Meliá Hotels International consolidates its leadership in MICE with a global strategy and focus on deseasonalization
José Miguel Moreno Griñón, Vice President of Corporate & MICE Sales at Meliá Hotels International, shares the Spanish group's strategic vision for events such as IMEX Frankfurt, its priority destinations, and the impact of meeting tourism on the chain
What is the importance for Meliá of participating in IMEX Frankfurt?
IMEX is one of the three key events on the global calendar for the MICE segment. This year, we brought 185 hosted buyers from regions such as Asia-Pacific, Australia, Latin America, the United States, and Europe. We also organized a pre-fam trip with two prominent destinations: Albania and Madrid. These types of activities strengthen our brand visibility and generate valuable returns in this niche.
What are your top destinations for meeting tourism?
Our main destinations for the MICE segment are Madrid, Barcelona, Punta Cana, Cancún-Playa del Carmen, and other European cities where we have a strong presence, such as Milan, Seville, Valencia, London, Palma de Mallorca, and Calvià. The advantage of MICE tourism is that it helps deseasonalize destinations that depend on holiday tourism, activating shoulder seasons such as April, May, October, and November.
What percentage of Meliá's business is represented by the MICE segment?
Overall, MICE represents around 14% of Meliá's total business. If we exclude strictly leisure hotels that do not participate in this segment, this percentage rises to 18%. In properties with extensive MICE infrastructure, the business can represent between 50% and 70%.
What type of facilities do you offer for this segment?
All our rooms are equipped with the latest technology, excellent acoustics, and versatile spaces. We also strive to offer unique areas within our hotels, such as rooftops, terraces, gardens, and libraries, which can be privatized for exclusive events. We also have auditoriums and manage convention centers, such as those in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.
What promotional activities do you implement in addition to attending trade shows?
We work closely with agencies and meeting planners through customized marketing plans. We participate in their internal events, as well as in activities organized by specialized media outlets and associations. We also organize fam trips, workshops, sales missions, and weekly activities in our key markets: Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Benelux, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina. Except for Christmas and New Year's, we are active year-round.