The Malta Tourism Authority's Meetings and Incentives (Mice) segment last month held a seminar for members of the local tourism trade to raise awareness about regulations for pharmaceutical industry meetings.
The importance of these seminars is even more pronounced in the light of the current economic climate. Companies are postponing or cancelling their conferences and incentive events due to the international economic downturn. The destination's competitiveness - which remains a crucial factor - is very dependent on local operators' knowledge of the markets they are dealing with.
During the seminar, Tania Sultana, head of the MTA's research division, announced that 2008 was a record year for the number of Mice delegates hosted in Malta - 70,000 people, a 14 per cent increase over 2007.
However, the present international economic difficulties have affected this niche market and fewer groups are being confirmed this year. In these circumstances, she urged marketing efforts to be focussed on reaching out to the pharmaceutical industry, since it is a very stable and strong industry which has continued to organise its meetings and incentives, especially due to the ever-changing nature of the industry.
Tina Fegent, a British marketing consultant, went through a detailed presentation about the nature of the pharmaceutical industry. She described the industry as one of constant research and innovation, and these were major driving forces behind the industry's need to meet, to keep abreast of and discuss new developments.
She explained that the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry are stringent and require transparency in procurement and budget expenditure. Thus, stakeholders involved in organising their events need to be fully aware of the context in which they are operating.
Suzanne Cassar Dimech, MTA's Mice segment head, said the industry had a strong ethical framework that values educational events. This led the Mice segment to organise the seminar to ensure Malta's product offer to any field requiring such services, is handled by operators who were knowledgeable of the relevant regulations and are in a position to create a fit between what the destination Malta can offer and the requirements of the business.
