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Publication
O futuro dos eventos MICE nas unidades hoteleiras portuguesas
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
A presente dissertação procura contribuir para a compreensão do futuro dos
eventos MICE nas unidades hoteleiras portuguesas, num contexto marcado pela crise
provocada pela pandemia provocada pela Covid-19.
Com uma grande parte da população a trabalhar em home-office devido ao
confinamento, com as restrições às viagens a nível nacional e internacional, e com a
maioria dos hotéis encerrados durante largos meses em 2019 e 2020, a realização de
eventos sociais a escala a que nos habituamos até ao ano de 2019 tornou-se impraticável.
A sigla MICE é um acrónimo formado pela junção das iniciais seguintes, em inglês:
Meetings (reuniões), Incentives (incentivos), Conferences (conferências) e Exhibitions
(feiras). O segmento MICE foi um dos principais segmentos afetados pela pandemia uma
vez que a sua principal característica é o convívio e a troca de impressões entre um
grande número de pessoas.
Não só o ajuntamento de pessoas foi limitado, mas as viagens
também sofreram alterações significativas com o encerramento de aeroportos e
proibição de circulação afetando o mercado MICE.
Tratando-se de uma área de investigação pouco explorada, em que existe um
número limitado de estudos sobre o tema, o recurso a grounded theory, como
metodologia qualitativa de análise de dados para gerar o entendimento do fenómeno em
estudo que ainda está em transformação, assumiu-se como a opção mais pertinente.
Com esta metodologia procurou compreender-se a quebra que as unidades hoteleiras
vivenciaram no que toca a realização dos eventos MICE; conhecer as estratégias de
adaptação que utilizaram nesse processo; que expectativas têm relativamente ao futuro,
as oportunidades que podem advir do período de pandemia, bem como tendências
futuras que se possam afirmar neste segmento de mercado.
Os resultados obtidos a partir das entrevistas realizadas a dez diretores de
unidades hoteleiras de distintas zonas turísticas de Portugal permitem concluir, como se
esperava, que a quebra na realização de eventos do segmento MICE situa-se, em média,
nos 69%. O s eventos MICE revelam-se como um segmento de extrema importância para
as unidades hoteleiras portuguesas uma vez que, além de atenuarem a sazonalidade,
criam dinamismo e promovem o cross-selling, contribuindo para a sua segurança
económica. Os dados analisados destacam também um conjunto de estratégias de adaptação
ao contexto pandémico assentes na flexibilização das condições dos eventos, no follow-up dos clientes atendendo as suas necessidades, e em campanhas nas plataformas
digitais e redes sociais.
A análise dos dados evidencia também oportunidades para o desenvolvimento do
segmento, assentes na exploração de potenciais mercados como os Estados Unidos,
Brasil ou Rússia, e em áreas de negócio que irão recuperar mais rapidamente, como a
área da saúde, a banca, as editoras e o desporto.
O estudo salienta ainda que a pandemia veio acelerar o uso da tecnologia pela
necessidade de realização de eventos online e híbridos. Outras tendências apontam para
alterações relevantes quanto a antecedência na marcação dos eventos, diminuição do
numero de participantes e menor duração.
Apesar da incerteza generalizada e conscientes de que a retoma será lenta e
faseada, a expectativa dos diretores inquiridos é o regresso à normalidade plena na
realização dos eventos MICE, em regime presencial, com as condições idênticas ao
período pré-pandémico.
