MIM119

e u r o p e m a g a z i n eMIM Europe Magazine, the meetings and incentives magazine for European corporate planners, in exclusive partnership with EUMA, the European Association of Management Assistants, supported by ECM, European Cities Marketing.

#119

Afgiftekantoor-Bureau de dépôt: 2800 Mechelen 1Published 4 times a year: March, May, August, November Edition May 2012

interviewSUSAN FREI

PuttiNg CANAdA oN thE EuroPEAN

MEEtiNgs MAP

NoRthERN FRANcE

Being reborn

FoUR FlEmISh mEEtINgS cItIES

EUmA IN IcElANd

[email protected](+34) 91 758 55 28www.esmadrid.com/mcbOn today’s agenda

Madrid’s transport is excellent. It only takes us 5 minutes to get from the airport to the city’s main convention centre.

8:30 am

A stroll down Gran Via with colleagues. Time for tapas and drinks in this buzzing street.

2:00 pm

Warm evening and fantastic views. Feels more relaxed than most business dinners.

9:00 pm

Need more time to explore Madrid. I’m staying until Monday!

11:00 pm

What a productive morning. Many good ideas and contacts to take home.

11:00 am

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MIM 210x270 agenda ing.pdf 1 26/03/12 14:34

general > editorial

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ContEnts gENERAleditorial 3euma 4european Cities marketing 6

INtERVIEWCanada 10

SpEcIAl FEAtURESustainability 12

CoLoPHon

MiM Europe Magazine sets great store by sustainable development and therefore chose responsible FsC® certified paper which comes from a controlled source. More info: www.fsc.org ® FsC, A.C. FsC-sECr-0045

How European are we in our work? In political circles it is usually expressed as “European standards for equality, freedom, democracy

and unity efforts.” those are values that most of us take for granted. We only start thinking about

them when visiting other countries and cultures where these values are not present every day.

otherwise, we think little about what being European really means in practical terms.

When I am speaking about the European Meetings Industry myself – an area not really explored

- I add a couple of other concepts to the definition of being European. A European should at least

be able to speak three languages: his native language, an international language and another

European language of his choice. But more importantly, he should look over his own country’s

borders more often. that seems to be the hardest thing to do. We still think regionally first, then

nationally and at the very end we just might start thinking European. there are few people who say

they are cosmopolitans. therefore MIM Europe Magazine will optimistically start promoting Europe

as a rich historical and cultural incentive and meetings destination where companies can find new

partners. For example: which company specializing in plant and flower culture ever thought of

Angers in France as a destination? It will prove to be a big surprise. Europe combines more than

100 niche cities (2nd and 3rd cities) who are becoming more competitive and hold a hidden

potential for new economic opportunities. this project is a collaboration with ECM (European City

Marketing). MIM Europe and ECM are working together to show companies Europe’s new wealth!

A bit like the former EFCt but much more driven and especially more practical...

www.mimmagazine.eu

Marcel a.M. VIssersowner - Editor in chief

SpEcIAl dEStINAtIoNFlemish art Cities 20

dEStINAtIoNSSt petersburg 28 northern France 30riga 36geneva 38montpellier 40

MIM magazine is thE EuroPEAN MAgAziNE For thE MEEtiNgs iNdustry. it is PuBlishEd 4 tiMEs A yEAr By MEEtiNg MEdiA CoMPANy BVBA/sArl, with A CirCulAtioN oF 5000 CoPiEs.

Editor in ChiefMarcel A.M. Visserst: +32 (0)3 226 88 [email protected]

Managing DirectorCécile Caiati-Kocht: +32 (0)2 761 70 [email protected]

Account Manager - International SalesKelvin lut : +32 (0)2 761 70 [email protected]

Managing Editorsarah romy Edwardst : +32 (0)2 761 70 [email protected]

Editorsrose Kelleher rémi dévé

Address59, rue rené declercq B - 1150 Brussels (Belgium)t: +32 (0)2 761 70 50 F: +32 (0)2 761 70 51 www.mimmagazine.eu

PublisherMeeting Media Company Marcel A.M. Vissers Mechelseplein 23, bus 1B - 2000 Antwerpen (Belgium)www.MiMmagazine.eu

DesignwAllrus grafische expedities, Kortrijkt: +32 (0)56 24 94 [email protected]

PrintingCartim - destelbergen

e d i t o r i a l

in exclusive partnership with

European Management Assistants Association.

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general > EUMA

Dubbele pagina

bovenaan altijd het logo (links) + webadres (rechts)

Few countries in the world are as inherently sustainable as Iceland. Iceland has no coal, no petroleum reserves and no forests. However, the country is blessed with a tremendous amount of renewable energy from sources, such as volcanoes that provide geothermal energy and glaciers that power electric turbines. Due to its access to natural sources of hydro and geothermal energy, Iceland is the cleanest energy consumer in the world, with about 72% of its total energy consumption coming from natural

sources. Iceland uses natural warm water to heat 87% of its homes and swimming pools, and for de-icing systems in drive-ways and city streets. Geothermal heat also plays an important role in research and innovation. Iceland’s universities have launched several graduate and post graduate courses in many fields of clean energy and renewable energy studies are rapidly becoming popular among students. the sources of Iceland’s renew-able energy are best enjoyed by visiting Iceland’s many spectacular waterfalls, hot springs and geysers, and of course by

relaxing in the Blue Lagoon outdoor spa under a starlit sky in the middle of a lava field. In the near future, the country plans to use geothermal electricity to make hydrogen fuel that will power its vehicles and fishing trawlers that currently use fossil fuels. Iceland, being a small nation with an innovative mindset, provides for an exciting case study on how to move towards a 100% sustainable energy society.

Green April for IcelandLast month, Iceland celebrated Green April for the second time. Green April is a month long environmental awareness campaign to educate people on local environmental issues, resources, and activities. the initiative’s aim, which was organized by a group of environmental enthusiasts, is to have the government, municipalities, companies, organizations and individuals promote green products, knowledge and services which support sustainability in Iceland.

why organising your meeting in this small country in the northAtlantic is worth your while... the 38th EuMA (European Management Assistants) Conference will be held in reykjavik, on september 28, 2012. MiM Europe Magazine took this opportunity to shed some light on EuMA’s ties with the tiny but very sustainability-minded island situated between the greenland sea and the Northern Atlantic ocean. indeed, the icelanders, who have been an active member of EuMA since 1983 had a lot to share with us on this theme...

IcelandA prime example of sustainability

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international quality network of management support professionals > www.euma.org

the idea behind the campaign, which is a unique event in the world, is to use April to look at where Iceland stands on environmental issues. the stories of a greener world and live are told in all the media across the country. In 2012, Iceland focused on greener transport, homes and households together with wellness. Green April started March 31st from 20:30 till 21:30 with “Earth Hour”, the largest environmental event in the world, www.earthhour.org.

EUMA Iceland looks forward to welcoming you to sustainable Iceland next September.

the 38th EUMA (European Management Assistants) Conference will be held in Reykjavik, Iceland on september 28, 2012.

GUðnI GUnnArSSonworKshoP oN VAluEs ANd sustAiNABility“Hippocrates is said to have claimed that everything in excess is opposed to nature. Sustainability is the only way nature intended life to progress. Whether it be the human body or mother earth that has sustained us until now, it is absolutely essential that we establish systems and patterns of behavior that will allow and encourage countries and communities to be self-sustainable. Iceland is at the forefront of this dialogue and is an excellent candidate to become the first country in the world to be completely independent and self-sustaining. I am not promoting these ideas as a means of separation or isolation, but as a form of encouragement and as an example to the rest of the world, somewhat is the spirit of Gandhi who encouraged humans to be the change they wanted to see in others. As a species and as consumers, we are devouring the planet at such a rate that it may not be capable of sustaining us for very much longer.

Change will occur whether we like it or not. Sustainability is an obvious path to proceed on instead of the current policy of outsourcing to the lowest bidder and devoting a great deal of our energy resources to moving goods via import and export, particularly in the fields of agriculture and manufactured commodities.

I am suggesting that Iceland lead the way because it can and should. We have the appropriate conditions, resources and the knowledge required to be the change in the world and lead the way to organic sustainability.“

Workshop on values and the environmentthe topic of the workshop lead by Kristín Vala Ragnarsdóttir, Phd., Dean of school of Engineering and natural sciences, University of Iceland, will be the relationship between culture, values and environmental sustain-ability. the question she will address is whether there are common values across cultures that can constitute the foundation for building and promoting a more sustainable economic growth and preventing the environment from deteriorating further.

EUMAEUropean Management Assistants, EUMA, is the only Europe-wide quality network of top management assistants who focus on their self-development and professional evolution, and reflect on the future of their profession. the association is a non-profit association, has no political aims and does not engage in political or trade union activities. EUMA provides a forum for management assistants, employers and educators to promote an understanding of the training, experience and career opportunities necessary for the development of its members. EUMA promotes an image of the management assistant as an essential element of the management team. EUMA was founded in 1974, and is currently represented by over 1300 members in 26 countries.

EUMA AUTUMn CoUnCIL AnD ConFErEnCE held at Hilton Reykjavik nordica Hotel

+ TUESDAy 25TH-26TH SEPTEMbEr PrE-CoNFErENCE tours

+ THUrSDAy 27TH SEPTEMbEr CouNCil MEEtiNgs For CouNCil MEMBErs PrE-CoNFErENCE tours wElCoME rECEPtioN

+ FrIDAy 28TH SEPTEMbEr EuMA CoNFErENCE CoNFErENCE diNNEr At thE lAVA

rEstAurANt At thE BluE lAgooN

+ SATUrDAy 29TH SEPTEMbEr EuMA ANNuAl gENErAl MEEtiNg Post-CoNFErENCE tours

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general > EUMA

Dubbele pagina

bovenaan altijd het logo (links) + webadres (rechts)

the ECM (European Cities Marketing) spring Conference in st.Petersburg was literally reborn last March. First, the industry organization welcomed its new CEo, garry white. his experience as Visit Britain’s head of global strategy will certainly be of much use, and he’s already showing a lot of enthusiasm in his new role, as he’s taking over the job of John heeley, his predecessor. we surely look forward to a bright future for ECM… report CéCile Caiati-KoCh

ECM SPrInG ConFErEnCE In ST. PETErSbUrG A new life for convention bureaus

For its traditional spring conference, ECM introduced a few novelties. Important topics, like the role of a Core PCo, trends in the Pharmaceutical industry and how does BarCamps and Hybrid Meetings work and an best practice session for the members of the Conventions Forum were some highlights, says Heike Mahmoud of visitBerlin and ECM Vice President Conventions. Last year, Heike had already informed us she wanted to reinforce the convention chapter and the conference’s programme definitely proved her point. MIM Europe magazine highly praises the initiative and has expressed its willingness to be an active partner in this much-needed plan. For the first time a full day was spent

on the activities of convention bureaus, moderated by Anne Wallin Rodven of Visit oslo.

