Promote MICE business from a marketing perspective

Japan Tourism Agency, on January 29th, held the second meeting of the planning subcommittee on enhancing MICE global competitiveness at the international conference room in the Central Government Building No.2.

With the competition among nations becoming increasingly fierce, Japan is losing its share in Asia when attracting MICE business, which provides high values such as a huge economic impact and the creation of business opportunity.

Last November, Japan Tourism Agency formed a “committee on enhancing MICE global competitiveness” in order to step up drastically its effort toward attracting MICE business to the country, and held a planning subcommittee in December of the same year.

Counselor Makito Takami, who moderated the subcommittee, brought up Japan’s challenges in strengthening its MICE business by pointing out the 4Ps marketing paradigm – product, price, place and promotion. Mr. Takami made proposals on financial effort to overcome the country’s weak point of high cost of hosting exhibitions. He also mentioned the need for MICE-focused branding, and suggested participants to actively use the overseas media.

On the other hand, the participants pointed out that the other Asian countries – Japan’s competitors – receive subsidies from their governments. And, they suggested the Japanese government should take a good control of its administrative systems, such as building a mechanism which enable each Japanese city to cooperate with the government as the hub and a spoke, instead of simply competing against the competitors with the amount of subsidy that it offers.

‘The second local mascot character following to Chiba-kun also participated in

Chiba Convention Bureau and International Center (CCB-IC ) hosted ‘2013 New Year member’s exchange meeting’. About 160 people including those involved in MICE participated in the event.

Mr. Ishii, senior director made the opening speech and confirmed his intention to continue to promote aggressive invitation activities in a posture of ‘not waiting, but taking the offensive’.

At the meeting place, booth exhibition of member companies and associations is held and the distribution of brochures and business negotiations were realized.

Among many mascot characters, the character of Chiba children’s land ‘Chippa-kun’ and that of sightseeing character of Narita city ‘Unari-kun’ were gaining in popularity.

Ayame Goriki wins Japan Jewelry Best Dresser Award

The Japan’s largest jewelry goods convention, “The 24th international Jewelry Trade Convention (IJT)” was held at Tokyo Big Site for four days from January 23 to January 26.
The award ceremony for “Japan Jewelry Best Dresser Award” is a gorgeous ceremony for celebrities who are good in jewelries.

The award winners were Umika Kawashima from the teenager category, Ayamae Goriki from the 20s category, Nanako Matsushima from the 30s category, Hiromi Nagasaku from the 40s category, Keiko Takahashi from the 50s category, and Saori Yuki from the 60s category for the women’s section.

For men’s section, Noriyuki Higashiyama was selected. For the Special Award, KARA and a London Olympic Gold medalist, Kouhei Uchiyama were selected.

Sapporo MICE advances a huge variety of contents

Sapporo MICE Promotion Committee held “Sapporo / Hokkaido MICE Contents Mart” for three days from February 25 to 27 at the Sapporo Convention Center and other facilities.

They introduced Sapporo as an appealing place for a MICE venue location to overseas meeting planners, PCO, tourism related people and others.

The exhibition was held on the 26th and 27th and there was a proposal for the combination of the contents such as unique venues, team building, entertainment, novelties and others, as well as the introductions of the related companies.

MPI Japan hold New Year party

MPI Japan held “2013 MPI Japan Chapter New Year Party” at Roppongi Academy Hills on January 10th.

The cocktail party was held in purpose of networking. There were approximately 150 people attended. They were business meetings & MICE related people and students who studied travel and tourism.

Mr. Shibenobu Anri, the Chairman of Okinawa Travel Convention Association made a speech titled “Travel business will sublimate from its industry segments to a trading industry” and he also gave us PR for MICE Content Show which would take place in Tokyo on January 29th.

Okinawa’s tourism and MICE contents fair held in Tokyo and Osaka

Okinawa Prefectural Government and Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau are going to hold a fair with a key word, “Be Innovative! Okinawa.”

This fair is for the purposes of new demand stimulation and business expansion by promoting Okinawa’s tourism and MICE brand.

All up-to-date information is gathered by Okinawa’s tourism, MICE related industries and others and their booths will be focused on evolving Okinawa’s tourism and MICE contents as “~ All Okinawa Great Exhibition~.”

“New Okinawa’s Charm” as their theme, their related corporations and organizations in Okinawa will have their booths and provide the audience with chances for direct trading experiences with them.

Website:
https://www.e-jimukyoku.com/kop2013/

Messen made in Germany 2013/2014

The brochure entitled “Messen made in Germany – 2013/2014”, is now available in Arabic, Chinese, German, English, French, Greek, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. It contains the dates of around 200 national and international German trade fairs in the next two years.

German Trade fair industry expects slight growth in 2013

German trade fair organisers are cautiously optimistic about the prospects for 2012. About 165.000 exhibitors will attend this year’s trade fairs, stand space will also increase slightly.

[Invitation] Inspection party to check the convention and exhibition facility in Malaysia and Singapore

As the second 30th anniversary project, POP start recruiting members of group of observers.
The objective is to check the convention facility and exhibition facility in Malaysia and Singapore.

In Singapore, we will check the famous resort facility “Marina Bay Sands” and several exhibition facilities like “Singapore Expo” and “Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre”.
We will also visit to SACEOS(The Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers) which is Singapore’s MICE group.

In Malaysia, we will check the “Automecanica Malaysia”.
And we are planning to make the exchange of opinions with MACEOS (The Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers).

We are planing to experience the excellent management method of exhibitions and MICE in both countries, have a high level networking event and make an inspection of current situation. We would like you to participate into this opportunity.

Outline
Date: March 5th (Tue) – March 10th (Sun) in 2013 (4 nights and 6 days)
Cities to visit: Singapore, Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur
Number of participants: 20
Participation fee: 278,000 JPY (2 people in a room)
Closing date of the first round application: Jaunary 28th (Mon) in 2013

Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center has announced grant of expenses of exhibition

Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Support Center has announced its initiation of “promotion service for SME Management and technological development”.
The briefing session of “1.Promotion service for the market development” and “2.Promotion service for the development of technology and products” will be held in January.

Outline of the “1.Promotion service for the market development” is when the product was well-accepted by Support Center and being planed to put on display, Support Center will carry part of the financial cost.

Time horizon will be maximum one year and three month[Apr.1, 2013 – Jun.30 2014].
The amount limit of financial aid is three million yen or it will circumscribed to a half of the total cost.

Those writings below will be recognized as a target of financial aid.
1. rental charge for the show space
2. budget for materials
3. transportation charge
4. merchandising expenses[including issue cost of DM and index], advertising expenses
[If participating foreign exhibition, expenses for hiring translator will be also included]

Before applying, enter the Support Center’s web page and check where if applicable or not.

Person in charge of promotion service, Mr. Kuno who is working for Planning and Coordination Department says, “Japanese manufacturing industries are changing its business model from contracted manufacturing to direct transaction. Even at the outside of the company, sometimes business deal was been made by sudden. I hope this promotion service can help participant to gain such a deal at the exhibition.”