex  Tend to be larger  Serious business  All day  Tight timing  Delegates from everywhere  Lots of equipment  Break-out spaces

9. Conferences  Interesting food  Easy access to food  Quality wine list  Service, service, service, service

10. What must a destination/property offer?  Safety  High quality audio visual  Staging Connections critical to success  Service  Excitement  Business services  Soundproof rooms  Broadband internet  Photocopier  Airlines  Quality and schedule  Activities

11. Importance of DMC’s  Must meet the DMC  Trade shows, expos, famils  Important to put a face to a voice  Put great faith in the DMC  Confidence is paramount  DMC’s responsible for  Activities  Source hotel costs  Not always  Respond to quotes  Creativity is essential  PCO’s are looking for inspired suggestions

12. Issues for PCOs  Safety  Paramount  All companies are risk adverse  Risk can mean insurance issues  Budgets  Everyone is pressured  Exciting destinations  Flight schedules  Conference delegates come from many places

13. Fiji in 2006

14. A profile of Fiji  Safe  Fiji is considered safe  Unless there is mention of a coup  Close  Exotic  Most advanced Pacific Island  Facilities are available  …mostly  Can make the conference / incentive interesting  Meets service standards  …mostly

15. A profile of Fiji  Good primary infrastructure  Roads  Airport  Hotels  Beginning to understand MICE  Providing better service  Improving facilities  eg technology  Still lots of room to improve

16. Fiji properties  Feel there is still not a lot to choose from  Named hotels are the Sheraton, Shangri-La and now Sofitel  Can be difficult to take large groups  Not enough properties so not enough beds  Can be difficult to make bookings for large groups  Fiji very popular  Hard to find enough accommodation  Hard to secure flights

17. Fiji properties  Properties can be a long way from the airport  Restricted to staying on the property  Some feel accommodation is expensive  PCOs hoped Denarau development would lead to lower costs  Island economy can’t be the same as Asia…but that is the competition

18. Examples of activities currently available  Blue Lagoon cruises  Rainforest walks  Dinner on an island  Fire walking  Rafting  Charter a boat  Water sports  Shopping in Suva  Relax

19. Problems with Fijian activities  Not enough activities  Hard to occupy a group for more than four nights  Looking for inspired activities  The experience must be memorable  Something FIT cannot experience  Lack of meaningful cultural experiences  Help build a village, work with children?  Greater variety has to be offered

20. Problems with Fijian activities  Have to find more to do with the “partners”  Day spas, shopping expedition  …but they want more!  Seasoned travellers  Expect more than the FIT  Activities do exist  “Twenty pages of the same thing”  Just have to market them better  Coordinate better on the ground  Make it easy

21. Fijian DMC's  Feel there are only a “couple of good ones”  Feel some DMC’s are understanding conference needs  Can come up with inspired ideas  Could be more pro-active  Help put inspired events together  Concerned by their relaxed attitude  Don’t appear hungry for the business  Do not always respond to emails, enquiries quickly  ‘Little things’ missed

22. Food…the eternal problem  F&B not meeting expectations  Food and wine is thought to be expensive  “Almost cheaper to take own wine over”  Wine only from the lower end  Food is behind international cuisine  Not good quality  Not interesting  Buffet’s get boring  Business people have higher expectations  Don’t seem to use local produce  No blending of Fijian and Indian cuisine  An ongoing process  The competition improves constantly

23. MICE like to shop  Poor shopping  Important for partners  People like to spend money when on holidays  Current markets are not selling interesting produce  Which markets do they see?  Fiji makes a lot of clothes  Where can they buy these?

24. What does all this mean?

25. Challenges  Convince the PCOs that we’re serious about their business  Talk is cheap  Demonstrate we have the facilities  Make sure they’re in place  MICE is not FIT  And they don’t mix well  Need a vision for development  Don’t make it an ad-hoc adventure

26. Issues for Fiji  Service levels  Feel these are lower than they should be  Want ‘snappy service’  …but still like Fiji relaxation  Expensive destination  Perceived high cost of accommodation  Perceived high cost of F&B  Island economy can’t be the same as Asia…but that is the competition

27. Opportunities for Fiji  Fiji is in a excellent position to expand this market  Asia is off the radar  Particularly Bali which was a major competitor  Fiji the most sophisticated Pacific Island  Searching for new places and experiences  Fiji has not yet capitalised on our natural, cultural and exotic attributes  Enjoying popularity  Time to capitalise on our good fortune

28. Opportunities for Fiji  Be hungry for business  Can’t follow up too often  Aggressive sales  Ask; why did we lose this event?  Promotional items  Small promo pieces for building excitement  These can be charged for  Lots of pictures  High quality / high resolution  Important for PCOs and their clients

29. Opportunities for Fiji  Sell the experience  Activities that integrate into community  Be careful that events don’t feel ‘manufactured’  PCO famils  “Make sure you do your homework and abide by the ‘Golden Rule’ – never select a venue without having seen it in person!”  Main Event February 2006  PCO visits should be as frequent as possible

30. Situation  Fiji not ‘on the map’ in 2001  In 2006 Fiji is a serious player  Asian safety issues have helped  Room to grow and prosper  …also room to lose business to Asia  FVB known and respected  Plant in place  Key deliverables in place  Needs that little bit extra

31. Contact details  Neil Stollznow  PO Box 16 Level 2/156 Military Rd Neutral Bay NSW 2089 T +61 2 9953 7543 F +61 2 9953 7563 M +61 412 200 235  neil@stollznow.com.au neil@stollznow.com.au  www.stollznow.com.au