Lively meeting statisticsthis half day organized for the conven-tion chapter took the form of a Best Practice session. And let’s be honest: sessions on statistics are often boring, but here olivier Ponti, of the Amsterdam tourism and Convention Bureau, literally brought life to them. In a very expres-sive and clear way he showed how to obtain valuable information and how to share and make use of the statistics among members. Frode Aasheim from Visit Bergen also gave a practical example on how his city is collecting meetings statistics.

Ambassador programmes - are they still important? of course they are! we were told and convinced. But you have to be intel-ligent and develop a real strategy in order to have RoI on your ambassador programme. steen Jakobsen, of Visit Copenhagen, and Lennart Johansson, of Göteborg Convention Bureau, explained how they have developed their own system and how well it works.

How do national Convention bureaus work?And last but not least was the exciting subject on the role of national conven-tion bureaus: are they of use or an expenditure we could do without? scandinavia offers different ways…: Bente Bratland Holm works for norway Convention Bureau, a private entity, Leena sipilä for Finland Convention Bureau, a part of the tourist Board and Anna Lindström for Uppsala Convention Bureau for the swedish Convention Bureau network. Financed by the government or a private entity all focus on close networks with their partners to deliver maximum information and services to the clients.

ECM Spring Conference

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European Cities Marketing

nothing better to describe the ECM summer school than the image of its hosting city this year: Dubrovnik, pearl of the Adriatic, will be welcoming the 26th summer school from August 25-29, 2012, and provide around 50 students with the pearl of the meetings industry! As is the case every year, the number one goal of ECM summer school is to provide a solid basic education for those just starting out in the Meetings Industry. Uniquely, it brings students face to face with leading industry practi-tioners, through a programme reflecting latest trends and new technologies and practices. there is no such training in the meetings industry! try it out!

Registrations on www.europeancitiesmarketing.com

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ECM SUMMEr SCHooLPearl of the meetings industry!

About ECM

European Cities Marketing improves the competitiveness and performance of leading cities of Europe by providing a platform for convention, leisure and city marketing professionals to exchange knowledge, best practise and widen their network to build new business.

European Cities Marketing is promoting and linking the interests of more than 120 members from more than 100 major cities in 32 countries.

For more information and pictures, please contact: Flavie Baudot, [email protected] or +33 380 56 02 00

ECM ANNuAl CoNFErENCE, zAgrEB: PErSPECTIVE on brIC MArKETS, FoCUS on ConVEnTIonS AnD STATISTICS

For its annual conference (Zagreb, June 6-9, 2012) ECM will provide unique insight and competitive analysis of three powerful markets - Russia/India/China - and help the meeting and leisure industry prepare for a period of unprecedented change and opportunity and learn from best practice.

ECM also keeps on reinforcing the conven-tions content following the st. Petersburg meeting, with an extra session dedicated on best practices for convention bureaus.

Another milestone in the history of ECM is the release of the Meetings statistics report 2012 next June. this benchmarking tool (for ECM members only) supplies key information on the volume and the economic significance of the convention business to city destinations, leading even more convention bureaus to start collecting meetings statistics!

Zagreb will also be the place of the second session dedicated to chief executives, providing the CEos of all

European destinations with an opportunity to discuss the latest market trends: this time they will reflect on how to market European cities in India and China, and this will be preceded by a specific session from Mr. Amitabh Kant, key driver of the famous ‘Incredible India’ branding campaign.

Registrations on www.europeancitiesmarketing.com

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COUNT ON US TO GET YOU THERE.

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general > Meetopolis

MeetopolisPeer-to-Peer Meeting & Event planners Education & inspiration Forum

Meetopolis, the cross-industry training and inspiration platform for corporate meeting & event planners, will approach all the needs and issues that you meet in your day-to-day tasks… organised according to an original and innovating approach, without any direct selling, Meetopolis has been designed to be the meeting, education and inspiration place where you will be able to exchange and share information, ideas, knowledge and experiences with your peers.

Why?Planners often work in isolation in their sector and rarely have the opportunity to share experiences with their peers (from other sectors). With Meetopolis, delegates will learn about the latest trends in conference management and how to leverage educational content; get engaged in high level strategic dis-cussions; and participate in roundtable discussions on key topics answering to their needs, issues and questions.

What about?the Meetopolis concepts engage participants actively and have a new creative approach to a far more flex-ible use of conference facilities. the concepts will help planners to transform the traditional one-way communica-tion standards into a creative forum, in which the participants are actively

involved in obtaining the tools and knowledge they need to strengthen their companies’ overall objectives and strategies. this is not a how-to session. Instead you will engage in an interactive discussion on the application of the top-ics/themes and what it means for your day-to-day work.

Who attends?Meetopolis is open exclusively to sen-ior as well as Junior meeting & event planners… and all the people involved in conferences, seminars, teambuild-ings, training sessions, events, business travels and meetings of every variety in Belgium and further afield.

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn and network with your peers from the corporate world. Register now !

PrE-ProGrAMME 2012oPEnInG SESSIon ice-Breaking session: “open your mind to a new way of organizing meetings and events” ToPICS1. toolbox for meeting & event design or

how to better perform on the field and generate more roi (2 x 1h30)

2. e-learning, hybrid & Webinars meetings & events: What, how, Why and When (2 x 1h30)

3. Social media & community management for meetings & events: implications, methods and processes (2 x 1h30)

4. how to energize your meetings & events by healthy food (1h30)

5. green events & sustainability (1h30): how to implement them at meetings & events (practical guide)

6. maximizing networking & interactivity of participants at meetings & events: future formats & creating learning at conferences (1h30): implication & application

CLoSInG SESSIoninventing your future meetings & events: Best practices from the field

the meetopolis concepts engage participants actively and have a new creative approach to a far more flexible use of conference facilities

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PRE-PRoGRAM REGIstRAtIon FoRM & InFo

www.MEEtopolis.EU

16 OctOBeR 2012, SQUARe-BRUSSeLS MeetING ceNtRe

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MIM Europe: A few years ago, you decided to strengthen the visibility of Canada in Europe. Can you explain your strategy? Susan Frei: We have always considered the international market to be very important for Canada and with the lead up to the 2010 Winter olympics we received government stimulus funding which allowed the CtC to invest in the international market on a much more pro-active basis. We invested in a full time team on the ground based out of London and we worked together to identify various strategies to promote Canada’s famous icons, educate interna-tional buyers on the country as a whole

including all the beautiful destinations we have across the country: new and expanding convention centres, new venues, new hotels, accessible air routes and much more. It takes several years to develop awareness of your destination in a new market, however with a full time team in Europe promoting Canada for the past three years as a beautiful, affordable, ‘close to home’ destination, and we have seen remarkable results in putting Canada on many European meeting planners’ radar!

our strategy is quite comprehensive which includes a mix of tradeshows, marketing and sales activities,

in-market client events, media interviews and press trips. We are attending all major tradeshows including EIBtM and IMEX and have hosted several familiarization trips, including our ‘Behind the scenes’ series in 2011 allowing international planners to look behind the scenes of Canada’s largest events, including the 2010 Winter olympics, G8/G20 summit and the toronto Film Festival just to name a few..

We also hold annual appreciation events across the UK, France, Belgium and Germany which puts planners in contact with our Canadian partners.

interview > Canada

having featured many exciting meeting destinations in Canada in previous editions, we felt it was about time to meet with susan Frei, international MCit, at the Canadian Canadian tourism Commission (CtC). she told us how she was looking forward to 2012 being even more successful than 2011, and explained how the CtC is planning to profile itself in 2012. intervieW marCel a.m. viSSerS

Susan Frei puts Canada on european meeting planners’ radars

Susan Frei

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interview > Canada

this allows our partners to share the latest information and communicate the many positive elements of bringing groups, incentives or conferences to Canada. Last but not least, we have just announced our second annual Global Vision Awards dinner that will take place at IMEX 2012. nominations are open now! MIM Europe: We always hear about the big Canadian destinations. Are there any hidden ‘meetings’ gems we should know of?Susan Frei: Many excellent activities and venues throughout the year! In 2012, we are excited to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Calgary stampede this July. this is consid-ered the greatest outdoor show in the World, and this year’s stampede will be built on three pillars: show-casing Alberta to the world; creating an experience of a lifetime; and building a lasting legacy. We also have the recently opened the ottawa Convention Centre, providing modern state-of-the-art facilities in the capital. A must see! MIM Europe: Canada is known for the more ‘sporty’ incentives activities. Can you tell us about the latest trends in the field?Susan Frei: We have some great winter sporting activities including snowmobiling, dogsledding, bobsled-ding, skiing, ice hockey, ice skating,

basketball, football, among others. In the summer months we have an abundance of activities on the water, including kayaking, whale watching or surfing. We also have some great spectator sports, such as the Formula one and the Grand Prix in Montreal, Cycliste in Quebec City, John’s Regatta in newfoundland and Labrador. MIM Europe: Sustainability is this issue’s main subject. How does Canada relate to that nowadays?Susan Frei: Canada is an incredibly sustainable destination which has practiced sustainable ethics for 15 plus years. Vancouver’s six Acre Living Roof, now a thriving ecosystem on top of the Vancouver Convention Centre, is the largest living roof in Canada and the largest non-industrial green roof in north America. Calgary is a very green meetings destina-tion (it was the first city in north America to install energy efficient street lights), and Calgary’s Ctrains are powered entirely by wind gener-ated electricity, it’s no wonder that 2010 saw the city ranked Mercer’s #1 Eco-City in the world. In addition, the Calgary tELUs Convention Centre has achieved its BoMA Go Green certification and BoMA Building Environmental standards Level 3 certification for its renewable green power, energy efficient lighting, water conservation initiatives and extensive recycling programs.

