MICE


WORDS CATHERINE CHETWYND


CAKES TRAINON A T


Eurostar has launched a new MICE service – including former GBBO contestants as speakers – but does a rail trip offer enough to convince event planners to get onboard?


HIS SUMMER, EUROSTAR LAUNCHED A DEDICATED MICE SERVICE. It joins the other operators, including Virgin Trains and Belmond, in offering travel buyers the chance to organise events with a twist on the tracks. Eurostar offers event planners themes related to the destination, which include food and drink or art and culture, hosted by Great British Bake Off contestants, radio presenters or well-known food writers. “The experience we are providing


onboard makes it more than just the journey; it adds to the excitement,” explains Inge Bauwens, Eurostar’s business development manager – MICE and partnerships.


ADVANCE BOOKINGS Debbie Hayhurst, executive assistant to the management team of urban design specialist David Lock Associates, recently tested a Eurostar pilot journey to Amsterdam. “Eurostar took us through the train;


the product was good and we saw what you can do on the journey – we did


Rail-based incentives can be themed or tailored to the destination


perfume-making and cheese-tasting, and an art expert gave a talk,” she says. Suitably impressed, Hayhurst has since


booked the new MICE service for 75 people for four days – travelling Eurostar to Paris and then the TGV to Avignon – to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary. It is also the company’s first rail-based incentive. “We have booked a hamper-tasting with


an expert from the Good Food Guide, which will include cider and some surprises,” says Hayhurst.


Another tester was Maja Przybylowska, a consultant at Grass Roots, who attended a trial run from St Pancras International to Brussels, and experienced a wine-tasting, gin cocktail-making, an art class and a talk on literature. Travel was in a Standard Premier carriage, with dedicated staff doing the catering. “Experiences were linked to the destination, which gives you a good introduction to the city, and we had a couple of hours to explore Brussels before coming back,” Przybylowska says. Eurostar works with Thalys between Amsterdam and Brussels, Deutsche Bahn


WE HAVE ALREADY


TAKEN A BOOKING, AND WE HAVEN’T EVEN LAUNCHED YET, SO THERE IS CLEARLY A MARKET FOR THIS


to Germany and, closer to home, is in talks with LNER (London North Eastern Railway) for journeys to Edinburgh. It also has a partnership with Virgin Trains from Manchester and Birmingham. Meanwhile, Virgin Trains has been offering a “Red Carpet” service for VIP groups, including private hire of carriages, for ten years – but has decided to partner with Eurostar’s new product. A host meets and greets groups at the station, boards attendees and then travels with them to the destination. Champagne or cocktails can also be served on request. Trips can be organised in standard carriages as well.


“It is more logistically more challenging to serve food there, so we are looking at doing picnic boxes, afternoon tea, salad and sandwich boxes, all with sustainable packaging,” says Virgin Train’s head of offline channels Adrienne Nankivell.


134 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018 buyingbusinesstravel.com


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