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In the last few decades, the MICE sector has experienced substantial growth given the capital importance of companies and brands of connecting in a more engaging way with their employees, clients or investors. This year on year growth suffered a sudden setback as a consequence of the health crisis in 2020 but now with the normalization of social activity, the forecast is for the pre-pandemic figures to be recovered in the year 2023. 

We expect  that the activity will recover with the same strength it already had in 2019 but adopting certain traits in some activities which have now come to stay.  

Hybrid events in a single celebration

One of these is hybrid events which mix  face to face and digital events in the same celebration. Given this new reality, companies and organizations will have an increasing demand for event spaces which are prepared for large scale acts and at the same time, spaces with the capacity to combine both realities. On the one hand, offering ample spaces for the celebration of events on a large scale , and on the other, being equipped with the latest technology which allows them to respond to the digital demand to stage multimedia events or events broadcast live via streaming platforms.   

More demanding clients

Indeed, the fact that many events which were previously face to face , have now become hybrid, will make those people that attend an event in person demand a satisfactory experience which is able to justify travelling to the event. This translates into sensations which can only be transmitted in a live context.

The connections, location and the services will be key to warranting the journey to the physical event by the user. This means the place where the event space is situated, and also the connections with the main means of transport. Here is where the All in One concept in a MICE event is decisive.

MICE spaces with accommodation

All in One refers to an event space which offers all the necessary services for the attendees and organisers. This not only refers to the technical resources but also the logistics. A space capable of hosting large celebrations, receiving the guests with accommodation for one or several nights, offering a restaurant service and leisure options (both for the event itself and for free time) and a transport service which transfers the guests to and from the event venue.   

In Grand Luxor Hotel Business & Events we firmly believe in the “All in One“ concept as the winning combination for the staging of all types of events. For that reason we offer this integral service which covers among other things:  

• More than 200,000 m2 of exterior space.
• An important convention centre of 2,500m2.
• Possibility of accommodation in hotel rooms or private villas.
• Possibility also of a completely private and themed use of the hotel for exclusive private events.
• Restaurant service
• Transport service from and to Grand Luxor Hotel Business & Events.
• High technology audiovisual service.
• Restaurant and catering services.
• Laundry and dry-cleaning
• SPA and swimming pool
• Leisure activities on-site.

If you need further  information for your or your brand´s next event, please do not hesitate to contact us. Via our Project Managers we will offer you all the guidance you need.

Did you know that around 25% of travel is accounted for by business trips? This figure hints at the true dimension of a type of tourism, MICE tourism, destined to be one of the backbones of the service sector worldwide.  

What does MICE tourism consist of? What impact does it have on Spanish tourism? What are its main characteristics and what direction is it taking in a future marked by digitalisation and a virtual environment? Let us take a look.

What is MICE tourism and what do its initials stand for ?

MICE tourism is any tourism related with business trips for meetings, incentives, corporate events, seminars, congresses… the principal element is the motivation of those in the  world of work by shifting from one location to another.

The initials MICE refer to four concepts: Meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions, which make up the group of activities (or some of them) which form part of this type of business tourism. 

Types of MICE events

Although we have already spoken extensively about the types of MICE events in the article on types of corporate events, it is useful to review certain particularities of each one.

• Meetings: Referring to work meetings. This includes not only large corporate events but also small business meetings which require a change of location of one of the parts: board meetings, shareholder meetings, gala dinners, team building actions… 
• Incentives: Incentive trips, travel packages which companies offer to their workers as part of their remuneration for reaching certain targets. They are, in short, just prizes or benefits which workers obtain as a compensation for good work, the development of a project, reaching certain targets or a sale or contract which is advantageous for their company.  
• Conferencing : Refers to conferences, professional meetings where a specific topic is dealt with through presentations by authorities on the subject under discussion and which also implies an exchange of ideas among the attendees. Within this section, we can include actions such as press conferences, conferences or seminars. 
• Exhibitions: Professional exhibitions aimed at a particular collective, which have as their objective to show a product, service or idea to a professional or private public which may be interested. In this facet, presentations of products or services, showrooms, roadshows or fairs could be included.

Different activities for business trips : examples

As we are already familiar with the most important aspects of business tourism, let us see examples of what the most common activities and principal motives are for  business trips in Spain.    