MIM Europe: What is your biggest achievement since you’ve been working for the CTC? Susan Frei: When Canada won the # 1 most powerful country brand in the world for the second year running to me was quite significant. It reinforces that Canada is doing something right in the international market! MIM Europe: What is your biggest dream?Susan Frei: to continue doing what we are doing and win the #1 most powerful country brand for 25 consecutive years or more!!

contactcanadian tourism commission - european OfficeSarah Kemsat, Axis travel Marketingmeetings@axistravelmarketing.comfr-meetings.canada.travel

our overall objective in all our marketing, partnerships and sales efforts is “to inspire the World to explore Canada”

XXX

Susan Frei puts Canada on european meeting planners’ radars

Sunset at the Calgary Stampede Lake Louise

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Special Feature > sustainability

MIM Europe: Can you explain sustainable destination management? Brian Mullis: sustainable Destination Management is about helping travellers and travel providers protect the cultures and environments they visit. It involves balancing the needs and demands of visitors, industry, community and the natural environment through participatory planning and monitoring.

MIM Europe: Why is it important now?Brian Mullis: Governments and business decision makers in tourism destinations around the world are faced with increas-ingly stressed environments with dwindling resources. We’re operating in a new economic reality that is challenging destinations and the travel trade, including the MICE industry, to focus on their destination’s ability to preserve its natural and cultural assets.

MIM Europe: Is there any way that the hospitality industry could have a positive impact on the environment? Brian Mullis: It already does. tourism and the environment go hand in hand. the positive impact is achieved when the industry shows its commitment to integrating environmental responsible policies into their everyday practices.

Many would argue that the best way to protect the planet is to stay put. But Brian Mullis, head of consultancy sustainable travel international, doesn’t agree. he talks to MiM Europe about how he and his global team help destinations, travel agencies and MiCE planners respond to the new realities of mass travel.

your trip needn’t cost the Earth!

ConTEnTS

+ Your trip needn’t cost the Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Many would argue that the best way to

protect the planet is to stay put. But Brian Mullis doesn’t agree.

+ getting you green message across . . . . . . . . . . 14

how do i introduce sustainability measures into my business offer?

+ london goes for gold with green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

A sustainable olympic games with a positive legacy.

+ the world’s first sustainable meeting region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

industry actors in Norway, sweden, iceland, Finland and denmark.

all textS By roSe Kelleher

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tourism and the hospitality industry rely on the quality of their destinations and have a vested interest in preserving the environments and contributing to local communities.

MIM Europe: Who is responsible for the sustainability of a destination?Brian Mullis: the fundamental tenet of sustainable destination management is shared responsibility; there’s no single stakeholder group that is solely responsible for generating impacts or preserving the destination’s natural and cultural heritage. Inter-sectoral collaboration helps to catalyse the change needed to keep tourism destina-tions healthy and to protect business investments.

MIM Europe: What are some of current trends in sustainable travel? Brian Mullis: one example would be travel philanthropy, a voluntary move-ment of consumers and companies who donate financial resources, time, talent and economic patronage to protect and positively impact the places they visit. then there’s Voluntourism, a field of tourism in which travellers visit a destination and take part in projects in the local community. Projects are commonly nature-based, people-based or involve such things as restoration or construction of buildings, assisting archeologists in digging up artifacts, etc.

MIM Europe: Does “sustainable” have to mean “expensive”? Brian Mullis: no, but there are signifi-cant costs involved in achieving high levels of sustainability. Businesses and destinations that successfully integrate sustainable practices typically take an incremental long-term approach, ramping up their initiatives as time and resources allow.

MIM Europe: Who is more receptive to sustainable travel: the business or the leisure traveller? Brian Mullis: Both are receptive to sustainable travel. Given all of the research on the topic, one thing is clear. the number of leisure travellers that support responsible tourism is on the increase. In addition, an increasing number of businesses travellers are required to stay in “green” accommoda-tions, limit their carbon footprint etc.

MIM Europe: How can you be sure what you’re getting is not just “greenwashing”? Brian Mullis: Look for verification from credible independent third parties like sustainable travel International. Is the standard recognised by the Global sustainable tourism Council? Ask for transparency in the organisation’s numbers, timelines, goals and achieve-ments. Make sure they are green in all areas – not just in the area that’s visible.

MIM Europe: Are environmental consciousness and economic profitability two irreconcilable terms? Brian Mullis: Absolutely not; organisations realised a long time ago that efficiency in energy usage, waste generation, water consumption and recycled materials results in reducing cost. they also realised it increased their competitive advantage, appealing to the growing market of conscientious consumers.

tourism and the environment go hand in hand

Brian Mullis on some basic ways to make travel more sustainable

+ Research Alternatives. Many businesses and service providers have policies that minimise their environmental, economic, and socio-cultural impacts.

+ Consider Your Mode of transportation. walk, bicycle, or use public transportation. Rent hybrid vehicles. Calculate and offset carbon dioxide emissions emitted by travel.

+ Respect local Cultures. Respect and accept the differences of local people and other cultures. learn about their customs, social norms, and environmental issues before you visit.

+ spend locally. Ensure that local people benefit from your travels. Visit locally owned businesses, buy locally produced foods and products, and use the services of tour operators, outfitters, and accommodations that employ local people.

+ Conserve Natural Resources. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Consider the water, energy, and waste disposal systems used by your tour operators, outfitters, and accommodations.

+ Honour protected Areas. when visiting protected areas, follow all advisories, rules, and regulations. Remember the fees you pay to use these areas support local efforts to conserve them.

+ leave No trace. Use the leave No trace guidelines as your recreation and adventure in the Central Cascades

+ Keep wildlife wild. Do not disturb wild animals or their habitat. Never chase, harass, or feed wildlife. Keep your distance and use binoculars.

+ Give Back. Find a local cause or project of interest and make a donation or volunteer your time.

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If you’re thinking of implementing sustainability measures in your business offer, or have already done so, effectively communicating your commitment and successes to customers will help determine how much return on investment you’ll get out of your green program.

“MICE planners are good with check-lists and with tailoring offers to clients. So adding sustainability to their check-list is actually something that they’d be good at. If you’re not sure your clients are open to it, you can introduce concepts of sustainable practice to

them and then provide it” says Wiebke, who mostly works with organisa-tions that have already implemented sustainability measures into their offer. “I help them make their message more effective, to set up the systems they need to get their message across. Once you’re clear about what your message is, you need to explain it in a way that really connects with your clients. Then act on it.”

organisations that implement an environmental or sustainability policy generally adopt one of two strategies. “One is what we call the Big Bang

strategy, meaning they develop a ten year plan at the end of which, the company is as sustainable as it can be.” says Wiebke. “The company reports on their progress every year.

Unilever or Marks and Spencers would be good examples. Then there’s the other strategy where companies first implement their initiatives, but they don’t talk about them at all. They continue talking about their offers and their products, and only when they feel like they’ve achieved their plan or they’ve achieved a big milestone, they announce it.”

“how do i introduce sustainability measures into my business offer? And how do i communicate the great stuff that i’m already doing? i think that these questions can get easily confused” says wiebke herding, Brussels-based green marketing expert and founder of onsubject.eu.

getting your Green Message across

What a customer really cares about is that the company is really clear about their direction

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Both strategies are good for creating trust, but she warns that it’s important not to announce something and then not follow up “or make a claim you can’t back up with data.”

Find your direction“First of all, where does the meetings industry have an impact? Which steps are the easy ones to improve your sustainability policy? Identify them, and identify those that take longer. Then decide what direction you want to take. How you communicate your sustainability policy is always a ques-tion of where the company stands at the moment, and the overall direction it will be taking in the future.”

the MICE industry needs to figure out where it can part with material input. Wiebke commends the European Commission for certain small strate-gies that she says both educates attendees and communicates their ethos. “Green Week, an annual event on environmental policy, is constantly under close scrutiny about its environ-mental impact. You know how people sign up for an event, but then don’t show up? They put a little sign at the entrance saying “Thank You” to those people who showed up because they hadn’t wasted the resources. What was important there is that it made the people think twice about the next time they register and don’t show up for an event. It’s about educating, and changing culture and it communicates their sustainable planning very clearly. Though going green is not just about affixing a label on your offer, labels and standards are very important for communication. If you need material input, then where do you get it from’’ asks Wiebke. “Can I get badges printed of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certi-fied paper? Does the printer use vegetable ink, for example...? Who are the suppliers? What are my options?” Find the right supplier and then look for labels. “Lots of my work is with

Ecolabels, which is something that is very interesting for planners: letting clients know you pay close attention to labelled products can help both to communicate and to plan a sustain-ability strategy.”

“But it can be a very confusing area. For each product line or for each sector there is one product label that really matters. Look for governmental labels, they cover a lot in terms of appliances, but also energy efficiency, chemicals and so on, and are more concerned with production and Life Cycle as opposed to end goods. For goods like paper supplies, there’s an association called the ISEAL alliance, a quality guarantee for standards.”

Competitive Edge“You’ll find that companies that show leadership in sustainability will have the competitive advantage in the long run.

In terms of meetings, incentives and events, increasingly clients will ask for these things. Of course, your clients will also be slightly confused, because there are just so many choices and they don’t know where to start. Having a planner who says we’re doing this already can put the client really at ease because you make yourself vulnerable if you don’t pay attention. Plus, you can really make a statement by showing that you’re paying attention to sustainability.”

it’s about educating, and changing culture and it communicates their sustainable planning very clearly

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this year, the Big smoke will host the olympic Games, and the city is ripe for high-end tie-in incentive programs. London and Partners, the official promo-tion bureau of the city, have predicted an estimated 40% increase in incentives during the games. But with all the added infrastructure, guests, venues, rooms and sports facilities, what is London doing to ensure that this event will have a positive sustainability legacy?

