The Role of Service Marketing and Innovation in the Development of Meeting, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (Mice) Industry: a Case Study of Kenyatta International Convention Centre (Kicc)

Abstract

This study was intended to establish the role of innovation and service marketing in the development of the meeting, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) industry. The study outlined and discussed the pitfalls of innovation implementation and how the key players can be able to improve on innovation adoption. The study was done at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). The case study method was used and the research tool used was an interview guide. Data was collected from nine respondents, and this was analysed using content analysis and presented in frequency tables. The study found out that some of the roles of innovation and service marketing in the MICE industry was the creation of employment and the sustainability of MICE industries. The other importance of innovation that came out from the study was the addition of value to destination areas, ensuring repeat clients and retaining the existing ones and making products tangible by making them new every time. The study also highlighted the challenges facing KICC in the adoption of innovation and service marketing as; inadequate funds, lack of enthusiasm from the staff in embracing innovative ideas. Being an old structure it suffers obsolescence in terms of equipment, technology and the meeting rooms require urgent refurbishment and modernization. The other challenges that were revealed from the study includes; bureaucracy, volatility of tourism industry, government interference, lack of proper knowledge of the facilities mandate by both the public and staff and resistance to change. The study recommended the need to look for alternative ways of sourcing funds to ensure implementation of innovation projects and service marketing initiatives. It also recommended restructuring to minimize red tape in order to ensure a smooth flow of processes and timely approval of innovation proposals. The study also called for the training of management team on the importance of change management especially on the roles of innovation and the advantages associated with it to reduce incidents of resistance to change