Post Report On Road Show – A Networking Event: Chennai 2014

Held on Friday, the 1st August 2014 at The Grand Chola, Chennai.

The MICE infrastructure in the Chennai has been developing rapidly and convention hotels and conference venues of international standards are being set up. With the corresponding expansion in the network of, Chennai is ready to position and market itself as an important MICE destination.

The India Convention Promotion Bureau was conceived as a marketing organization, 26 years ago to market India as a MICE destination to the World. The Bureau was sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism in close co-ordination and consultation with the tourism and conference industry. The membership of the Bureau comprise of Airlines, leading Hotels and Hotel Chains, Convention Centres, Tour Operators, Travel Agents, Professional Conference Organisers, State Tourism Development Corporations, and other organizations providing ancillary services. All these organisations have conference management specialists who look after all aspects of management after the bid is won. ICPB helps the Associations / MNCs in the bidding process and advises them of the best means in inviting conferences to India.

The prime focus of the Bureau is to disseminate information regarding the infrastructural facilities and related services available for organising Meetings, Incentives and Conventions and also to assist tourism industry to effectively market the MICE potential of India in the international markets.

ICPB organized Road Show to focus marketing targeting the conference planners with the objective of encouraging associations and corporate to hold more meetings type events, and encourage Indian associations to invite their international counterparts to bring their international conventions to India.

Mrs. Uma Lahiry, Manager ICPB and Mrs. Kumud Sharma, Assistant Manager ICPB represented from the Bureau during the Road Show at Chennai. Amongst others, the following appointments were made by both of them on 31st July 2014 at Chennai

• Visited Marundeshwara Enterprises Office who was appointed as local host for the Road Show.
• Ms. Nimmi, Marundeshwara accompanied Bureau’s representatives during the visits at different places in Chennai on 31st July 2014.
• Met Mr. Shoeb Samad, Regonal Director (South), Indiatourism, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India at 154, Anna, Salai, Chennai.
• It was discussed to open a chapter of ICPB in Chennai for specially covering southern MICE cities of India.
• Visited Apollo Hospital, 21, Greams Lane, Off Greams Rod, Chennai, met with Ms. Suganthy Sundararaj – Head – Public Relations Dept. and Mr. Honey Mehmood – DGM and Mr. Abhishek Jain – Assistant Manager – International Patient Services. Briefed them about ICPB and the purpose of holding of networking event.
• Visited IIT Madras met Mrs. V. G. Bhooma, IRPS – Registrar, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai – 600 036.

On 1st August 2014 Mrs. Uma Lahiry, Manager and Mrs. Kumud Sharma, Assistant Manager from ICPB alognwith Capt. Swadesh Kumar, Vice Chairman ICPB, Mr. Chander Mansharmani – Head Road Show Committee and Mr. Amaresh Tiwari, visited the following organizations:

• Mr. Manoj Nair, Unit Head Sales & Marketing of Fortis Malar Hospital who arranged appointment with Dr. Balakrishnan, Head Cardiology, who met us for 15 minutes between his surgery procedures. They both were briefed about the role and objective of ICPB and the purpose of holding the Road Show in Chennai. They were requested to spare time to join for this event.
• Mr. P. Shiv Kumar (09840222242) & Ms. Sukanya, P.S. to Mr. P. Shiv Kumar (09600044642) is heading a club of around 9000 Govt. Doctors in Chennai. They were keen to have a Doctors Meets, with the program exclusively for doctors only so as to motivate / invite / generate Conferences on MICE / Medical Tourism. He also suggested, that these kind of networking event to be organized on Saturday Dinner or Sunday Lunch so as to have maximum participations from doctors as they have busy schedule on other working days.

The program details for the Road Show are as under :

• MC and stage was handled by Mrs. Uma Lahiry, Manager ICPB.
• Guest Relations and other logistics during were handled by Mrs. Kumud Sharma.
• The program of the Road Show started at around 1900 HRS. with Lightening of Lamp by Mr. Anand Kumar, JS(T) and Chairman.
• ICPB Video Presentation was screened.
• After Bureau’s video film presentation Capt. Swadesh Kumar made his presentation on MICE with slide show. He also thanked individually the members of ICPB who were present during the Road Show.
• Mr. Anand Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism shared his elaborate views and present scenario on MICE Tourism and advantages in becoming a member of ICPB.
• After Vice Chairman ICPB, Mr. Prabhakaran, General Manager, TNTDC gave a detailed informative interested slide presentation on TamilNadu Tourism.
• Mr. V. Prakesh, Area Sales Manager of ITC Grand Chola, Chennai gave a beautiful video presentation on The Grand Chola alongwith ten special essence of tourism in TamilNadu.
• Mr. Chander Mansharamani gave his presentation on Dimensions of Convention Industry and its Economic Impact

Mr. Chander Mansharmani in his closing remarks thanked Mrs. Uma Lahiry and Ms. Kumud Sharma of ICPB for their contribution for the road show.

Mr. Anand Kumar, Chairman ICPB & Joint Secretary Tourism felicitated Dr. Balakrishnan, Head – Cardiologist, Forte Malahar Hospital with a ICPB memento.

Mr. Amreash Tiwari, Member – Governing Board ICPB felicitated Mr. Prabhakaran, General Manager, TNTDC with the ICPB Memento.

Mr. Chander Mansharmani gave a memento to Ms. Lalita Rai of Marundeswara and V. Prakesh of ITC.

All the members present were provided with the kit containing Gift Paper Weight, Bureau’s video film, ICPB Brochure, MDA Scheme and IIM Bangalore Research Study.

The above show was attended almost 80 participants including Doctors of different segments, ICPB members, Non-members travel / tourism / hotelier segment etc, Government Tourism Bodies.

Further to above the following were also discussed amongst Mr. Anand Kumar, Joint Secretary Tourism, Capt. Swadesh Kumar, Vice Chairman ICPB, Mr. Chander Mansharamani and Mr. Amaresh Tiwari, Mr. Uma Lahiry and Mrs. Kumud Sharma during the networking session:

South India Chapter of ICPB: It was recommended to the opening of South India Chapter of ICPB in Chennai covering four-five southern states i.e Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana etc. It was recommended by JS(T), that formalities in this regards would be worked out separately.

Next Road Show: It was agreed to plan 5 Road Shows in the next 12 months and fix the dates so that this could be announced well in advance. Further, it was decided that in further the Bureau should hold the road shows with the training program. For this we may have support from the members of the ICPB. It was suggested to hold next Road Show in Mumbai in November 2014. The same may be discussed during the next meeting of Governing Board.

New Letter of ICPB: Regarding bring out newsletters of ICPB, a request was made to Mr. Amaresh Tiwari to initiate once again with different travel journals. It was further suggested to work out the details for bring out newsletter based on revenue generation model for ICPB.