London welcomes this major global sporting event for the first time in 64 years, but it’s not the only big calendar event in 2012 – Queen Elizabeth will also celebrate 60 years on the throne. Already the second most visited city in the world with 6 million annual guests, London averages 90% occupancy throughout a normal year, with an added 23,000 athletes, 800,000 spec-tators, a 20,000 person workforce and 70,000 volunteers in 2012. Vancouver

set a high standard for environmentally friendly olympics with sustainability initiatives at 2010’s Winter Games, but despite an unforgiving British media bringing the environmental commitment of the organisers into question, visitors to the UK won’t have any trouble greening their meeting or incentive trip in the city this summer.

World-first sustainable events standardthe olympics have prompted the redevelopment of many areas of London, most notably the former industrial site in the city’s East End that has metamorphised into a square mile olympic Park. the southern end of the park will host a commons area with a pedestrianised plaza filled with vendors, shops, cafes, restaurants and bars, while the northern end of the park will be a major green landscape.

A sustainable olympic games with a positive legacy? with a closely scrutinised organising team and the new sustainable events standard Bs 8901, london is going for environmental gold.

london goes for gold with Green

London prepares for the olympics

small mammals like otters and different species of bird will inhabit a large wetlands area, which has also been set up to deal with rainwater runoff. In addition to the 300,000 plants in the wetlands area, a garden with more than 100,000 plants will line the thames-side walkway in between the olympic venues.

“When we won the bid,” said David stubbs, “the International Olympic Committee’s environment adviser said to me that if we achieved even half of what we had promised it would be way ahead of any previous Games.” It had already been achieved by 2005, something of which stubbs, head of sustainability with the London organising Committee of the olympic and Paralympic Games (LoCoG), is intensely proud. Most have praised the level of commitment from the LoCoG, particularly with regard to transparency and the implementation of Bs 8901. Bs 8901 is a British standard devel-oped specifically to help the events industry operate in a more sustainable manner. It is the only standard for sustainable events in the world, and

requires organisations to identify the effects that their activities have on the environment, on society and on the economy and put measures in place to minimise the negatives. Inspired by London 2012, many event clients will demand that event organisers, venues and suppliers adopt the standard in the future. the London 2012 olympics are already demanding that organisa-tions work towards the implementation of Bs 8901. the planning committee recently released the first of several reports showing that there’s a strong environmental component to London 2012, and that for visitors, even those who didn’t get tickets, earth-friendly incentive ideas abound.

Earth-friendly, from cars to cateringBillions have already been spent upgrading the city’s infrastructure. the tube will be working overtime, and visitors will be able to zip all over the city with the oyster card. then there’s trams, overground rail lines and those big red double decker buses and the Barclay’s Cycle Hire system, a pickup/drop-off bike rental service with stations dotted around the city.

However, organisers have managed to upset environmentalists by announcing that a fleet of BMWs to drive VIPs around during the games. the cars will use VIP-only lanes, most will run on clean diesel, and 200 of them will be electric.

In terms of catering, food vendors in the main olympic Park will use compostable packaging made mainly from bio-plas-tics. Coca-Cola even plans to collect and recycle the plastic bottles. some of the venues themselves will be reused. the basketball tournament will be played in a venue that can be dismantled and reused after the games are finished. As for hotels, green-minded travelers will have plenty of sustainable sleeping spots to choose from. the U.K.’s Green tourism scheme independently audits hotels and certifies those deemed to have sufficient sustainable and eco-friendly features. Late bookers will have to stay on the outskirts of the city. thankfully, London claims nearly 70,000 three-, four- and five-star hotel rooms located within six miles of the centre, with a widespread rail-centered public transit network to go with it.

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The London 2012 olympic Torch


despite an unforgiving British media bringing the environmental commitment of the organisers into question, visitors to the uK won’t have any trouble greening their meeting or incentive trip in the city this summer

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industry actors in Norway, sweden, iceland, Finland and denmark signed into life the world’s first wholly sustainable meetings region in March. Erika Eischer talks to MiM Europe about their pioneering agreement.

the world’s first sustainable meetings region

the scandinavians were first with a great many green innovations (Denmark’s tap water EU presidency, anyone?) the latest innovations to blow down from the north of the continent are also impressively environmental. In March this year, Convention bureaus, DMCs, agencies, suppliers and venues from norway, sweden, Iceland, Finland and Denmark signed into life the world’s first wholly sustainable meetings region.

scandinavia is a region that already has a bit of a reputation for being more environmentally conscientious than most. Global sustainability top ten lists often feature cities like

stockholm, Copenhagen, oslo and Helsinki. Finland has perhaps the best recycling program in all of Europe. the sea in stockholm is so clean that it is possible to go swimming there, a claim few cities of that size can make. Is it part of the scandinavian psyche? “Might be!” says Erika Eischer, head of congress department, tampere Hall and chair of ICCA scandinavian Chapter. “We are proud of our society model which includes responsibility for other people and the environment. And we like it clean!” they also have a reputation as a society where building consensus is an everyday part of life and business. People all talk to each other, from companies to politicians

and citizen groups. the new accord is ample evidence of this. “The idea came from Copenhagen and Gothenburg, who’ve done great, pioneering work in their destinations. They presented their cases to other members at our meetings, and inspired all others to follow.” says Erika.

the accord is the culmination of two years of discussion between ICCA scandinavian members, who nailed down a shared vision for the future of meetings and events in the region.


While many still believe that you must choose between creating jobs and saving the environment, Scandinavian countries are convinced you can do both

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they set out a benchmarking system using 18 performance indicators to assess the sustainability of infrastruc-ture and practices within the destina-tions. the initiative is currently in the pilot phase.

“It took a lot of work, especially in the beginning of the project, but if you get all partners and stakeholders involved, everybody does their own part, and together you gain more.” she says. the agreement commits the signato-ries to measure and benchmark the meetings industry’s environmental footprint; to train and inform the main players in the industry and develop new approaches to help clients choose sustainable solutions.

the focus will be on the trends that will accelerate the business of sustainability in the industry, whether it’s waste management, recycling or

the production of renewable energy. something to be proud of? “Yes, I am very proud, and so are all of our Scandinavian ICCA members.” says Erika. “We have worked for years to enhance sustainability on many levels of society. We host thousands of big international events in our region each year, and if we organise them in the most sustainable way, our way of doing things can be a role model for all meetings professionals.”

no one city or region or organisation can claim to be 100% “green”. so how will the signatories know when they’ve achieved their goal? “This is an ongoing process, there is always a lot to improve - of course. But this Accord is the first step, a common will and set of actions to enhance and measure sustainability. We’ve created certain measurement criteria for each destination, and will follow up with

them regularly.” says Erika. such a milestone reflects the prevailing nordic attitude is that green is good for business. While many still believe that you must choose between creating jobs and saving the environment, scandinavian countries are convinced you can do both. Erika is hopeful. “We hope it will be good for business: more and more clients share the same values and appreciate sustainability. Especially our future clients, the young generation, are very concerned about ensuring ecological, economical and social sustainability in all actions.”

We are looking forward to the first results, to be released at IMEX in May 2012.


to Flanders & Brussels

www.conventionbureau.be - [email protected]

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Antwerp, bruges, Ghent and Leuventhe Flemish Art and Meeting Cities

SPECIAL DESTINATION

special destination > Art Cities

the historic art cities of Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent and Leuven are all within one hour from Brussels and reachable by frequent inter-city trains. Leuven houses the oldest and most famous university in Flanders, while trendy Ghent and fashionable Antwerp are two more lively university towns that are not to be outdone. And did you know that Bruges houses the College of Europe and the United nations University?

the four dedicated local congress bureaus antwerp Tourism & convention, Meeting in Brugge, Ghent convention bureau and Meeting leuven will not only highlight the distinct features of each location, they will also be able to fill you in on all out-of-the-ordinary dining venues in historic buildings and each destina-tion’s vast array of incentive ideas. their expertise will give you a real feel for what’s on offer and how each

destination can work to benefit your conference. And rest assured that their commitment to impartiality means you’ll be making sound, informed deci-sions on where to bring your business.

Antwerp will talk to you about diamonds, fashion and MAs, while Bruges will show you why this World Heritage City is the perfect backdrop for your conference. Ghent will draw your attention to trendy venues like the old Fish Mine, while Leuven will show off how the entire city will pull together to host the perfect seminar. the walkability of these cities’ compact centres reduces the cost of transfers and contributes to the CsR element of your event.

then there’s the personal approach of the staff at the convention bureaus: anticipating your every need, they’ll introduce you to their network of local

service providers and go the extra mile to make sure they deliver on their promise. Meeting planners, we are aware, have many destinations to choose from, and yet we are convinced that these destinations, with their excellent price/quality ratio, are top of the class when it comes to creating great meeting experiences.

the toerisme Vlaanderen conven-tion bureau promotes all meetings destinations in Flanders, and that includes Brussels and Belgium’s 64 km coastline, as well as the Flemish coun-tryside that borders France and the netherlands. Really and truly at the heart of Europe with the EU and nAto both headquartered here, we cordially invite you to find out why a conference in Flanders will be an unforgettable experience for your delegates.

to receive a copy of our Meeting Guide 2012 or to find out about individual site inspections and familiarisation trips through Visit Flanders, please contact [email protected]

www.conventionbureau.bewww.visitflanders.com

in this special feature, the congress bureau of toerisme Vlaanderen / Visit Flanders, also known as Flanders-Brussels Convention Bureau, proudly presents four of the most inspiring meeting destinations in the Flanders region of Belgium.

Antwerp bruges

Leuven,Ghent

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not just a geographically good choice for diamond lovers, Antwerp offers all you need when preparing to organise a meeting or incentive trip for your employees. A large number of buildings available for hire, such as the baroque house Happaert (Huis Happaert), where diverse events can be hosted in the three multi-functional halls. there you can enjoy some sunshine in the adjacent garden that gives the place a more rustic touch and forget for one moment that you are still in the heart of the city of Antwerp. And in case one of your guests misses their train back home: there are 6 wonderfully atmospheric rooms to spend the night in.

Ideal both for candle light diners and business meetings, La Riva underlines Antwerp’s historical beauty. Classically situated next to the city’s famous harbor, it is housed in a restored building dating from 1908. this Flemish bar can be partially or exclusively hired for various events. Whatever the type of event you are planning, this venue is available for groups from 20 persons or more.

