DEVELOPMENTS - Move over MICE, here come the SMERFs!

Express travel world, january 2007

The dominant segment of Meetings Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) in Asia and South East Asia is facing competition from another fast emerging segment of those travelling for social, military, education, religious and fraternity reasons. These travellers, billed as SMERFs, are a hardy and growing bunch offering vast untapped potential for this region's developing and recovering travel markets according to a recent study by Abacus International.
The SMERFs (no relation to their cuddly namesakes of television fame) are the resilient groups travelling to and around Asia in their millions for social, military, education or religious reasons, or as part of fraternity groups such as alumni, workplace re-unions or special interest groups. They don't mind even gathering in non-peak times if it will help keep the costs down.

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