• Meetings with partners, clients or workers
• Attending corporate events related with the worker´s activity (congresses, seminars, fairs, showrooms…)
• Training, exchange of expertise or networking among workers of the same sector.
• Benefit trips connected with the corporate social responsibility of the company.
• Incentive trips as a reward for an emplyee carrying out his or her  professional activity.
• Travel with the aim of establishing commercial relationships, negotiations with suppliers or capturing investment opportunities
• Visits to branch offices or headquarters of the company.

Characteristics of Business Tourism

Due to the fact that it is a very particular model of tourism, MICE tourism has certain singularities which deserve to be taken into account to understand its dimension and how it may impact on the global tourism sector. 

• Mice is non-seasonal tourism: Mice tourism has the particularity that it is organised every month of the year. In fact, due to its close link to the working world, it is probably during the summer (global tourism peak season) when the MICE sector intensity falls. This is vitally important for the tertiary sector as it balances out the marked seasonality in leisure tourism, by generating activity all year round. 
• It generates a 30% higher average spend per visitor than conventional tourism. Although in absolute terms , leisure tourism generates greater dividends, the MICE traveller spends more, in spite of the fact that the average stay is far shorter, as we will see here. 
• The average stay is two days: The MICE tourism traveller has an average stay of four days (2019 figures), similar to the average stay of the events. This contrasts with the average stay of the leisure tourist which is a little more than seven days.
• Generation of alternative job positions: Just as with conventional tourism, MICE tourism generates an important source of jobs which however differ slightly from those fomented by traditional tourism. In the case of  MICE sector trips, the direct job opportunities created are those of event planners and all profiles related with set design, audiovisuals, catering and restaurant services, passenger transport, translators etc. 
• Support for the promotion of particular tourist destinations which opt for specialization in business tourism.This type of corporate tourism can be a substantial source of income for certain cities and towns which aim for tourists centred on the MICE sector, with their urban and commercial growth based on this premise. 

History of Business tourism

The globalised world in which we live, together with our current ecosystem where huge companies with an international presence emerge can make us think that business tourism is a recent phenomenon. This is far from true. In fact, commercial travel and MICE events go back to the Middle Ages.

In that era, commercial travel was common for the promotion and sale of agricultural or technological products ( technology understood as that of the epoch ), already making a clear professional distinction between the artisan and the commercial world.   

This type of commercial relationship gave rise in the Middle Ages, to fairs and exhibitions of products in which movements of the population were already happening for trading purposes.In fact, some of the great fairs we know today internationally, have their origins in these old agricultural and livestock fairs   

The arrival of industrialization favoured this type of commercial tourism thanks to the improvement in transport, which also fomented commercial links based on importation and exportation of products abroad

Nowadays, the MICE sector is in full swing. 

Commercial tourism in figures

As we will see in the following section, the reality of business tourism from 2020 has suffered a setback as a result of the Covid 19 health crisis.Although 2023 is forecast to be the year when there is a return to the previous figures, 2019 and before can give us a clear indication as to the importance of business tourism in Spain.  

Annual figures of international tourists visiting Spain for work reasons.

• 2016: 4.67 millions of tourists
• 2017: 4.72 millions of tourists
• 2018: 5.02 millions of tourists
• 2019: 5.41 millions of tourists

Spanish cities with most business tourism

Let us now make a brief review of the Spanish geography to know which are currently the cities with the most business tourism in Spain. As you will imagine, Madrid and Barcelona are at the top of the ranking.

• Madrid is currently the Spanish city which leads the ranking for hotels ( 6.9%) and flights ( 89%). The privileged geographical situation of the Spanish capital favours the mobility of its visitors as well as offering a great number of facilities dedicated to this purpose. 
• Barcelona is the second city in the Spanish league table with the most business tourists. Hotel bookings represent 3.4% and flights 5.9%, due to the  concentration of technology and communications companies, and also cutting edge companies in biotechnology, energy and aeonautics among others. 
• The Andalusian towns of Seville and Malaga also provide interesting figures in this sector. The south of Spain is to be found in third position as host to national business travel thanks to its emerging economy over the last few years.
• In recent years, a change of trend has been perceived in these types of events towards places which offer a pleasant climate, seeking warm climates which allow this type of MICE events to be held year round. In addition, a well established tourist offer  such as that of the Spanish islands, or coastal regions like Valencia or the Costa Blanca (Alicante) in the Valencian Community can be enjoyed. 

The future of MICE tourism

Having recovered from the harshest phase of the worldwide pandemic, MICE tourism looks forward to recovering the 2019 figures in the year 2023.However, an adjusted vision of the global economy and distant events could modify certain habits which MICE tourism had been developing.