Hotel De Witte Lelie, a small boutique hotel located in the centre of Antwerp, is another culturally interesting location to meet and sleep. Built in the 17th century, it is one of the most luxurious 4-star hotels in the city. there are three meeting rooms capable of accommodating 6, 10 or 24 guests respectively. If you look for a conference centre that is both historical and contemporary in its architecture, you should visit cultural conference center Elzenveld. An award-winning restoration in 1988 turned this former hospital into a stylish hotel offering both guest rooms and business

facilities of the highest standards.once upon a time the City Council decided to breathe new life into the monumental 1859 warehouse sint-Felix Pakhuis, an architectural project beautifully executed by Robbrecht en Daem & Grontmij Vlaanderen. A renova-tion that left the interior of the building with its distinctive internal structure almost unaltered. the building offers several options, for example the ground floor can be used for functions. Worth noting is that the attic is completely refur-bished: it now houses a new reading hall, meeting rooms and conference halls.

A special venue of the classical type can be found at AMUZ, the Augustinus music centre which used to be a baroque monu-ment - the former church of st Augustine - that has been renovated to ensure you get the funky, contemporary event space you need in a classically historical loca-tion. the church’s conversion is unique in Europe as it preserves this jewel of early baroque architecture. Whatever you want to organize, this modern concert hall offers all the amenities you could ever need!

then there is this 19th century church right on the premises, with its baroque altars and design that recalls the works of masters such as Rubens, Jordaens and Van Dijck. Worth noting is that, on the ground floor of the new building, you’ll find guestrooms, four of which have their own private bathroom and one with a group guestroom. on the second floor, the venue offers another group guestroom.

MAs, which stands for Museum aan de stroom, is the name of Antwerp’s newest museum located in a dockside area.

the heritage-rich city of Antwerp is of special interest to all of those who want to give their meetings and conventions a ‘hip’ image. Antwerp is the undisputed Flemish capital of cool! Known as a city of fashion, Antwerp has also a long tradition as being Belgium’s diamond city.

Aesthetic Antwerp

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Bruges is the most compact and walkable city of the ‘Flemish Art Cities’. starting with the walk from the railway station to any venue in town, along its green city parks and its historical city centre - any meeting automatically becomes a cultural exploration. did you know that the entire inner city was enlisted as uNEsCo world heritage site in 2000?

Bewildering bruges

old and newEntering Bruges through the gates, the first thing that strikes you is unmistakably the architecture. World heritage surely, but not as ‘old’ as most of us might imagine. Behind those majestic walls, you will discover stunning masterpieces of inventiveness. Every hotel, meeting or dining venue tells its own (hi)story.

Meeting hotels oud Huis De Peellaert, Grand Hotel Casselbergh, Hotel De tuilerieën and Martin’s

Relais are good examples of the creative wits of Flemish architects, who managed to incorporate modern meeting standards in 16th-19th century houses. Entering Hotel navarra or nH Brugge, one can just sense hundreds of years of hosting Europe’s finest. Even the modern chain hotel Crowne Plaza at the Burgh square has a long history, since it was built on the foundations of the former st Donation’s church, now incorporated in the dining rooms.

A Dutch team of architects created a building based on stacked-up boxes (a 65-meter high tower) that are rotated 90 degrees on each floor to create an internal spiral; escalators connecting them and floor-to-ceiling walls of undulating glass. MAs is not only a museum, it is the new meeting place! Looking like a stack of red Lego bricks with its own Michelin-starred restaurant and a cafe, it contains more than 470,000 exhibits featuring contemporary artists and relating to the history of Antwerp’s port. treat your colleagues to fantastic views over the city from each of the nine floors and the rooftop terrace. It is the only museum that offers ‘virtual meeting facilities’: simply direct a camera around different floors of the museum using the arrows on your keyboard and enjoy a live tour of the MAs!

contactAntwerp tourism & conventiont. +32 2 338 81 [email protected]/visit

destination > subject

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A modern touch can be found in the ten-year-old Concertgebouw. Apart from the design’s aesthetic and func-tional appeal, this is a modern building perfectly integrated in a historic city centre. the Concert Hall, the Chamber Music Hall, and the various reception rooms with their panoramic view of the city centre can all be rented for events up to 1,250 pax.

Industrial masterpiece and Protected Monument La Brugeoise nowadays serves as a spectacular special events venue. A fabric hall in a high-tech make-over : ‘the place to be’ for big events. It lies just outside the historic city centre, with plenty of space inside as well as outside the venue.

Under the bELFry Towerthis is a city brimming with culture and buildings that take you on an enthral-ling historical passage. the Belfry tower recently got a major facelift. Its halls serve as a wonderful gala and confer-ence venue for about 1,000 delegates. on ground level you will find the oddest mix of old and modern art which has no equal in the whole of Europe. Museum-Gallery XPo salvador Dalí displays a permanent exposition in the medieval hall, tranformed into a Dalínian show-room. Imagine your high profile gala dinner in its ‘boudoirs’, constructed like

the octagonal chamber of Leonardo da Vinci, painted in gold, mother-of-pearl and shocking pink.

Another grand building is being trans-formed into a modern attraction, opening this autumn. Allowing you to travel in time with your five senses to Bruges’ Golden Age 1435, Historium Brugge will be the meeting point, housing a beer café with a fantastic view on the market square, and a high-tech interactive tourist information point. Exclusive tailor-made nocturnal events will be the ultimate surprise to your delegates.

Small city, big treasuresstrolling along narrow cobbled streets you’ll find a host of glorious galleries, such as the Arentshuis, Bruggemuseum-Gruuthuse and the Groeninge Museum to discover the art of Flemish masterpieces. next to permanent exhibit, the latter remarkably houses Hieronymus Bosch’s famous Last Judgement.

In the 15th century mayor’s house ‘Perez de Malvenda’, where in those days the Holy Blood was kept, you find a wide range of Belgian products within the splendid fullness of old and new architec-ture at 2-Be Moodshopping. After visiting the famous ‘Beer Wall’ you can enjoy a beer on the terrace overlooking one of the most enchanting views of Bruges.

Medical meeting matchBruges excels in hosting medical confer-ences. not surprisingly, considering that the renowned Memling Hospital Museum adjoins the conference centre, which used to be a hospital. the site oud sint-Jan is an atmospheric venue combining a museum, a 13th century hospital and a modern conference center - and unmistakably Flemish. If one had to make a sWot of Bruges as a ‘meetcentive’ venue, its strengths and opportunities would be its very weaknesses and threats to meeting planners, because of the danger of dele-gates running off to explore the city in all its splendor! It’s the whole package that does it: architecture, hospitality, locals on bicycles, horse-drawn carriages, the canals, quaint curiosity shops, culture, art and - not to forget - the gastronomic experience.

Bruges boasts 3,505 hotel rooms, 12 special conference venues and countless restaurants. Meeting in Brugge regularly organises site inspection trips. Want to join one? Just send an email to: [email protected].

contactPhilippe [email protected]

Congrescentrum oud Sint-JanConcertgebouw

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the ‘medieval Manhattan’ is the perfect destination for international congresses, high-level conferences and events of any kind. there are several congress centres (for 100 to 1,000 people), with large exhibition facilities. Ghent is famous for being a student haven (in fact, it is the largest student town in Belgium) and has more than 250 top class restaurants offering anything from local specialties to international dishes.

the number of listed monuments is unique in Belgium. A large number of those historical buildings are available for meetings and events. Most of this medieval architecture is amazingly well-preserved which makes Ghent not simply another corporate destina-tion but a magical place to meet in! the Ghent Altarpiece, or Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, will soon receive its second face-lift. the historical

centre, along the Graslei, where the Guild Houses serve as a reminder of the renaissance era, is worth strolling around. And don’t forget to stop at Gravensteen, the castle of the counts built in the Middle Ages! A host of conveniently located restau-rants offer unrivalled culinary variety: lovers of food are advised to try local specialties like mussels, Gentse Waterzooi or ‘stoverij’ (tender meat cooked in dark beer with a brown gravy) along with the obligatory Belgian fries. Food at affordable prices can be found in restaurants around Korenmarkt and Vrijdagmarkt: grab a bite at the ‘Meat Hall’, a place offering an unusual ambi-ente and decoration that equals a living menu. Beer lovers should schedule a meeting at De Dulle Griet, a traditional beer bar or visit the city brewery Gruut.A truly extraordinary venue is the De Bijloke Muziekcentrum (Music Centre)

situated within walking distance from the historic centre. Pay special atten-tion to the architecture here: today a cultural ‘hotspot’, De Bijloke used to be a hospital in the 13th century but was recently transformed into a contempo-rary concert hall. A superb example of medieval craftsmanship reviving the spirit of the past, this venue will please the most nostalgic lovers of history. It has been fully renovated, and the city succeeded in preserving much of the building’s historic infrastructure. the unique venue includes two renovated former civil hospitals, both converted into fabulously atmospheric perfor-mance spaces. the Concert Hall and Kraakhuis (with capacities of 1000 and 240 respectively) have recently been joined together - under one roof space that brings them indoors - by an elegant contemporary foyer. the good news is space can be hired out for events of any kind.

A fashionable place to be is the old Fish Market which used to be a fish, meat and vegetable market located in the most historical heart of the city. Meet and eat in neo-classicistic style: this 19th-century cultural historical monu-ment has been fully renovated and now houses a pub, a wine bar and a restau-rant offering magnificent views of the rivers, de Leie and de Lieve.

like many of the historic cities of the Northern European lowlands, ghent looks back on an impressive past and used to be one of the most powerful towns of northern Europe. Nowadays, it is the impressive scenery of the city with its castle and idyllic city core, the port and the university that keep attracting tourists. the ease and quickness with which to traverse the city in a short amount of time makes ghent a popular destination - everything is reachable on foot!

