More and more old towns in China are being preserved and promoted as tourist attractions in China. Some of the more famous ones include Lijiang, Yangsuo and Zhouzhuang, to name a few. Apart from backpackers and general tourists, these old towns are also attracting meetings and incentive groups that are looking for more unique experience.

There are of course some challenges in organizing business meetings and incentive activities in these small towns; for example, logistic and transport issues as roads and infrastructure may be less developed, limit on size of event as accommodation facilities in these small towns may cater to small to medium-sized groups only. And of course, the type of activities organized should be mindful to the conservation efforts of the host venue.

Wuzhen, a 1,300 year-old water town near Shanghai, China, meet these challenges by managing the conservation town like a theme park. Consisting two separate areas – West Gate and East Gate – Wuzhen has two main entrance complexes where visitors can purchase entrance tickets, as well as book and check-in to their preferred accommodation.

The entrance complexes and the purchasing of entrance tickets make the initial experience rather unreal, as though you are entering a make-belief theme park rather than a conservation site. However, once inside the compound, you will feel you are somehow transported back in time. Sure, the souvenir shops, traditional tea houses, restaurants, westernized clubs and cafes are all there, but so are the original meandering canals, bridges, architecture and landscape dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, or even earlier. The conservation effort was not over done, (unlike the Forbidden City in Beijing, where some of the paintwork appeared too new), and there is an air of serenity and romance especially in the evening or early morning.

The advantage of a theme park-styled management, from the perspective of MICE organizers, is that there can be better human traffic control within the compounds of town, more efficient logistics and F&B management, and perhaps parts of the town can be reserved for exclusive use depending on the size of the group. For accommodation, the various clubhouses (hotels) provide luxurious guest rooms and function halls housed in traditional houses. For a more immersive experience, visitors may choose the B&Bs that are scattered all over the town. The B&Bs retain the look and feel of traditional inns as seen in many gongfu movies. Unlike in most countries where B&Bs are privately owned and run, all B&Bs here are centrally managed. Although this may take away the personal touch of B&Bs, it ensures standard level of service and amenities, and makes it easier for MICE organizers to book rooms in bulk.

Wuzhen is a good destination for MICE groups as it is not too far away from international airports in Shanghai. Perhaps the authorities should spruce up the dusty, bumpy roads and buildings around Wuzhen East and West Gates, so that visitors do not experience such a great contrast when traveling into the conservation sites.

For more information, visit: http://www.wuzhen.com.cn/english/