#MICE: Unveiling the Magic of the MICE Department

Allow me to give you an exclusive glimpse of Mautourco’s MICE department! As I joined Mautourco’s MICE team in September 2022, little did I know that I was meeting with what I would consider as my family some months later.

I still remember my 1^st day as if it was yesterday. At 08:30 sharp I was waiting at the reception with a knot in my stomach, apprehending how would be my integration in this new team. As I was walking through the corridor towards the office, I remembered one question I was asked by the manager during my interview: ‘What do you know about the MICE segment?’. Like any good students who learned her lesson by heart, I answered: ‘Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events’, without knowing that it was only the visible part of the iceberg.

As I entered the office, all eyes were on me, and I was wondering what my relationship would look like with these colleagues that were not from the same generation as me. Yet, one thing was for sure, all together they have more than 100 years of expertise in the tourism sector. During the first week, I learned what seemed like the easiest part of the whole process; checking the daily diary, inputting of the transfers for guides, and verifying vehicles for the next day. Nevertheless, even if it looked easy, this task requires meticulous attention to details and proactivity. After some weeks, it was time to start doing quotes and proposals; time to get creative and craft the best proposals, get acquainted with figures to provide our best rates and put shyness aside to contact suppliers.

While all the office work is very instructive, the craziest part of the job is by far running on site operations. From cruise handling, organisation of gala dinners, to coordinating excursions, we do it all! These are the moments where we operate the magic lying at our fingertips and are bound to be our clients’ support team. In fact, it is all fun and game, until you need to be in different places at the same time or when you get back home at 00:00 and you need to be up and running early the next morning; something that in fact was not easy to adapt to for someone new in this world. But still, with passion, I have been able to get over all these challenges. To make sure that every element is in line with the clients’ requirements, we immerse ourselves in learning about their vision. The team’s personal care and attention add a touch of enchantment to their stay, from coming up with original excursions or customised arrivalconcepts to creating compelling themes for their events.

We never have two days that look the same; we can be at the port one day to coordinate departures and returns from excursions for cruise passengers from sunrise to sunset and, be on the coastal region on the next morning supervising departures for a full day catamaran cruise. The MICE department’s creative brains are at its core, working to create unique experiences. We put forth endless efforts behind the scenes to manage logistics, engage with suppliers, and resolve any problems that may crop up. The team takes a personal interest in making sure everything works smoothly so that the clients can concentrate on having fun and mingling with other participants.

I now understand that part of what has allowed us to be Indian Ocean’s best MICE organisation is the teamwork and mutual support that lies within the team; be it a big or a small group, we always have each other’s back to ensure that the best possible service quality is delivered. For me, our team is our force, even if we are very different from each other, there is this incredible bond between us that makes us feel like we belong to the same family. Every day is a fun day for us at the office, from our shared “dipain gato pima’ (Mauritian delicacies), to our tea parties and jokes, bad mood, and stress never last long. This is something that was very important for me: a workplace that feels like home. Similarly, one of the greatest strengths of the department is the fact that the team has been able to create lasting relationships with their clients. Each team Coordinator has an extensive knowledge of his/her clients’ requirements and preferences on his/her assigned markets, and this allows us to deliver a tailored approach to planning events. We work closely with our client to create a stay that represents them, and we foster open communication, to inspire great memories in the participants.

The MICE department is more than just a group of planners; we are devoted people who put our hearts into designing unique and memorable experiences. Our commitment to providing extraordinary experiences ensures that every visitor leaves with priceless memories, from the very start of planning to the very end of implementation. Now, I am sure that I made the right decision and that I have found my professional path. Waking up every day and constantly going out of my way to make sure that my clients go back home with core memories, is a feeling like no other. I wouldn’t change that for anything in the whole world; not only does this job allows me to give an incredible experience to my guests, but it is also helping me to discover my true self, constantly grow as a person, and most importantly pushing me to always give out the very best version of myself.

Anne-Sophie