The 10 biggest myths and reservations about automation in the MICE industry

With one in three room nights in hotels driven by meetings or conferences, and the market generating over 400B USD globally, it represents a massive opportunity for efficiency gains. Approximately 70% of meetings are small, involving fewer than 30 participants—perfect candidates for streamlined automation. Automating processes like availability checks, price calculations, and data entry can lead to significant time savings and conversion uplifts, thus increasing overall revenue. Given that smaller meetings generate lower booking values, handling these bookings efficiently is key to maximizing revenue potential. Let's address the ten most common myths and misunderstandings to highlight the true benefits of automation in this field.

Myth 1: "How can a machine make decisions?"

Automation software isn't an arbitrary decision-maker. Instead, it follows rules set by you, using data and logic to carry out decisions as instructed. Essentially, it acts on the knowledge you provide.

Myth 2: "The booker takes control; the hotel loses competence/control."

Automation doesn’t mean giving up control. Hotels set the parameters and availability that the system follows. Just like room booking automation, MICE automation standardizes processes without compromising control.

Myth 3: "I rely on my gut feeling."

Automation doesn’t replace intuition; it reinforces it. You can encode your experience into rules, allowing automated actions while maintaining your strategic edge, even when you’re not physically there.

Myth 4: "Will I no longer be able to make decisions?"

You still make key decisions by defining what gets automated. This lets you save time for more strategic tasks instead of handling every case manually.

Myth 5: "Who feeds the machine?"

Automation relies on being provided with good data: market information, experience, and strategic goals. Quality input yields quality automation, emphasizing the importance of well-prepared data.

Myth 6: "We don’t have time!"

Being busy is exactly why automation helps. Postponing automation keeps you in a cycle of inefficiency. By automating now, you’ll have more time later for high-value tasks, like building guest relationships.

Myth 7: "We will become mindless robots!"

Automation takes over repetitive tasks, not strategic thinking. It allows you to focus on planning and client engagement—the aspects that require a personal, human approach.

Myth 8: "Will I be replaced?"

No, automation reallocates tasks rather than removing jobs. It handles routine tasks so you can focus on more valuable, rewarding work, such as customer consultation.

Myth 9: "Meetings and events are too complex to automate."

Not all events are complex. About 70% of meetings in Germany involve fewer than 30 participants—ideal for automation. Even larger events can benefit from automating administrative tasks, like participant management.

Myth 10: "Events are emotional and need a human touch."

True, and automation allows you to focus more on these emotional, personal aspects by freeing you from tedious administrative work.

In conclusion, automation in the MICE industry is about optimizing processes and freeing up time for the human touch, not removing it. It shifts repetitive, low-value tasks away from humans so that they can focus on creative, strategic, and personal interactions that only people can provide.