The present work seeks to contribute to the understanding of the future of MICE events in Portuguese hotel units, in a context marked by pandemic of Covid-19. With a large portion of the population working from home due to the lockdown, the travel restrictions nationally and internationally and with the majority of the hotels closed during a large period of time between 2019 and 2020, the holding of social events on a wide scale that we got used in 2019 became impossible. MICE is an acronym forming by joining the following initials in English: meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. The MICE segment was one of the main segments affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, as its main characteristics are the interactions and exchange of Views between a large number of people. Not only has the gathering of people been limited but travel also suffered major alterations with the closure of airports and prohibitions of circulations affecting the MICE segment. As this is a less explored area of research and due to the limited number of studies on the subject, the use of the grounded theory assumed to be the most relevant option. This qualitative data analysis allow us to generate an understanding of the phenomenon under study, which is still undergoing. Through this methodology an attempt was made to understand the break that hotels experienced in terms of holding MICE events; realize which adaptative strategies were used in this process; which expectations d o the hotel directors have for the future, and the opportunities that may rise from the pandemic period, as well as the future trends that may emerge in the MICE segment. The results obtained from the interviews carried outwith ten hotel directors from different touristic regions in Portugal allows to conclude, as expected, that the drop in the holding of events in the MICE segment is situated on average at 69%. The MICE events reveal themselves as an extremely important segment to Portuguese hotel units. In addition to smooth seasonality, they create dynamism and promote cross-elling, and contribute to hotel economic security. The data analyzed also highlight a set of strategies to adapt to the pandemic context based on the flexibility of the conditions of events, on the follow-up of the costumer, fulfilling their needs and on campaigns in digital platforms and social networks. The data analysis revealed the opportunities for the development for the segment based on the exploration of potential markets like the United States, Brazil or Russia, and in business areas that will recover more quickly such as healthcare, banking, publishing and sport. The study shows that the pandemic accelerated the use of technology due to the need to hold online and hybrid events.Other trends point to relevant changes regarding the scheduling of events with less notice, shorter duration and fewer participants in MICE events. Despite of the generalized uncertainty and the aware that the recovery will be slow and phased, the expectations of the directors surveyed is the return to full normality in the organization of MICE events, live, with the same conditions as the pre-pandemic period.
The present work seeks to contribute to the understanding of the future of MICE events in Portuguese hotel units, in a context marked by pandemic of Covid-19. With a large portion of the population working from home due to the lockdown, the travel restrictions nationally and internationally and with the majority of the hotels closed during a large period of time between 2019 and 2020, the holding of social events on a wide scale that we got used in 2019 became impossible. MICE is an acronym forming by joining the following initials in English: meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. The MICE segment was one of the main segments affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, as its main characteristics are the interactions and exchange of Views between a large number of people. Not only has the gathering of people been limited but travel also suffered major alterations with the closure of airports and prohibitions of circulations affecting the MICE segment. As this is a less explored area of research and due to the limited number of studies on the subject, the use of the grounded theory assumed to be the most relevant option. This qualitative data analysis allow us to generate an understanding of the phenomenon under study, which is still undergoing. Through this methodology an attempt was made to understand the break that hotels experienced in terms of holding MICE events; realize which adaptative strategies were used in this process; which expectations d o the hotel directors have for the future, and the opportunities that may rise from the pandemic period, as well as the future trends that may emerge in the MICE segment. The results obtained from the interviews carried outwith ten hotel directors from different touristic regions in Portugal allows to conclude, as expected, that the drop in the holding of events in the MICE segment is situated on average at 69%. The MICE events reveal themselves as an extremely important segment to Portuguese hotel units. In addition to smooth seasonality, they create dynamism and promote cross-elling, and contribute to hotel economic security. The data analyzed also highlight a set of strategies to adapt to the pandemic context based on the flexibility of the conditions of events, on the follow-up of the costumer, fulfilling their needs and on campaigns in digital platforms and social networks. The data analysis revealed the opportunities for the development for the segment based on the exploration of potential markets like the United States, Brazil or Russia, and in business areas that will recover more quickly such as healthcare, banking, publishing and sport. The study shows that the pandemic accelerated the use of technology due to the need to hold online and hybrid events.Other trends point to relevant changes regarding the scheduling of events with less notice, shorter duration and fewer participants in MICE events. Despite of the generalized uncertainty and the aware that the recovery will be slow and phased, the expectations of the directors surveyed is the return to full normality in the organization of MICE events, live, with the same conditions as the pre-pandemic period.
Description
Dissertação de mestrado
Keywords
MICE COVID-19 Estratégias Oportunidades Futuro Tendências Strategies Opportunities Future Trends