Magnificent Ghent

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say Leuven, home of stella Artois, and the first thing you think of is a frothy glass of beer. Hardly surprising, given that beer culture is a cultural characteristic of this city… A century ago there were more than 30 breweries and some 788 licensed premises. AB InBev and the Domus home brewery keep this brewing tradition alive today, and cosy cafes still abound. Especially on the oude Markt, the longest bar in Europe. Leuven is doing its name as world beer capital even greater justice this year, because the Zythos Beer festival, the biggest beer tasting festival in the Benelux,

came to town and will be organised in the city every last weekend of April until 2017.

You can get to Leuven in next to no time. the town is a stone’s throw from Brussels at the intersection of two international motorways. the train takes you to and from the national airport in a quarter of an hour. there is plenty of accommodation, from large and medium hotels to charming guest houses and budget-friendly youth hostels. In the evenings you can allow yourself to be carried away by the hubbub of the town centre. Why not try a sumptuous menu

in one of the top restaurants or enjoy the simple Burgundian cuisine?History, architecture and art all make one in Leuven. symbolising this potent historical links is the Begijnhof (Grand Beguinage), a UnEsCo World Heritage site. st. Peters Church and City Hall on the Grote Markt also showcase some of the city’s most important contributions to the world of art. And hidden behind the beautiful façade of the world-famous Flemish guild houses, you will discover well-equipped meeting rooms in hotels, museums, convention centres… and much more!

with its impressive history as one of the Flemish Art Cities, leuven does not disappoint its visitors. situated in the heart of Flemish Brabant known for its green parks and gardens, it’s the ideal place to host your next meeting, incentive, conference or event. Expect state-of-art conference centres, medieval castles and funky museums - whatever you choose, leuven will find the right formula for you!

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the Flemish call it ‘De oude Vismijn’- a great choice of places to meet for meat lovers and vegetarians alike as Ghent has been named the ‘veggie capital of Europe’. ‘oude Vismijn’ features an event hall and a new brasserie called Bord’eau which offer the possibility of hosting events as well.

Another great place to hold both social and business events is the sandton Grand Hotel Reylof. A spectacular refurbish-ment has transformed this monumental

18th-century building into a four-star Hotel de luxe, offering 158 rooms and 9 meeting rooms, each with a distinct atmosphere and a capacity of up to 65 guests per room, where you can meet in style inside refined salons, quaint patios, a classic garden and banquet facilities. Interestingly, the hotel was awarded the BREAAM (Building Research Establishment) certification meaning that sandton Reylof is Ghent’s most sustainable hotel.

15 centuries of Flemish history come alive here. And that’s what makes Ghent so attractive to so many different people: A vibrant historic city that is at the same time contemporary.

contactAnnick Debels Ghent convention [email protected]

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Leuven University Library


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one venue that Leuven rightly takes pride is the M museum. Way more than a museum, it is a cultural centre with an international atmosphere, a place which unites old and new art. M also offers world-class event facilities. A large a number of spaces can be rented for meetings of any kind. M’s largest space is the so-called ‘Antechamber’, seating for up to 400 guests. And in case your event needs a more intimate setting, there is the ‘Lounge’ that can host up to 40 guests.

In addition, Leuven has several conference hotels where you can combine style with pragmatism. Enthusiasts of 16th century architecture will prefer to host an interna-tional meeting in a venue where cultural legacy and traditionally modern charm have pride of place: why not try Martin’s Klooster hotel then? Harmoniously integrated within the histor-ical complex, it evokes an inspiring mixture between the old and the new and hosts

your seminars in three plenary rooms.But the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant may be best known for its cultural heritage involving the city’s object of pride: KU Leuven, the oldest university, situated in the centre, with its spin-offs renowned as centres of innovation and cutting-edge technology, At least 40,000 students take over the town every year, with no fewer than 196 nationalities studying, living or working there. the university of Leuven has produced the geniuses of Erasmus and Vesalius, and more recently the geneticist Jean-Jacques Cassiman, and professor Catherine Verfaillie, an international name and head of the stem Cell Institute. Along with the people of Leuven, these are true brain boxes.

the university is an important economic asset. not just because thousands of people work in the educational and research institutions, like Imec, but

because the clever researchers lend shape to their theories and inventions through what are often hi-tech, spin-off companies. there are already more than eighty, good for a turnover of €400 million and 3,500 jobs. A few well-known examples are Materialise and thrombogenics.

Last but not least is the brand-new de Hoorn, a former brewery that is being turned into a flexible venue. there it seems anything is possible. Creative agen-cies are headquartered there, but spaces are also available for creative events. It will give any meeting a twist, combining retro-chic, urban and industrial influences (de Hoorn will open in october 2012).

For all your meetings, incentives, congresses and events in Flemish Brabant:

christine VerhoevenMeeting [email protected]

destination > st Petersburg

in 2007, st. Petersburg tourism department set itself 3 goals: 5 million visitors within the next 5 years, and entering the list of the top 5 tourism Cities. they have achieved all of it. Not difficult one would say: it has romantic flair, charming people, it is worldwide known for its historical and architectural gems - with the outstanding hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world, among plenty of other attractions.

some would say st. Petersburg is one of the world’s most beautiful cities - in indeed boasts all the ingredients for an unforgettable travel experience: high art, lavish architecture, wild nightlife, an extraordinary history and rich cultural traditions that have inspired and nurtured some of the modern world’s greatest literature, music, and visual art. From the mysterious twilight of the White nights to world-beating opera and ballet productions on magical winter evenings, st. Petersburg charms and entices in every season.

saint Petersburg is often described as the most Western city of Russia. Among cities of the world with over one million people, saint Petersburg is the northernmost.

the historic city centre of the city constitutes a UnEsCo World Heritage site. A large number of foreign consulates, international corporations, banks and other businesses are located in saint Petersburg.

special venues for evening functions are in abundance. the Konstantin Palace in strelna (1 hour drive from the city) used to be the former residence of the grand Romanov Dukes and has been turned into a beautiful palace surrounded by a vast park. the taleon Imperial Hotel, with its Imperial Grand Hall, will give any event a definite high quality touch. Another, more modern idea: Erarta Contemporary art Museum, on one of the many islands the city boasts.

More info www.visit-petersburg.ru

St. petersburg, city of the big five

www.messecongress.at www.vienna.convention.at

meet. understand. network.experience. contribute.excite. convene. present.motivate. interact. participate.exhibit. create. inspire. connect.exchange. select. succeed.meet in Vienna.

destination > de ruwenberg

Experience meetings and more at the geographical heart of the Benelux in the famous region of Brabant close to the innova-tive city of Eindhoven and the culinary hotspot of den Bosch!

De Ruwenberg is the ideal location for a variety of educational and training programs, capable of accommodating both large and small groups. As Member of IACC and GMIC, we offer high-standard facilities and excel-lent services to combine knowledge sharing, sport activities and culture under one roof. Find special deals for the summer or other holiday periods!

We are located in a centuries-old park with a beautiful and original medieval castle at its centre.

the castle is surrounded by 4 wings with 40 excellent conference and meeting rooms, all with large windows with view on the park. All conference and meeting accommodation is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies.

the 197 hotel rooms offer modern comfort and free Internet access. Additionally, there are squash and tennis courts, a fully equipped fitness area, a jogging track, a golf driving range, an international restaurant, a large swimming pool and wellness.

Different formulas for different needs:+ summercourses: from 2 days till

several weeks+ Bootcamps: teach your colleagues

the right technique+ Brainstorm or innovation sessions:

you are looking for a new direction,

a new service or you’re about to launch a new product and need an inspiring environment

+ High-level sports, recreational and training possibilities for professional sport teams

+ Exclusivity: 1 wing from 50 people and the entire Ruwenberg from 150 people

de ruwenberg. it will take you by surprise…

For further information: Gemmeke de JonghSales Manager International [email protected] tel +31(0)73-5588888www.ruwenberg.com

the Art of Meeting at de ruwenberg

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First an impression. the French northern Region region might be one of the most easily accessible destinations, in the heart of Europe. Going from Brussels to Lille for instance only takes half an hour by train, especially with the wonderful high-speed train provided by snCB Europe - this is definitely an asset for all people based in Benelux. From there

it’s easy to get around: Roubaix, with its old industrial or Art Deco buildings that have been turned into meetings places, is a mere 20 minutes away; Arras, nested in beautiful barocco settings, only 30 minutes; and if you’re more of a seaside kind of person, Le touquet or Dunkirk (‘the church in the dunes’ I was told) are definitely options worth considering.

Treasures and reputationLike you would expect, parts of Lille are all about art and history. the town dates back a thousand years and boasts a rich architectural, cultural and artistic heritage. As you stroll through the streets, you will see numerous treasures from different periods. there is also much culture in Lille, including several museums worth a visit: Lille Palace of Fine Arts, the second largest museum in France, the Hospice Comtesse Museum, which contains the town museum, or the LaM (Lille Métropole Museum), located just a few miles outside Lille, which is the only museum to combine modern, contemporary and quite fascinating ‘outsider’ art. the latter one has several areas that can be used for meetings.

Lesser known, Dunkirk boasts in dynamism what it lacks in reputation.

let’s be honest. Few of you would think about the French Northern region when organizing your next meeting. And yet, it’s a region worth (re)discovering. i was there for a short while in March, at the invitation of Nord France Convention Bureau, which offers one-stop-shop services to corporate clients like you, and was amazed to find a destination that has been able to transform itself in the last few years. there urban renewal has pride of place, and culture, art, history and water make one. report rémi dévé

northern France Being reborn

destination > Northern France

Dunkirk’s Grand Large district

of course its location on the seaside gives it a holiday vibe, and makes it perfect for nautical activities, but it’s also a destination that is proud of its past and its commitment to culture. the third-largest harbour in France, after Marseille and Le Havre, Dunkirk is a very welcoming town where you feel immediately at ease. It’s clearly divided into two districts - the old town with its famous free-standing belfry, part of the UnEsCo heritage list, and the shore, where the only seaside congress centre lies, the Dunkirk Kursaal. Arras and Le touquet are also quite emblematic of the northern French region: the former screams history wherever you go, while the latter is a quiet, natural resort, perfect for teambuilding activities.

