How To
The Art of the Welcome Drink: The Best Beverages for MICE Guests
Indeed, there is nothing like a good welcome drink to make any guest feel acknowledged and comfortable. This is why for big company events held at fancy venues, a welcome drink is not only a must, it is a carefully thought out decision as well to ensure each guest’s delight.
Carefully looking after MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) guests is all about making them feel like VIPs. Most of them are high performing members of organizations. Plus, some of them have come from faraway places. A lot of them may actually be coming straight from the airport just to attend the important corporate event.
Thus, they may not only be physically tired, they may be quite parched, too. Thus, welcome drinks should not just be a welcome gesture; they should be a source of physical relief as well.
If you are tasked to be one of the organizers of MICE events at a resort or hotel, one of your tasks is probably to decide on different beverage options for welcome drinks with the caterer or the hotel’s representative.
Here are some of the best choices to consider for your MICE guests:
Hot cocoa, chai latte and brewed coffee
These are perfect for early morning and nippy day events when everybody’s garbed in thick, heavy clothing. These beverages can warm the body up. And, they are considered comfort drinks by many.
These are solid options because, for a lot of people, it is simply too difficult to launch into a busy day without downing a mug of any of these hot drinks.
Spiced cider
This is another beverage to consider for a cold day, especially during the autumn and winter. It tastes good and brings warmth, and smells lovely, too.
Spiced cider is considered a reliable icebreaker in social gatherings. People cannot help but slow down at the moment and initiate a conversation while having this drink. This is why it makes for a great welcome beverage for MICE guests.
Iced tea
This is perhaps one of the easiest welcome drinks to make, and one of the most popular.
Most people love iced tea.
It offers familiar flavors and it is easy to upgrade with fruit essences and style with garnishes. On a hot day, everybody would be delighted to be welcomed with this cool, satisfying drink.
Spritzers
These are also called “Elixirs of All Joys.”
They are ideal summer welcome drinks since they are served icy cold and offer relief from the heat. They are also a fancy departure from typical favorites such as iced tea and lemonade.
Spritzers usually combine fruits, herb leaves, and some clear carbonated liquid or cider, or some other beverages.
There are so many kinds of spritzer recipes to choose from and they can create a colorful selection of welcome drinks for MICE guests, especially when slices of fruit and sprigs of herbs are added.
Mock mojito
This is another welcome drink that is perfect for outdoor events such as seminars and outdoor expos.
Like the conventional mojito, this mocktail or virgin mojito is made up of sprigs of mint leaves, sugar, and fresh lime juice but has double the amount of club soda.
Fresh fruit juice
This one never goes out of style because everybody’s familiar with fruit juices and, as long as they are made from fresh fruit, they are considered a healthy drink alternative.
But to make this beverage completely welcoming, you should use fancy goblets and go hard on the garnishings. Also, make sure that the juice has a lot of ice to tone down the natural sweetness, and to make it completely refreshing.
So, these are just six of the best welcome drinks to offer MICE guests. They are safe options yet they are easy to upgrade to make them as enjoyable as possible for anybody to consume.
Luxury event venues such as hotels and resorts usually include these drinks in their service package, and you can discuss with them how you want everything to be prepared to ensure that all aspects of your event are impressive to your guests.
