Tour de MICE Tenerife: business events discover the power of experiences to strengthen ties

Tenerife received more than 60 guests (meeting planners, DMCs, hotels, destinations …) from Great Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Austria and Spain, who were going to participate in the first M & I Experience, with the support of the Convention Bureau of this destination. As in the “Tour de France” – although it was not a competition, but a networking activity – the group reached the starting point: the Hotel Iberostar Mencey. There the box was prepared with all the bicycles identified, helmets, backpacks, jerseys and everything necessary to go out of route. The MICE Tour began with a warm-up route from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Las Teresitas beach to test the bike and prepare for the Teide descent.

For this adventure to be a success, much coordination and organization was needed. InSuite Eventos and Teamfactory were the ones in charge of making everything run smoothly. In addition to the logistics of transfers of participants, bicycles, suitcases… they were responsible for selecting the routes that linked all the points and for providing the means for the two groups to be accompanied and safe throughout the route, with an imposing display: motorcycles, cars, roadcaptains, vans, buses, etc.

The first day, the meetings began in a casual environment with sofas, poufs and tables spread around the rooms where suppliers received hosted buyers to present their proposal in 12 minutes. After that time, buyers switched to the next provider’s table. A round of meetings that lasted until noon, when you had to put on your jersey and take the bikes to move to the next meeting point: the Ritz-Carlton Abama.

The group was divided into two “platoons”: those who were more prepared, who would make the Epic route, and the less trained who would go on the Sporting route. There was also the possibility of taking an electric bike and, of course, there was a broom car and a support bus, in case someone needed to get off the bike. The route began in the Teide National Park, in the Port of Izana for the Epic group (75Km) and in the Parador del Teide for the Sporting (50Km), until arriving at the Ritz-Carlton Abama. There, after the effort, the participants enjoyed a welcome dinner on the beach of the hotel to which they got off in a small train to the cliff that, as if it were a natural screen, had the MICE Tour logo on its walls. With the music of a saxophonist the cocktail and the buffet started with a very healthy menu to recover strength.

The second day began the morning with another round of meetings between buyers and suppliers that took advantage of these meetings. “They are more exclusive meetings, because being a smaller group, more concrete and remember everything you tell. In other forums we were so many that it was hard to remember what they had proposed, “says Kamilla Mugynovay of Proske GmbH Germany. Both buyers and suppliers agreed that these meetings allowed to take a concrete idea of ​​the services and products that can fit into a future project.

And back on the road to get to the next meeting point: the Meliá Hacienda del Conde. A more relaxed route, 58Km for the most professional team and 28Km for the sports team that left from Santiago del Teide.

The event allowed the participants to experience the island from a new perspective. And, most importantly, establish good relationships for your business and, who knows, also on a personal level. Having a common challenge, working as a team, helping each other, communicating on the road and fighting together to reach the goal connects people in a different way and creates interesting links.

The 2017 MICE Tour ended with a flourish. The third day, without meetings, the teams departed from La Hacienda del Conde, on a route along the coast, passing through the Ballesteros golf course, bordering some of the greenest volcanic mountains of Tenerife and crossing picturesque villages such as fishermen of Garachico.

After this first cycling experience in Tenerife, the M & I Experience series will continue with the Snow & MICE on the tracks of Kitzbühel, Austria, and later, the MICE Masters, a golf experience at PGA Catalunya.