All of them house ‘classical’ meeting places, mainly congress centres standing proud on the European meetings map. Located in the Euralille district, comprising of the Zénith (for about 5,000 people) and large dedi-cated congress and exhibition areas, Lille Grand Palais Convention Centre, with its funny ‘eggy’ shape, takes pride in 45,000 m2 of modular space, and the biggest of its auditoria seats 1486 participants. Dunkirk Kursaal has about 15,000 m2 of flexible space - and I loved the Jean Bart amphitheatre, for up to 350 people, with its 1960’s retro look!


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aCCommodation optionSIn lille: 7,000 rooms in all sorts of hotels, from budget-friendly venues to five-star accommodations

In Dunkirk: about 1,800 hotel rooms for all kinds of budget

In arras: 700 rooms in 2 to 4-star hotels

In le Touquet: more than 1,200 rooms, a fifth of which are in a 4-star hotel

French North region, the hard facts+ 4th largest economic region in France+ 100 million consumers within a radius

of 300km+ Over 100,000 internationally known

businesses such as arc International, auchan, Doublet, roquette, Decathlon, leroy Merlin, Bonduelle, Kiabi, Dalkia, lesaffre, OVH…

+ 5 european capitals in less than 3 hours by TGV

+ leading French region for the attraction of foreign direct investment (over 1,100 companies with foreign capital including Toyota, Tate&lyle, Häagen Dazs, and many more)

+ leading european region in the railway industry (I-trans international cluster)

+ leading exporting region for the food processing industry in France

+ leading French region in the commerce and distribution industry (la reDOUTe, 3suisses, DaMarT…)

+ 2nd French region in the field of logistics

+ 2nd French region in the automobile sector

+ 2nd French region for technical textiles + 2nd ranked digital centre in France

aNKaMa video games

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Unusual meetings venuesof course, the French northern Region is rich in historical buildings, just like you would expect. the good thing is that many of them can be used for meetings or receptions, or have been turned into venues solely for this purpose, as they are tangible witnesses of urban renewal.

In and around Lille, I was taken to three of them, all equally fascinating. Constructed between 1927 and 1932, la Piscine is a museum of art and industry, located in Roubaix. Its name derives from the fact that it is housed in a former indoor swim-ming pool, with a notable, quite enthraling Art Deco interior. the museum’s collection combined elements of literature, fine-arts, science and industrial products. outside opening hours, La Piscine can easily be transformed into a very special venue: they just cover what remains of the actual pool and there you go, you can organise a memorable gala evening (maximum capacity: 500 people standing, not to forget a cosy auditorium of 99 seats).

In Roubaix, there is the condition Publique, a former silk conditioning place which opened its door in 2004 as a ‘cultural factory’: not only a place of cultural work and production but also a place where people can celebrate. With a beautiful stain-glass roof, its ‘verrière’ accommodates up to 600 persons, but there are also other options worth considering like the show hall, the former storage hall or the covered street (maximum capacity: 2, 000 people!). In Lille, the Gare saint sauveur is a former goods station, whose buildings have been converted into recreational areas and exhibition on the occasion of the events of Lille 3000 in 2009. In total, 6000 m2 can be used for pretty much any kind of event. Dunkirk also boasts a few gems. the Musée Portuaire displays exhibits of images about the history and pres-ence of the port, in a typical 19th century industrial building, a former tobacco warehouse.


La Piscine roubaix

Gare Saint-Sauveur, Lille

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If you can organise cocktail receptions in there, the museum also manages the majestic Duchesse anne, a German naval training vessel which you can rent for small gatherings of up to 100 persons. the laac, the contemporary art museum, seems to be challenging the sky with its architecture. nested in a formidable sculp-ture garden, it’s a great place for crea-tivity… and events for up to 200 people.

other options include Nausicaä centre National de la Mer, a public aquarium

located in Boulogne-sur-Mer, one of the largest in Europe, which accommodates 600 people cocktail style, and the castles on the way to Arras; Mont-saint-Eloi abbey or the menhirs of Acq, among others.

A few incentive ideasthe good thing about the French northern Region is that, being a destina-tion combining urban experiences and seaside experiments, this can easily be transferred to incentive activities.


Grand Stade, Lille

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Mairie du Touquet K-WAy Fashion Show in Lille


Louvre - Lens

there you can definitely organise meetings and teambuilding programmes that will make anybody bond. I was told of a few very original, popular ones. In Lille, two colorful comedians full of entertaining banter dressed up as tourist office guides take you on an offbeat tour of the city, looking at the sights anew, cracking jokes and unusual stories alike. Lille is also a laboratory for young designers and adores fashion. the Lille Fashion Week is an excellent opportunity to get your staff to focus on designing a collec-tion using K-Way material. As a team,

led by an artistic director and stylists, you will design and produce original models. And at the end of the day, your creations will be worn by models during the fashion show! But, of course, more traditional’ incentives are also an option: think discovery of a typical French market in Arras or super relaxing spa treatments in Le touquet…

naturally, the French seaside is home to various nautical activities that can be used as team building activities. In Dunkirk, where you will find the biggest trans-border beach in Europe, anything seems possible, from kitesurfing to surfing to sand yachting. You can also go rafting in Arras, or try out ‘longe-côte’ (a kind of deep sea walking, as I was told), surfcasting or golfing in Le touquet. In short, you will be almost embarrassed with the choice you have.

A bright futurethe French northern Region won’t rest on its laurels. In fact, it’s looking at an even brighter future, when it will add a few other venues to its already rich portfolio. With the opening of louvre-lens, a planned branch museum of the Musée du Louvre, due to open in 2012 in the mining city of Lens, the destination will get a major boost: the venue will have 28,000 m2 of usable space, with semi-permanent exhibi-tion space covering at least 4,000 m2. the entrance area has been already designed to accommodate high-end cocktails or VIP parties.

Lille will soon take pride in the brand-new Grand stade lille Métropole,

a multi-use arena. It will have one particularity, which can be seen only here: the ‘Boîte à spectacles’, a space that is created by rising half of the field above the other half to allow music shows or other sports plays. the ‘Boîte à spectacles’ will have a variable capacity, from 6,900 to 30,000 seats, perfect for large conventions. Last but not least, let me mention the FRAC in Dunkirk, where you can discover internationally renowned collections of contemporary art. Later this year, the Frac will move to a former workshop shipyard, located in the port. there you will have plenty of space to meet as well!

contact for corporate clients & agencies emilie Accary Sales executive [email protected]+33 3 59 56 22 63www.nord-france-convention.com

the French northern region won’t rest on its laurels. in fact, it’s looking at an even brighter future

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hôtel Casino Barrière lille the business venue par excellence

Close to both tgV railway stations and simple to reach from the A1 motorway, hôtel Casino Barrière lille might be the flagship establishment of the Euralille area. when it comes to meetings, and even residential meetings, it has nothing to blush about. simply put: you have everything you need under one roof, from top restaurants to funky bars to an enticing casino.

Designed by famous architect Jean-Paul Viguier, Hôtel Casino Barrière Lille first strikes you with its good looks. With a glass façade, a triangular shape and chic interior design, it immediately makes you feel at ease when you enter the premises. the hotel is ideally located, easily accessible, whether by car, train or public transport, and a few minutes away from the city centre and Lille Grand Palais.

the 125 rooms and 17 suites - of which 11 have panoramic views! - were designed by interior decorator Pierre-Yves Rochon, and offer what’s best for your comfort. Just think modern, elegant settings and you’ll be enthralled! nicolas Couton, Hôtels Barrière Business solutions sales Manager, even confided in me: “our upgrade programme is quite exten-sive. We have a great number of deluxe rooms and it makes it easy for people to get upgraded.’’ need I say more?

In terms of meetings, the hotel boasts many areas to choose from. on the second floor, the Escal’Business centre covers 900 m2, including a large plenary hall for up to 130 people, 6 meeting rooms and a 200 m2 lobby for breaks and cocktail parties. Each room has natural daylight coming in – a rare fact worth noting – beamer and WIFI connection included. I’m particularly fond of the boardroom, which is entirely automated thanks to domotic technology, with an integrated

video conference system! And you should know by now about the Barrière Extra : there is an Events Manager, on the premises, available for requests around the clock.

Last but not least, let me say a few words about the gourmet and entertainment possibilities at Hôtel Casino Barrière Lille. the Hauts de Lille restaurant offers audacious cuisine and you can further the experience by going to the Casino, which boasts over 310 slot machines and 20 gaming tables. For the culturally minded among you, the theatre usually gets pretty good performances, from plays to comedy shows to concerts. Its 1,200 seats can also be hired out for meetings. What more can you ask for?

contactNicolas coutonSales ManagerHôtel casino Barrière Lille+33 (0) 3 28 14 45 [email protected]

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destination > riga

Riga is compact enough to visit on foot and is large enough to offer a variety of venues and accommodations. not only a wide range of hotels - from clas-sical masterpieces to boutique design hotels - but also many different types of conference facilities, with services

at competitive prices that are far lower than other cities in the region.

this sheer variety is an essential aspect of Riga, and draws thou-sands of travelers from around the globe every month. Visitors value

the quick and easy connections to Riga, with direct flights from almost a hundred international cities and daily ferry services from stockholm. they appreciate the stunning range of architectural styles and the rich, multicultural heritage bestowed by the city’s 800-year history which has helped turn the modern-day city into a vibrant cosmopolitan capital.

Let your guests benefit from this diversity! organise your board meeting, conference, kick-off event, and gala dinner in settings from various historical periods.

Finding the right Place…

in Riga!

why choose the latvian capital to host your next meeting? Quite simply: because riga is the perfect fit! this city just has the right size for either small board meetings, with only a handful of colleagues, or large conferences with over a thousand participants anyone can easily be accommodated…

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Riga offers a wide range: from medieval castles in the countryside, to opulent Baroque ballrooms in old Riga, to soviet-themed events in historic Communist-era spaces.

Conference facilities in Riga are fully equipped with the latest high-tech equipment, broadband internet access and first-class catering services. And if you choose, you can even take your conference outside to one of the city’s verdant parks and gardens, with Wi-Fi connections through outdoor access points. Whatever kind of event you choose, Riga’s experienced conference experts will help you plan it down to the last detail, be it a gourmet dinner in a country manor or a gala concert featuring a star musician.

sustainable conferences are Riga’s specialty: walk to and from almost all

the venues in the city and minimise your carbon footprint, or stay in an eco-friendly Green-Key hotel protecting the planet’s resources. Cater your events with fresh, organic products from the city’s farmer’s markets, and enjoy the full bounty of Latvian nature.

