About Business Tourism

Business Tourism

Is a range of tourism inflows linked to work or professional business, for business meetings of different kinds and sizes.

By individuals or in groups.

Individual business tourism is defined as being one person’s visit to a specific tourism destination for work or professional related purposes, as well as for business activities (work), and who are frequently referred to as business travelers.

It is different to group business tourism for various reasons, because the destination is selected by the market or product that is the main purpose of the business at hand. Group business tourism, on the other hand, may select the tourism destination where the congress, convention or incentive travel takes place, provided that it complies with the requirements of their organization.

Group business tourism is an umbrella description for a number of variants: such as Congresses, Conventions, Trade Fairs and Expos and Incentive Travel.

Congresses

A congress is any meeting that organized with the purpose of finding common paths of action from among all participants for the specific topic or subject under discussion.

A congress is defined as any professional meeting that aims to bring about a professional and/or academic discussion or exchange about the topic of interest. The initiative to hold a congress may come from associations or organizations. Invitations are open and participation is voluntary.

This category includes seminars and business meetings for professional and academic exchange, even when sponsored by a public or private entity. This is considered to be the most complicated kind of event from an organizational point of view.

SAMPLE OPERATIONAL FLOW CHART FOR CONGRESSES

Conventions

Conventions are union or business meetings whose participants deal with business matters related to a specific market, product or brand. The initiative is normally taken by the business, it is by invitation only (limited to specific personnel who are involved in the topic) and involvement is usually by invitation.

As opposed to incentive travel, conventions include technical programs that participants familiarize themselves with, and there are negotiations on specific areas of business.

In Mexico, the term convention is often confused with incentive travel. However this is a mistake because each are operated and sponsored differently. Some conventions include displays of their activities but these are usually restricted to those actually involved.

SAMPLE OPERATIONAL FLOW CHART FOR CONVENTIONS

Incentive Travel

Incentive Travel is a modern management tool to achieve exceptional business goals by awarding participants with an extraordinary travel experience once the exceptional business goal has been achieved. Incentive travel is a prize for those who perform better at work.

SAMPLE OPERATIONAL FLOW CHART FOR INCENTIVE TRAVEL

Trade Fairs and Expos

Specialist trade fairs are public shows or exhibitions organized professionally by companies, associations or individuals, with the aim of selling products or services of a specific sector of the economy.

These are divided into two areas:

Industrial

Private or semi-private shows or exhibitions that bring together members of a specific business, professional or commercial group in order to display technological advances and stimulate products’ sales among members of a professional sector.

Commercial

Shows or exhibitions that bring together members of commercial, business, professional or social groups in order to promote the sale of products or services to a targeted public.

Importance of business tourism

      Business Tourism regulates the seasonal nature of tourism demand.

      It improves occupancy rates in low seasons.

      It helps increase the average visitor spend.

      It increases the average length of stay in Mexico.

      It supports income creation and distribution from tourism at destinations.

For more information about these topics, please contact:

Business Tourism Development Department (Dirección de Desarrollo de Turismo de Negocios)

Presidente Mazaryk 172, 4º  piso, Col. Chapultepec Morales C.P. 11587, México, D.F.

Email: jarmenta@sectur.gob.mx/ jcvargas@sectur.gob.mx

Tel. (01 55 ) 30 02 69 00 Ext. 6308 / 6309 / 6310 / 6333

Fax: ( 55 ) 30 02 63 57