Now a more important role is being taken on in MICE tourism by the possibility of staging hybrid events which combine face to face  and digital components (also pending the development of the metaverse as a far more down to earth idea than the current one) and a greater awareness of the worker in matters such as safety, health and sustainability.

The presentation of a vehicle or range of vehicles is normally one of the most important events of the year for any company in the automotive sector. In Grand Luxor Hotel Business & Events we are aware of  the eagerness of our automotive sector clients to make their event something both special and memorable.  

Consequently, this requires absolute control over all the elements which will shape the event, correct decision making and the selection of the perfect space. We would like, therefore, to set out in this brief article, some tips and good practices which we apply in the MICE area of Grand Luxor Hotel to achieve the perfect automotive event. 

Spacious venues to accommodate vehicles

These types of vehicle presentation events or automotive shows require ample spaces to stage the event, capable of accommodating large machines (motorbikes, cars, trucks…) and a large number of people in an interior space.  

At Grand Luxor Mice we contemplate the possibility of staging these events in both interior and exterior spaces. Large open spaces such as our exterior parking area of 124.000m2, are perfect for hosting vehicle fairs or similar, which involve a large concentration of vehicles on display.

In the case of a showroom, an extensive interior space such as the Pharaoh Room, can accommodate various vehicles and a total of 600 people seated ) or even a cocktail of up to 1,100 guests ).

Ease of access for automobiles

Access is one of the fundamental aspects which our clients tend to focus on when choosing a space at our facilities.

The logistics of these types of events with very heavy machinery is always complicated. As a result, an aspect which carries great weight when deciding on the venue, is the possibility of entering the interior of the space simply by starting the vehicle and driving through the spacious access ways. This represents a great saving in time and logistics which can be dedicated to other needs.

Equipment and high-tech audiovisual media

In the world of the automobile, with a marked technological component, top quality audiovisual equipment is demanded. The sensorial dimension of this type of event requires the combination of audiovisual elements, sound and lighting to create a moving experience. 

The large spaces of Grand Luxor Mice boast the most advanced technologies in illumination, technology ceilings and audiovisual systems to generate impact among the guests at this type of automotive events.   

Photo and video service

As an additional service, at Grand Luxor Business & Events we offer the production of visual material which will serve as a promotional tool for the event.

We are aware that the physical presentation of a vehicle is only the starting point of an elaborate communication process which may begin with the diffusion of the event worldwide by means of audiovisual material.

Technical assistance from Hotel Luxor Business & Events 

Apart from having the best spaces for the celebration of an automotive event, we offer you the figure of a Project Manager to oversee the desired development of the event, accounting for the needs of the brand and creating a personalized experience in order to achieve the best result.

Main picture: Tim Meyer en Unsplash

From the initial idea to the final result, events entail great commitment and effort over a long period. There are many aspects to take into account and there can always be something which may escape our attention, so with this in mind we present our short guide to organizing an event.

Steps for organizing an event

If you are here it is because you are contemplating how to to organize a corporate event or simply because you want to review the basic steps in order to do so. 

We should point out that there is no exact formula; each occasion is unique and has its own needs. However, here we set out the most common and necessary steps:

• Be clear about the aim of your event: The first step we must take is to establish the objective that our event will have. What do we hope to achieve with it? After that, it will be easier to begin work and take the appropriate decisions.
• Have a brainstorming session: Now that we have the aim of the meeting, it is time to start with the most creative part. At this moment, the team responsible for organization can communicate and share their ideas. Do we want to contribute creative ideas? Do we need to be practical? This is the moment to imagine what we want our event to be like. 
• What budget will we have available for the event?: Having a closed budget is always a headache and very often a limiting factor for our inventive capacities. The budget is one of the fundamental aspects of the planning of an event as it marks the starting point to know if finally, our action will be profitable. Overspending is prohibited! 
• Draw up a guest list: The guests are the most important part. We must prepare and define the guest list and take care of the invitations. To produce them, distribute them and handle the confirmations is part of the job. 
• Choose the perfect day: We must choose a date which is favourable for the attendance of the guests. Our recommendation is to make sure it does not coincide with special days, holidays or parallel celebrations of great importance.
• Choose the perfect place depending on your guests and the type of event: Another relevant question is to find a space which helps us to transmit the sense of the event and which adapts to its characteristics. What is the theme? What about the profile of the professionals we are communicating with? How much space do I need and what for?
• Make a list of the suppliers you need: What suppliers will we need? When we know this, we will have to select and contact them. A good contact list also determines the level of resources you have as an organizer.
• Promoting the event: Now that we have everything in motion, it is the moment to publicise what we are preparing. Your connection with the marketing and communication department is vital here. If you do not have this link, it may be interesting to contact a communication agency to help you. 
• Coordinate all the actions of those involved.: A good way to make sure that everything is going well is to be in continual contact with our suppliers and agents involved so that coordination between them is optimal. 
• Be present at the event and assure that everthing goes according to plan: There is nothing like being at the coal face to look after all the details. We will know first hand how everything is unfolding and also if something does not turn out as planned, we can act on it directly.
• Make an analysis of the results: After the event it is time to evaluate the results. Has it been effective? Have the objectives been reached? An interesting idea is to send out a brief survey to the attendees in order to know their degree of satisfaction and thus improve in the future.  

