MICE

Fully loaded

Pioneered by Saharasri Subrata Roy Sahara, Aamby Valley City has all the trappings of a fine MICE destination, with its scenic beauty and proximity to both Mumbai and Pune thrown in as a bonus

India possesses an amazing wealth of sights and sounds, tastes and textures. From a bustling cosmopolitan city to the quiet countryside, hill station or a beach resort, it has destinations that offer a backdrop of unmatched beauty for a business meet. Exclusive business hotels and exotic resorts with meeting rooms of distinction, spacious convention facilities, modern business centres and a wide range of conference facilities, are all there for the taking. Without doubt, enchanting India's image as a conference destination is fuelling the inbound MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and events) segment which is growing at 15 to 20 per cent annually.

Billed as 'Life's finest abodes', Aamby Valley City, one of the first of its kind megalopolis, spread over more than 10,000 undulating acres of verdant expanse, apart from offering residential options, is slowly emerging as an ideal MICE hotspot. Nestled amidst the picturesque environs of the Sahyadri mountain range, along the west coast of India, and in close proximity to both Mumbai and Pune, Aamby Valley City has emerged as independent India's first planned, self-contained aspirational city, remarkable for its unsurpassed grandeur and plush signature-features. Offering a superlative lifestyle, the ultra-exclusive city has options ranging from the chic and cozy timber chalets in 2/3 BHK configurations to fabulously modern and luxury villas in distinct architectural styles spread over spaces of quarter/half and one acre. There are three types of villas - Spanish, English and Contemporary. Complete with modern fittings, the interiors of these chalets and villas are customised to suit individual tastes. The township has 91 per cent open space, and only 9 percent being taken up by concrete structures. Three man-made lakes and 11 natural water bodies add to the natural endowment of the township.

Networked city

The scenic beauty of the city and the world-class infrastructure ensures a vast variety of locations for luxurious and innovative conferencing, product launches, incentive programmes and annual meets, team building programmes and event management. Local sight seeing, day excursions and conference tours can also be arranged.

With a convention capacity of 1,500 pax, Aamby Valley is a self-contained electronically networked city with complete GSM coverage, wireless broadband connectivity and advanced communication technologies - the city prides itself on being India's first Wi-Fi city. A foolproof electronic multi-level security (Aamby Valley City is protected by a three-tier security system) and a crisis management system to effectively handle any emergencies/catastrophes, makes Aamby Valley one of the most secure cities in the world.

Seemanto Roy, head Aamby Valley and entertainment business of Sahara says, "Aamby Valley is an answer to those who seek urban proximity intertwined with dream homes in idyllic settings and exceptional climate. We believe Aamby Valley is that port of call for such people who are looking for more than a better home, better apartment block or a better colony. The city, at the cusp of pristine nature, aesthetically combines the all-encompassing facets of luxurious living, business conveniences, leisure and recreation. It is for people who are into long term investment calls, akin to all long term homes where they get the best of nature, the best of world class facilities and, most importantly, their dream home. Aamby Valley is one of the first hill cities in the country, focused on grooming global citizens of tomorrow with a 360 degree approach."

Commenting on the MICE market Roy says, "India is going the global way and MICE is fast becoming a major part of its travel and promotional budgets. In the Indian context, incentives are, at present, the largest component of MICE. However, in a maturing market, it's only a matter of time before the entire gamut of MICE activities are undertaken by the Indian corporate world."

The city has been witness to several product launches in recent months; a prominent one being BMW's latest model launch. The city has also been the venue for many conferences like that of Monsanto India, Reliance, IBM, and HSBC, to name a few. Aamby Valley was also host to the Mrs World contest in 2005. In 2006, when Porsche made its entry into India, Aamby Valley was the launch destination of choice. More recently, Sahara One's reality show 'Biggest Loser Jeetega' was shot in the city.

Sports is another area wherein Aamby Valley has made a mark. In 2005 the city hosted the Asian Masters Golf Tour. Aamby Valley has its own 7,100 yards, par-72, 18-hole course, fully-floodlit championship golf course which is a sheer visual delight. Designed by David Hemstock and associates (UK) and upgraded and remodelled by PGA DC of Great Britain & Ireland, the golf course was voted 'The Best Golf Facility of India for the year 2004-2005'.

Class appeal

The city comes complete with Club class conveniences, equestrian courses, aquatic bay for water sports, entertainment hubs and leisure lounges, complemented by an extensive network of international standard 2, 3 and 4 lane bituminous roads with aesthetically landscaped utility corridors and well laid-out sidewalks. The downtown Club Complex offers a temperature-controlled swimming pool, splash pool for kids, health zone offering sauna/steam/jacuzzi /Kerala Ayurvedic and Swedish massage, hi-tech gymnasium, indoor dome for table tennis, air hockey, billiards, snooker, pool tables, rodeo bull ride and a video games parlour. All these amenities merely add to Aamby Valley's appeal as an attractive MICE destination. And of course the Mumbai-Pune expressway has helped Aamby Valley pull in the MICE business. Roy reiterates, "Yes, the expressway has definitely helped us in a big way. The reduction in travel time has encouraged many business groups/ individuals to drive down to Aamby Valley. The proposed Nava Sheva link will further cut down on the distance as well as the time, which will in turn attract more people." The city is also well connected by air. It has its own airport which is a technological marvel, equipped with a state-of-the-art CAT IIIc instrument landing system and a 1.2 km runway.

As for gastronomic experiences, guests can either opt for a continental bite at the main restaurant, Four Seasons, or savour freshly baked products at the Fisherman's Wharf, or go for a melange of seafood at The Lagoon. The township even has its own supply of purified, mineral water called Aqua Aamby. Aamby Valley is all set to come up with the Economic Zone by 2012. This zone will be open to industries like BPOs, secretarial centres, ITES and non-manufacturing firms, and will have its own stock terminal, leisure centre, backhand practises, etc.

To further drive the MICE business, Aamby Valley also has plans to set up five star hotels and apartments, which are however still in the conceptual stage.