While international hotel chains court the lucrative MICE market with versatile initiatives and branded images, mid-size hotels in Hong Kong are meeting the challenge by offering alternative cost-effective choices.
Sino Group of Hotels manages four properties in Hong Kong - The Royal Pacific Hotel & Towers, City Garden, Island Pacific and Hong Kong Gold Coast, which focuses on 'meetings and incentives' due to limited function spaces.
Since opening in 1995, the Gold Coast remains a popular choice for MICE activities with key selling points including its beach-front location, 10-acre subtropical greenery garden, pillar-free Grand Ballroom and high-rope course that favours teambuilding activities.
General manager Robert Hon says: 'MICE business can account for up to 30 per cent of overall business and has been growing steadily this year. Large-scale business [80-100 rooms per night] originates mainly from the US and Europe, but it has declined recently. Small-scale business [30-50 rooms per night] remains strong in Asia, particularly China.'
To cope with competition from upmarket hotels, each property has reacted with different strategies.
City Garden Hotel focuses on attractive rates and value-added offers targeted at small and medium-size groups, whereas Island Pacific Hotel provides tailor-made transport arrangements, contemporary in-room amenities and internet connectivity.