Are you thinking about holding a corporate event ?

If you want to stage a corporate event, we would like you to know that in order to be successful, it is essential to organize, take decisions and take care of many details. For this reason, an Event Manager has become a real profession in recent times. 

In Grand Luxor Hotel Business & Events, you have the biggest space for the celebration of events on the Costa Blanca at your disposal. In addition, we offer the advice of our project managers and the possibility of holding tailor made events.

When faced with an important business meeting outside your city, you have to plan the trip. This must be done to avoid any unforeseen situations and you must have everything arranged.

With this in mind, we have drawn up this guide to planning a business trip which takes into account all the necessary aspects. 

What you have to do before a business trip 

There are certain steps you will have to take some weeks in advance if the trip is to a different country, of an extended duration or if it is particularly important. It will then be a question of following the steps of your itinerary.

• Make sure you have or that you take out insurance: Find out about the country of your destination and its health system. Ideally, you should have travel insurance which provides cover for possible hospital admissions, operations, and also other problems which go beyond the realm of health cover, such as lost property, theft, flight cancellation or delays.
• Make sure your  documents are valid and up to date: This is an essential aspect, above all for international trips. Some of the most important documents are the NIF, passport, visa, or the European health card.
• Find out about your destination: This will help us to organise ourselves, prepare for protocols and have a better understanding of the culture, especially in countries which are very different from our own.Knowing about the climate and weather conditions of the place we are visiting will also help us to prepare our suitcase which must be as light as possible.
• Choosing accommodation: It is of great importance to choose accommodation which is convenient and close to the places we will have to go to or is well communicated. By doing this, we will avoid headaches with transport and the possibity of arriving late. If you have to move around then get to know in advance the transport options.
• Pack your bag in good time: We can make a list of the things we want to take in order not to forget anything. Do not wait until the last minute.Keep the suitcase open some days before the trip and cross things off the list.
• Make sure you have your electronic devices and chargers: In our suitcase it is essential to have the necessary electronic devices to carry out our work, as is having your mobile charged or being able to connect your laptop.
• Make a provision for unforeseen circumstances: If you are not travelling with a company bank card, provide for extra cash in your account, put aside for unexpected needs. It is important to have cash in a different place in case we lose our bank cards. Remember that we must take into account the currencies of different countries. 
• Take advantage to network: This is an opportunity to expand our network of contacts and maximize the synergies which they may create.
• Book some free time for tourism: Apart from all the work, there is always time to do some tourism in the city. If there is something which particularly interests you, put aside some free time for it. Make sure they are relatively near and that a vist there is viable. Food is another type of culture which is undoubtedly worth trying.

Tips for a business trip abroad

Now we are going to focus on those actions which are crucial to plan a business trip abroad, as they have certain peculiarities. 

• Find out about the electrical system: There are adaptors that can convert any plug to any system that currently exists in the world.Take this into account before you leave. 
• Brush up your language skills if they are rusty: One way or another, languages can get you out of trouble in any country. 
• Make sure that your bank card works: We must check that the use of our bank card abroad will be guaranteed. Speak to your bank directly and tell them your plans. There are solutions for cards that work in many countries in the world.
• Obtain a card for your mobile: It is always advisable to speak to our phone company and explain our case in order to check if we will have a phone service at our destination.  

Enjoy Mice tourism!

Planning a business trip is the perfect way to gain time and and enjoy the leisure options of the area whilst switching off from work.

