Good MICE business for Zurich's luxury hotel industry

But what became clear in a recent survey by MK is that for some, the meetings and events business is not that relevant. The Eden au Lac says that "due to the charming size of the hotel, there is hardly any MICE business". And Laura Amanzi, head of communications at the Park Hyatt, speaks of its renowned seminar and conference hotel, but at the same time also of the fact that the MICE share only "accounts for around 17% of the total turnover".Other luxury hotels show a stronger performance in this segment: Jan Brucker, longtime host at the Hotel AriesThe Radisson Blu at the airport reports that half of its business comes from the meetings business, and Wiebke Kehrman, Director of Convention Sales at the Radisson Blu, reports that half of its business comes from the meetings business. Hotel Marriott Zurich, tops this list with an impressive 70% of total business.

Of particular interest here is the Hotel Radisson Blu at Zurich Airport; with its 52 meeting rooms and 330 rooms, it is probably the hotel with the most meetings, events and corporate receptions in Switzerland.30 to 40 events are held here every day; that adds up to quite a bit of MICE revenue and event expertise. As a listed company, the Rezidor Group does not disclose any details, but you can work out the approximate total figures for yourself.The immediate proximity to Zurich Airport is certainly an enormous location advantage - and yet it is surprising that the foreign share is "only" 35%. It is therefore fair to say that the direct connection to the main SBB line Geneva-St. Gallen and the large parking garages right next to the hotel are also ideal for Swiss companies and associations.Local corporates therefore account for the majority of MICE customers; at the Hotel Widder and the Renaissance Glattbrugg it is 80%, at the Renaissance Tower in Zurich West and at the Park Hyatt their 60%.

The Renaissance Hotels belong to Marriott International, although the two Zurich offshoots are moving in different directions. While the Glattbrugg hotel is closing its doors for good at the end of August 2014, the Renaissance Tower on Turbinenstrasse has successfully established itself in Zurich within 2½ years.General Manager Peter Schickling is proud of his lifestyle hotel in Zurich's hottest neighborhood, very close to the Prime Tower. "Renaissance Chic" is the name of the philosophy offered to guests on 14 floors. This hotel also offers important access to public transportation within walking distance: It is only one stop to the main train station and two to Zurich Airport.Schickling on the offer: "The meeting and event business is one of our core competencies and contributes significantly to the economic success of our hotel. Under our Renaissance brand 'Intriguing Meetings', we offer high-quality infrastructure, the latest meeting technology, excellent catering and professional staff. "The main markets for Zurich's luxury hotels are almost uniformly banks and insurance companies; Dolder and Park Hyatt also frequently serve clients from the luxury goods industry, and the Renaissance hotels both mention the pharmaceutical industry as an important customer segment.In addition, all hotels between Oerlikon and the airport are likely to receive regular orders from the entertainment world (showbiz) and sports. In this context, also the reference to the 4*-Swissôtel in Zurich-Oerlikon, which plays an important and successful role in the local MICE scene with its 347 rooms and the wide range of conference facilities.

One segment that was mentioned several times in the survey is the marriage market. Although Wedding Planning does not belong to the MICE sector, the type of project support and also the revenue opportunities are similarly interesting to the ad hoc meeting and event business.Several hotels are involved in this sector, such as the Dolder Grand and the Baur au Lac: The Park Hyatt right next to the Kongresshaus Zurich even provides its own "Wedding Consultants".What the answers of the Zurich hoteliers also showed is that hardly any hotel offers its own business events or further training seminars. Only the Dolder Grand Hotel sells its so-called "Dolder know-how courses"; these cover topics such as communication, customer understanding, sales techniques and business etiquette.These courses can be booked for a minimum of seven people, a real and exciting USP (unique selling proposition) in the MICE sector. Jan Brucker from the Widder Hotel presents his USP as follows: "Prime location in the heart of Zurich's old town - an authentic place with a 'sense of destination'.