Bringing home M!CE & weddings
The third session of TravTalk Digital Conclave presented an opportunity for India to shine as a M!CE and wedding destination. The next step is for the stakeholders and the government agencies to ensure that the infrastructure is at the ready. The conclave
The third edition of TravTalk Digital Conclave brought together three experts who deliberated on the topic titled ‘Big-ticket business: When do we start looking at weddings, corporate and M!CE travel?’ There can planners and wedding management companies have made their money until February 2020, after which we saw lockdowns. The last wedding we did was in Udaipur on February 29, 2020. We are now in the off-season, so there would have been no weddings in June anyway. way, nothing happens before November and December. My request to the industry at large is please control your mental and emotional health as well apart
No! It is going to be a completely different business going forward. I recommend everyone to invest in technology systems, knowledgebuilding and sharing, and building relationships. Talking to each and every partner will be key because communication will be vital during these times,” Kale says.
He feels that the recovery will be in phases. “If we are thinking that M!CE will bounce back by July 2020, the answer is no. It will take time because today, the concern is about safety. There is fear in the minds of travellers. First, this the dust to settle down before things can improve, and they will. Travel is a huge aspirational product and experiencing new places and cultures is a definite urge that cannot be replaced by digital means. One must ask this question: at such times, what is
making us happier – our fancy cars or our memories and photos of travels with our loved ones?” Kale asks rhetorically.
What do corporates say?
With 26 years of experience in the travel and corporate sector,
Rajdev
- Rajeev Kale
Bhattacharya,
General Manager, Global
Travel & Hospitality Services and Way2go, Digital Operations & Platforms for Wipro, feels that starting today, the industry needs to change the narrative of the crisis. “The mindset is important. We are going to look at 2020 and say that it made us more resilient and stronger. We must work with our circle of influence. The rest is not in our hands,” he says.
Weddings must take place in India
While weddings cannot stop taking place, Jain says that as an event planner, he wants to conduct