At Grand Luxor Hotel Business & Events we are well aware of this aspect of Mice tourism, and for this reason we always provide our organizers and guests with a wide range of leisure options on the Costa Blanca of Alicante.  

Main picture: Briana Tozour on Unsplash

Holding a corporate event (MICE) represents a critical point in the relation of the brand with our clients, investors or workers. It is the opening up of the brand to our guests in a setting which can define the future of our relationship with them. 

For this reason it is vitally important to maintain tight control over everything that happens in the celebration and that implies a very detailed selection of the event´s venue.

Requisites a MICE space must fulfill

In meetings and events of this importance, everything sends a message. For this reason we want to offer you this brief guide to assess certain requisites a Mice space with guarantees must have in Spain:

• A versatile venue with large and small spaces: A place which offers both large and small spaces allows the possibility of adjusting to the flow of the preparations. On the one hand, by accommodating to the final number of confirmed guests and on the other by being able to offer different spaces which can be segmented and themed.
• Offer indoor and outdoor alternatives for large celebrations: Subjecting a large event to the whims of the weather is a bad decision. This is so in our case too. Even though the Grand Luxor Hotel Business & Events is located in a privileged environment enjoying 300 days of sunshine per year, we offer both exterior and interior spaces of large dimensions. Besides, in the case of the latter, the acoustics are more favourable for certain events and the use of  powerful audiovisual elements can be used to great effect.  
• Have advisors and project managers to oversee the event: Having staff to help with the planning of the event can be beneficial. In addition, it allows  direct contact to be set up with the space organizer in such a way that it can adjusted to your needs and together you can create a unique event (a tailormade party). 
• Be versatile to adapt to the needs of your celebration: All your needs as Event Manager or Organizing company must be covered. The space for your celebration should not clip the wings of your imagination.
• Have a transport service for your guests: It is always a good idea to choose Mice spaces with good road, city and airport connections, in case there are guests arriving from other cities or countries. It is also advisable to offer a bus service or private vehicles to connect the points of arrival with the event venue.  
• Offer translation services for international events: Sometimes the language can be a barrier, although it shouldn´t be an overwhelming one. We therefore recommend the use of spaces with instant translation services for attendees, for large events as well as business meetings. 
• Availability of restaurant services: Apart from being a basic need in events lasting more than 2 hours, eating is a social act. A service of this type is vital so that your guests can maintain their energy levels and rest after an intensive day at the event.  
• Offer accommodation to all your guests: In events lasting more than one day, venues  that offer accommodation save headaches for the organization and the attendees. In this way, there will be no unnecessary travelling.
• Have a hostess and security service: Having staff to take care of the well-being, security and comfort of your guests is vital. Let us not run the risk that at a given moment, they may feel abandoned. 
• Offer leisure activities: In parallel, something that guests appreciate, are the options for Mice tourism, leisure activities to make the most of the trip after the event. Beach areas, leisure spaces, gastronomy… are highly appreciated by Mice sector attendees.
• Offer tech services such as wifi, audiovisual equipment and scenography: As we mentioned before, the space must never clip the wings of the imagination. Consequently, it must provide all the necessary audiovisual and technological material or at least facilitate its installation in a setting which is prepared for this.  
• Offer a photography and video service to immortalize the moment: Offering photography and video services in the Mice venue saves us a number of headaches. The team made available to you will know every corner of the space, the connections, the best shots… this is always a big plus.

Have you already chosen the best Mice space for your brand ?

These are the requisites a Mice venue should offer you. In Grand Luxor Mice we know all these needs well, and for that reason they are always well covered for all of our clients. If you are thinking of organizing an event and need information, please contact us.

Gone are the days when a company and its workers faced meetings and corporate events with sobriety. It is increasingly common to establish a transversal line between the professional and the personal. As a consequence of this, the events which companies stage for their clients or their workers are more original and relaxed and it is more common to create this relaxed atmosphere through the use of humour.      

Consequently, we consider that events with entertainment and humour are perfectly compatible with corporate meetings for employees or investors.

Advantages of using humour in corprorate events

Let us see why it can be interesting to use these types of actions to liven up our company events:

• Breaking  the ice with strangers:
  A humorous show at the right moment is capable of achieving a far more relaxed atmosphere by generating triggers for interaction between strangers. It can be useful in situations where the atmosphere might otherwise be somewhat cold with guests who do not know each other, as long as the context and the type of attendee allows it.
  
• Laughter is a pleasurable feeling:
  When we laugh, we enter an indescribable state of pleasure. Laughing in public helps to break certain social barriers and makes us  feel more at ease. 
  
