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Dear Reader,

2012 ended with a definite rise in MICE tourism and we hope that this trend will continue well into the future.

Understanding the MICE traveller has become very important. They look for destinations that provide good infrastructure, better connectivity and hassle-free visa regulations. In addition to this, they prefer destinations that have an element of relaxation and the opportunity for shopping and even sightseeing. This is because a large number of MICE travellers either take a break before or after a convention to see the new destination. National Tourist Offices of several countries (and this is a rapidly growing segment) market their products and assist in finding the required venue and accommodation at discounted prices for large groups.

In this issue, we bring to you information about destinations that are working overtime to attract MICE tourism, especially from India, like Australia, Switzerland, Poland and our own, very popular, Jaipur, which is increasing its MICE infrastructure with leaps and bounds. In fact, MICE in India is going beyond metros to tier II cities to find that combination of business and pleasure.

Also, there are plenty of interviews with people from different walks of the industry, telling us about the year that’s gone and their expectations from 2013.

It all looks quite positive…

We wish you an exciting New Year with plenty of travel and relaxation.