Why not go local and hold your meeting or conference in a rural setting? Latvian countryside locations are available all year long: the country is filled with glittering blue lakes and swiftly flowing rivers, with more than 500 kilometers of pristine coastline. treat your colleagues to a seaside picnic to taste local culinary delicacies, or a day of fishing or boating in the gulf. Follow this up with a short ride back to Riga and a sumptuous dinner at one of the city’s fine gourmet restaurants - a contrast that perfectly exemplifies the diversity of milieus and the variety of offerings defining this fascinating, ever-changing city.

contact Meet RigaRatslaukums 1, Riga, LV-1050, Latviawww.MeetRiga.com

destination > riga

riga is compact enough to visit on foot and is large enough to offer a variety of venues and accommodations

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Enjoying the reputation of being the most centrally located city at the crossroads of Europe, geneva is easily accessible by plane or train. what many tourists don’t know: From the airport, it only takes a 6-minute train ride to start your adventure in the city centre! given this outstanding location, it is easy to see why geneva has been hailed as switzerland’s most famous city for business meetings and conventions. Enter ‘genevaness’...text Sarah romy edWardS

It is not only its geography that makes Geneva one of the most visited places in Europe. A host of excellent convention centres and hotels such as Palexpo and CICG contribute to the unique brand Geneva has. the largest convention and exhibition capacity under one roof in switzerland promises an unforgettable meeting experience that captivates its visitors with swiss savoir faire.

The magic of crystal clear waterGeneva benefits from one of switzerland’s most spectacular landscapes. Who does not recall the breathtaking views from the Mont Blanc, Lac Leman or the iconic Water Fountain? With the high quality of life typical for swiss cities and its world-renowned pollution-free waters, Geneva is the ideal location for water sports. Geneva’s lakefront lends itself to practically every form of water sports. A unique combination between Western Europe’s largest lake, Europe’s highest mountain and the surrounding country-side, all contained within a small area that can be visited in less than a day.

A quintessentially European lifestyleMost Europeans secretly know it, overseas tourists have discovered it but only the Genevans themselves

can be proud of it: As is typical for a great number of swiss cities, all of which rank highest in global surveys comparing quality indicators, Geneva boasts an unparalleled quality of life. Fresh air, clean public places, verdant parks, relaxing terraces and wellness spas are only some of the amenities that collectively create “Genevaness”: A genuine feeling of well-being. Many places of interest to the corporate traveller are within easy reach: Carouge, for example. this charming 18th century suburb, particularly famous for its nightlife and situated two kilometres from the centre of Geneva, is the perfect destination for a short trip.

In case you arrive in Geneva with some time to go before the big meeting, you might want to explore the city’s exquisite collection of shops. Genevaness stands for luxury. Known as the birthplace of luxury watch-making for many centuries, Geneva is home to Patek Philippe Museum, Piaget time Gallery, salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (sIHH) and Rolex. Geneva is the only place in the world where you can find out how the watches you buy here are manufactured. With an impressive array of exclusive

boutiques carrying the finest makes, this is the place to be for lovers of expensive jewellery. A genuine cradle of luxury, Geneva is probably best-known for its high-end auctions (sotheby’s, Christie’s, Antiquorum), luxury shopping (Caran d’Ache, Davidoff & Co) and more than 30 master chocolatiers.

The City of Peace & FreedomA long-standing tradition of humanitarianism and mediation has promoted the city’s image as world capital of diplomatic-humanitarian dialogue. this image is due to the many international organisations hosted by Geneva, such as the European Headquarters of the United nations. Genevaness stands for swiss neutrality: Geneva is the only place in the world where so many global issues are being negotiated.It was in Geneva that the Red Cross Movement was formed 149 years ago, and today the city still constitutes an important meeting point for the business and the political elite: the World Economic Forum is a swiss non-profit foundation which organises annual meetings gathering academia, nGos, the media, religious, political and business leaders in Geneva’s alpine environment.

“Genevaness” discover the multiple faces of geneva

destination > geneva

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destination > geneva

World-class services have shaped the expectations of business travellers and Geneva caters to them with a stunning mix of luxury hotels offering 53 high-end gastronomic restaurants, conciergerie & limousine services, private jets & helicopters, private schools and spas. Let yourself be seduced by local delicacies as the high concentration of gastronomic restaurants makes Geneva the swiss Capital of Gastronomy. A large variety of cuisines and award-winning wines from the vineyards promise haute cuisine at its best!

Europe’s cultural mosaicIn contrast to the usual traditional charms of a swiss city, Geneva is a remarkably multicultural place with 43% of the overall population not being swiss. Genevaness stands for freedom of faith: Visit a religiously tolerant city that is both open-minded and a safe haven for diverse groups of people: Religious tolerance prevails in this neutral swiss city. Inhabitants of 186 nationalities from 5 continents enjoy a truly diverse cultural offering: arts, leisure and entertainment.

take a trip to the past and discover the history of Calvin in the International Museum of the

Reformation. “the Protestant Rome” is a row dedicated toseveral unique monuments presenting the Reformation history. A rainy day may provide the perfect scenery for a visit to one of four unique museums: International Museum of the Reformation, International Red Cross & Red Crescent Museum, Patek Philippe Museum or the Martin Bodmer Foundation. And science enthusiasts won’t miss the European organization

for nuclear Research (CERn), whose scientists invented the World Wide Web. 2012 Rousseau for all: Come celebrate the tercentenary of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s birth with a diverse programme of events all year long!www.rousseau2012.ch

contact:Geneva convention BureauRue du Mont-Blanc 18 cH-1211 Geneva 1 www.genevaconventionbureau.ch

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www.ot-montpellier.fr

MontpellierTHE place to go for business

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Montpellier in the south of FranceTHE bUSInESS DESTInATIon oF THE FUTUrE! Named by the New york times as one of the top 45 places to go in 2012, Montpellier is more than ever a prime destination to organise professional events!

Each year, Montpellier hosts over 500 professional events representing some 1.5 million attendees, exhibitors, and visitors attracted by the destination and the numerous exceptional venues dedicated to business tourism along the road to the beaches. Modern, dynamic, refined and centrally located in southern Europe, Montpellier is more than ever the ideal destination to create exceptional events.

Why choose Montpellier for business?Montpellier is the very definition of the Mediterranean city. With its rich historical heritage and idyllic location just a few kilometers from the sea, Montpellier is a key International city for business tourism, in particular thanks to world-class facilities such as the Corum conference center, one of the rare major venues set in a downtown area, the Arena-Park & suite, the new multi-purpose arena able to hold up to 15,000 people (2nd largest downtown facility in France), the Zenith sud and Parc des Expositions, each service of Enjoy Montpellier structure.

Considered as one of the top 5 French cities in organizing congresses and

international exhibitions, Montpellier offers meeting facilities and accommo-dation up to 5.000 people, from high top quality hotels (several new 4-star hotels open in 2011 and 2012), to residences /bed & breakfast. With its International airport, railway station in the city centre (3h15 from Paris), its direct access to the main European motorways, and its 4 urban tramway lines (the 2 new ones designed by Christian Lacroix!), nothing is easier than coming to Montpellier!

Montpellier: More than a business stay!1,000 years of history, Cultural gateway spot with its world-class festivals and exhibitions, culinary voyage, oldest faculty of medicine, Fabre

Museum and its rich art collections, shopping along medieval streets and odysseum, pedestrian city built by the most famous architects in the world, castles around the city, luxury and well-being equipments, ecotourism in the outskirts… Montpellier joins Mediterranean lifestyle with all the resources of a major city: the good combination of business and pleasure!

Montpellier Tourist office THE “expert” on businessorganisation and logistics for seminars/conferences, VIP city tours, information about event management agencies specialised in exceptional events and incentives, advice about the city, restaurants, charming hiring halls to organise private events and so on… the Montpellier tourist office is at your disposal to help you with its expertise and professional staff.

contact:Marie Dominique Bellamy-clauzel+33 (0)4 67 60 19 [email protected]

destination > Montpellier

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general > Air France

Air France now offers a new private cabin on long haul flights: Premium Voyageur. By traveling in the Premium Voyageur cabin, you enjoy additional space and superior comfort, at a price suited to your professional and personal travel needs. At the airport and on board, we provide everything you need to make your trip a stress-free, relaxing experience.

More room, more comfort, more privacyPremium Voyageur is located between the Business and Economy cabins and offers more room, and more comfort. Containing a limited number of seats distributed over 3 rows, the Premium Voyageur cabin provides more privacy. the cabin design evokes a sense of well-being and personal space. Deep-blue and gray tones create a calm and serene environment, perfect for work and rest.

A new fixed-shell seatAir France has created a new fixed-shell seat for your in-flight comfort.

Integrating the latest innovations, it offers you 40% more space than the Voyageur cabin (Economy class). A complete travel kit with personal care items, a pure virgin wool blanket and a feather pillow ensure your well being on board. In airports around the world, you have access to priority check-in counters and board at your convenience. once comfortably seated, an aperitif with a large choice of soft and alcohol drinks, including champagne will be served to you. In the Premium Voyageur cabin, you receive high-quality service throughout your flight. Regional cuisine is offered on flights between France and selected

Asian destinations, including Japan, with a choice of two hot dishes. Depending on arrival time and flight duration, breakfast or additional snacks are served before landing. A large variety of wines and champagnes are available to accompany your meals. on flights of over 10:30 hours, a self-service buffet or mini-sandwiches as well as Häagen-Dazs mini ice cream is offered. All menus served are prepared by Michel nugues, member of the toques du Ciel airline cuisine group. An electric outlet and a large tablet to accommodate a laptop and a note pad makes working on board easy. If you just want to relax, 85 on demand video films and a wide range of music programs are available during the entire flight. After you have enjoyed the comfort of the Premium Voyageur cabin, you will be among the first passengers to exit the aircraft. to help you save even more time, your checked baggage will receive priority delivery. Doesn’t that sound like a premium voyage?

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Date : 09/12/08

alidation DA/DC

alidation Client

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