• Humour is a great enhancer for memory:
  Selective memory allows us  to forget the most difficult moments in the same way that we remember with greater clarity the times when we were enjoying ourselves. By means of laughter we can make a celebration memorable.

Tips for putting on a humourous show at your event

Humour is the key to achieving a relaxed atmosphere but we must also select the perfect humourist In order to do this, you should apply  the following advice.   

• Know the type of show offered:
  Few people know the idiosyncracies of a company and its clients better than the staff of Human Resources and Marketing or even the directors of the company. Likewise, the  figure of  the Event Manager must also be familiar with this.Using this knowledge, we have to search for an event in line with the activity of the company and the tastes and behaviours of the clients, shareholders or employees. 
  
  In many cases , humour treads a fine line which may touch upon the irreverent or the poltically incorrect. As a result of this,it is important to understand the degree of permissiveness of our guests in relation to certain topics and act in consequence to this. 
  
• The show must connect with the attendees  or with the theme of the event:
  An event has to tell a story. It must therefore have a common thread which guides the thoughts of our guests towards an objective ( enhance an idea, generate a sale…). If we provide a humourous show , it must not deviate from the storytelling of the celebration.

• It must be held in a space which does not distract the attention of the audience from other questions:
  On occasions it may happen that different combined elements of entertainment end up overlapping and the power of this is diluted. Therefore, it is important to generate an atmosphere where the show is the principal element, without the distractions that may be generated by, for example a free bar or food service. 

Your brand loved by the consumer…when you use a little humour 

Undoubtedly these events based on humour are capable of promoting the brand with your guests and facilitating relations among them, but they must be used intelligently.

If you are thinking of organizing an event of this type, we invite you to contact us so that we can offer you the best personalised service through our Tailormade Party model. We also  have available a wide range of both small and large spaces for all types of events. We look forward to seeing you!

Sustainability is present in all of the spheres where we carry out our activities, including our workspace. Small actions such as those we will present can make a great difference in your everyday consumption.

What does being sustainable mean ?

Being sustainable implies carrying out  activities in a responsible way to  generate a balance between economic growth and caring for the environment.

How to be more sustainable in your company

The sum of small actions, performed by many people in our company  can represent an energy saving which may bring our planet closer to the objective of sustainability.

Here we give you some key factors:

Save electricity and water

There are many ways to save electricity which do not require a great effort:

• Make use of daylight: Light from windows reduces the need for artificial light and increases the room temperature, thus dispensing with the need for heating.  

• Switch off the lights and a/c when leaving a room: Switch off the lights when you leave your workspace.With regard to the air conditioning, you can make use of the timers which allow the shutdown of the device to be programmed.

• Put your computer on standby mode and switch off in periods of absence: If you are not going to use the computer for a while, it is not necessary to switch it off; using standby mode will be sufficient.Remember to shutdown if you are going to be absent for long periods of time.

• Save water: If your workplace has a dining area and you wash kitchen utensils , close the tap while you do so.Check as well that the taps are not leaking. 

Avoid the use of paper and change to digital

Nowadays we have at our disposal diverse digital devices which we use for our work in the company and which can help us to reduce our consumption of paper. 

• Do it with a tablet: Taking notes on a tablet is an option which helps the environment and facilitates the exchange of information with a coworker.

• Electronic calendars on the mobile: Electronic calendars are another option for saving paper.

• You can record meetings on your mobile: Nowadays meetings can be recorded using a mobile device.In this way you will also retain all the details.There are tools as well that transcribe audio to text.

• Use recycled paper: If you need to write down things on paper, use the recycled type.  

Avoid plastic

• Use your own bottle: Buy your own reusable water bottle and fill it up.This will benefit your health as well, due to the harmful chemicals present in plastic bottles.

• Instant coffee instead of capsules: Capsules are a quick and easy option but they are not recyclable. They produce great damage to the environment. Changing to instant coffee helps us to be more sustainable.

• Create your recycling space: Having specifically identified places for each type of waste material in your work area makes it easier to reycle when disposing of rubbish.

Shop locally

Although present-day generations think globally, they hold local activity in high regard as a way of being socially responsible for the following reasons.

• Helping the development of your local area: Shopping in local businesses helps the economic development of the area and the generation of employment.

• You encourage small businesses: By shopping in the small businesses near your place of work you help to foment them and make them more long-lasting. 

•  You save on packaging materials: As long-distance transport is avoided, fewer materials will be needed to package the products.

• Less fuel is consumed: As the supply chain is reduced, less fuel is consumed and Co2 emissions are reduced.

Be sustainable on your way to work

Every day millions of people commute from home to their places of work using different means of transport.This involves a devastating ecological footprint which we could help to reduce. 

• Car share with your coworkers: Share the car with your coworkers and set up rotas. This will help the environment and allow you to save money on fuel.

• Public transport: Use public transport to go to work.This is another economical option which contributes to the reduction of pollutant emissions.

• Fuel-efficient vehicles: Fuel-efficient vehicles, hybrids and electric vehicles  are increasingly popular thanks to their reduced environmental impact. 

• Bicycle: Using a bicycle as a means of transport  will help to reduce Co2 emissions and keep you fit. 

Encourage your coworkers to be sustainable

In order to foment the sustainability of your business, it is interesting to apply this concept to everything that surrounds the company. Create links with companies that follow the same philosophy.

Also, invite your colleagues to follow sustainable actions such as these.Promoting this lifestyle will generate  a big impact on our quality of life in the medium and long term. Go for it!

Foto de portada: Jason Goodman on Unsplash 

The figure of Event Manager has become a key component in certain companies and  brands that find in corporate events a source of business aquisition or improvement of their work relations.

Consequently, we would like to shed some light on this figure of the Event Manger whose talent is highly sought after in a social context where creativity and modernization are key in the MICE sector.

Main picture: The Climate Reality Project on Unsplash

What is an Event Manager ?

An event manager is the person responsible for the process of staging a corporate event. This figure includes all work scenarios, starting from the strategic vision and the initial idea, through to production, execution and supervision and lastly, collating the conclusions. The event manager takes full charge of organizing, coordinating and directing events such as conferences, meetings, congresses, fairs, exhibitions, concerts, festivals etc.

Among their tasks we can find labour related ones such as the selection of providers and the coordination of all necessary aspects for its completion. They are also responsible for making sure that the event is aligned with the objectives of the company, the budgets are respected and that the event is carried out in a successful way. This involves detailed coordination between other departments of the company, namely: accounting, administration, communication, marketing and human resources.

The Event Manager is a figure in ever greater demand in a context where face to face communication is vital for achieving commercial objectives in certain company profiles. They are the ones who execute the plan of action in order to accomplish the success of the events entrusted to them by the brand.

What are the responsibilities of an Event Manager ?

Based on the definition we have given in the previous point, it may be understood that the Event Manager carries out all of the organizational duties derived from this process. Let us consider them:  

• Initial strategy: The Event Manager is present in the strategic conception of the Event. He is part of the decision making process regarding the objective of the event, the developmental phases and the KPIs which will be used to measure the success of the event.
• Planning: It is the task of the Event manager to envisage everything that he hopes will take place during the organization process and the subsequent  handling of the event: estimation of timings, suppliers, guests…
• Participation in the communication plan: His experience in the management of events is of great help when it comes to executing a strategy of solid and effective communication. 
• Managing the material resources: The optimization of resources and the final result obtained through these is a good yardstick for the performance of a good Event Manager.
• Coordination of the professionals involved: A great event is the result of the work of many people. The Event Manager is responsible for managing, supporting and supplying those involved with the necessary tools for its execution. 
• Oversee the smooth operation of the event: The manager must be present at the event, checking that everything takes place in the way that it has been planned. 
• Assessment of results: Lastly, a memorandum and report will be drawn up which will allow us to interpret in detail if the results obtained can be described as good.

What are the qualities an Event Manager must have?

We have seen that an Event Manager carries the responsibility of a collection of diverse tasks. It is therefore important that he must also possess certain aptitudes. 

• Be organized and forward-thinking: An event is simply the future planning for a series of elements which coincide on a particular day and time. Organization and planning are vital.  
• Be sociable and communicative: All Event Managers must be prepared to live in a constant flow and exchange of calls, meetings and communications. Sociability and communication skills  are therefore indispensable. 
• A skilful negotiator: Not always do all the participants in an event have the same intentions and objectives. This is where  the ability to reach compromises in which all sides obtain satisfaction, comes into play. 
• Possess strategic capacity and long-term vision: Organizing an event is planning for the future. To have the ability to fix dates, coordinate elements and people, and all of this to fuse into a common objective requires a strategic component.
• Teamwork: More than half the work of an Event Manager consists of coordinating companies and professionals of different backgrounds who are working for a common objective. The capacity to communicate with them is vital.
• Ability to improvise when faced with problems: Flexibility and disposition to change is crucial. Long term plans always involve unexpected scenarios. What is the ability of the Event Manger to adapt to them and improvise?

Project Manager service in your Event Space

Fortunately for us, at Grand Luxor Mice we have excellent Project Managers ready to help companies to hold a successful, memorable and unique event at our facilities. Thanks to our service, we can help company event organisers to carry out together all the tasks related with their function in order to make the event a memorable one. We do this in the following way:   

1. We take note of the objectives of your event and together we establish a time line with milestones depending on the tasks which have to be carried out in the time available. 
2. We assess the resources your company has at its disposal and we manage them in line with the designated requirements in order to exceed the expectations. 
3. We create a detailed project plan together and make sure that the timings and tasks are observed correctly.
4. We identify and control carefully the possible risks the project may have. 
5. We help to coordinate the tasks related with the organisation of the event.
6. We oversee the whole process with you and fine tune the project and tasks together where necessary.
7. We help you to create reports with the information which is available to us.  

How about you? Which of these qualities do you have ? Can you improve in some of them to become an excellent Event Manager?

The Valencian Community is a privileged centre for the organization of corporate events and company meetings of the MICE sector ( meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) 

The Costa Blanca currently offers a great variety of advantages in terms of infrastructures, locations, climate, leisure options and professional spaces which provide endless reasons to organize these types of events in this community.  

Conventions, congresses, seminars, work meetings, product presentations, showrooms or business trips can benefit from the wide range of services and amenities which we describe in the following lines. 

Location, accessibility and communications

The Valencian Community is perfectly connected with the principal international air hubs ( Alicante and Valencia ). In fact, Alicante is currently one of the airports of the peninsula with most traffic in Spain.  

Moreover, both Valencia and Alicante have the high speed train ( AVE ) which is ideal for internal conections with the rest of Spain.

The ports are also points of entry for visitors who wish to use maritime routes  to get to the Costa Blanca. It is therefore a community with easy access and very well served by land, sea and air services.    

Pleasant all year round climate for MICE tourism

The Valencian Community offers pleasant weather conditions throughout the whole year, with 300 days of sunshine per year and temperatures which range from 11 to 26 degrees centigrade.This makes it an excellent destination to celebrate outdoor events and activities any time of the year.   

The agreeable climate allows hotels and other establishments to keep most of their exterior facilities in use all through the year. The Valencian Community also boasts a marvellous coastline bathed by the Mediterranean sea. There are wonderful beaches close to the principal event organizing towns such as Valencia, Alicante, Benidorm, Elche, Denia or Castellón.

Top quality gastronomy

The Valencian Community and its Costa Blanca are authentic reference points for Mediterranean cooking. Among the typical dishes of the region, healthy and high quality products such as shellfish, fish and rice prevail. These dishes are both healthy and exquisite. So the culinary delights are another incentive to choose this destination for the organization of company events. 

It is worth pointing out that the Valencian Community is home to numerous Michelin starred restaurants. In them you will be able to enjoy a varied and excellent gastronomy based on the top class seafood and horticultural products of the region.Many of these establishments are to be found right next to the sea,or in privileged locations in the centre of the main towns.  

A huge range of leisure options

The range of leisure options the Community offers is boundless for those that come to the area. We will be able to enjoy spectacular theme parks like Terra Mitica, Mundomar or Aqualandia , many and varied aquatic activities , in addition to mountain sports such as climbing, hiking or cycling. There is no doubt a wide choice of possibilities for visitors who come to the Valencian Community for professional reasons and who also want to make the most of their free time. 

Ideal spaces for the organization of corporate events

The Costa Blanca is home to many places where meetings and events are organised: All you have to do is decide on the type of act you want to organize in order to select the best venue. There are spaces for trade fairs, the exhibition centre of Alicante, premises for private events, hotel event spaces etc.  

Given its excellent location and its impressive infrastruture with more than 200,000m2 of space for events, the Grand Luxor Hotel & Village Business & Events is an important reference for the celebration of all types of events. In addition , offering advice and a personalized follow up through the figures of the Project and Operations managers who will ensure that any event is a great success.Please contact us without obligation. The Valencian Community undoubtedly boasts a hotel infrastructure which permits the celebration of any MICE tourism related event, be it national or international.

Main picture: Brandon DesJarlais on Unsplash