Spain for Mice 2018-2019

SPAIN FOR MICE 2018-2019

Puppy de Jeff Koons para el museo Guggenheim (Bilbao)

SUPPLEMENT

SPAIN FOR MICE 2018-2019

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COMMUNITY OF MADRID 10

CATALONIA-BARCELONA 30

ANDALUSIA 50

BASQUE COUNTRY 57

VALENCIAN COMMUNITY 63

BALEARIC ISLANDS 72

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COVER FEATURE - Puppy de Jeff Koons para el museo Guggenheim (Bilbao) - Editor: eventoplus medios s.l., Barcelona Diputació 256 5º 1ª, 08007 Barcelona España t +34 93 272 09 27 f +34 93 272 09 12 Madrid Glorieta de Quevedo 5º esc. izda 1ª, 28015 Madrid España t +34 91 022 86 86 web www.eventosmag.com News and content: noticias@eventoplus.com Director: Eric Mottard Editor in Chief: Cristina Muñoz Soro Editorial Coordinator: Asun Paniagua Editorial Commitee: Gala Alberdi, Elena Lea, Elena Monsalve Art Direction and Design: Maria Leone Communication & Events Director: Lynn Wong Events Department: Eva Torres Advertising: Alex Barbero, Silvio Camafreita, Sandra Gómez, Pilar Lafuente, Carmen Mallavibarrena, Agata Puigmal, Carmen Sánchez, Gonzalo Ulecia, Felix Vives International: José García Aguarod, Marina Bonet Digital Strategy: Carlos Barahona Post-sales: Lorena Rodriguez Sales and PR Madrid: Carmen Mallavibarrena, Gonzalo Ulecia Subscription: suscripciones@eventosmag.com Administration: Noemí Ordóñez, Nabila Katira Legal registration: B-37.971-2005 ISSN 1885-4699 - Printed in Spain.

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Spanish DMCs make your event work (and impact) Spain, as a key destination with a long tradition for events, has many talented DMCs, and an association to bring them together, promote their activity and stimulate the whole industry to always improve its value added. This association is SpainDMCs, which organizes various activities, such as its by-yearly awards during ibtm world, which aim to promote professional behaviours, and its yearly assembly which is also an educational moment, and lastly took place in Girona in February. We were there and took this opportunity to share with some DMCs their view of an essential subject, often misunderstood: the value of the Destination Management Company. Sure, we all know they can book a great restaurant and coordinate transfers. But DMCs do much more, bring ideas, contribute to your event concept and the full experience of your delegates. Here are a few of their benefits.

Solve problems, facilitate local operations DMCs know the place, have setup many events before, know the authorities and processes.

And this help may be priceless when you need something for your event. Sandra Grana (España Incoming & Incentives) explains it: “The DMC is familiar with the idiosyncrasies of fate and suppliers and the problems that may arise. I can give you examples of events that have been surprised by demonstrations, strikes and other events and in which the ability and flexibility of the DMC has successfully solved problems.”

An example? Jaime Sánchez (eventisimo) remembers the world launch of the new Porsche in 2015 in Barcelona. To enable the construction of an ephemeral 3200m2 venue next to Hotel Arts, they negotiated for months with the authorities to convince them of the economic impact of the event. Finally, all the permits were obtained, something that would have been very hard without a DMC. Olga Navarro (ITB) adds another one: “In a car presentation in Saragossa, we got the local police cut a street every day at the same time for a month so that the vehicles could make a change of direction usually prohibited and thus save 10 minutes avoiding a route that did not add anything to the experience”.

Your local partner’s commitment and flexibility is a key to the success in case of unforeseen events, as shows this anecdote of MTZ: “during a strike in the hotel, our staff themselves started to make beds since the pickets did not allow access to the hotel staff”, remembers Fay Taylor.

Anything for the client!

experience that he wanted all his group (600 of them!) to enjoy the same one. After meetings with 16 restaurants and the help of the city council and police, we obtained that 600 Germans thought they had spontaneously sat in a restaurant and been invited to dinner.”

Bring creativity or adapt it locally Provided you give them a decent briefing (a big “if” and something to be improved in DMC management, if you ask us), your DMC will not just coordinate activities, but come up with creative ideas which add value. Jaime Sánchez (eventisimo) remembers the convention of tobacco company Altadis, including a team building in which they had to collect 4,000kg of oranges and create the glass the world’s largest orange juice. Guinness World Record included”. Olga Navarro (ITB) adds: “most clients know their own reality but we have seen so many things that we can really bring value, like this client which we convinced to materalise the idea of a projection of their future message using a spaceship, or that other one to whom we told we could find a real village and organize the village’s celebration just for them, on a Tuesday. We love those challenges!”

Give them a proper briefing and your DMCs will come up with great local ideas

Ensure a great, smooth experience Probably more than any logistical skill, the key ability of your DMC is the ability to find what will make your event unique and make it happen.

Olga Navarro (ITB) gives an example: “during an inspection we took a German client to have a paella in Altea, and walking back to the car through the old center, we bought an ice cream. He liked so much the

Financial optimization Especially with a VAT system which is more favourable to planning events in Spain, giving the possibility to get the VAT back (quite a savings), your DMC helps in optimizing your events’ overall cost thanks to financial help. Mercedes Illana (Dynamic & Partners) reminds that help in this fiscal management, as well as easy centralisation and control of costs, tickets, inc¡voices, are key values added of a good DMC. The team It all comes from a great team. Sandra Grana (España Incoming & Incentives) explains that “the DMC professional is a multilingual project manager, with capacity of effort and with great organizational abilities and emotional intelligence”. DMC and event agency eventisimo even launched their own event planning school, ISEMCO. Overall, Spain’s internationally-minded MICE professionals in the right DMCs, will be your local brain and arm.

Overall…

Mercedes Illana (Dynamic & Partners) sums up the value of the dmc: “advice and creativity adapted to the destination, profile and budget”.

They are all waiting for you!

Luis Diaz (the association’s CEO) concludes with an inspiring quote: “the advantage of having the services of a DMC, as one of our former members now retired used to say, is that when something can’t be different, the DMC does it better”.

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COMMUNITY OF MADRID

It has long been a sleeping giant, but the third largest city in the European Union has clearly woken up in the last few years and is on a roll when it comes to meetings, incentives, exhibitions and conferences. Now consistently in the top 10 of the ICCA ranking, Madrid had a bumper year in 2017, hosting large international congresses, such as Eular, ESMO and ATM. Fun, dynamic and with some of the best nightlife in the world, Madrid is one of the most open cities in Europe and is bursting with creativity. The opening of new hotels for meetings will strengthen the appeal of the city, with brands such as the Hyatt and Four Seasons. And if your guests are shopping-addicts, they will be glad to be in the second best city in Europe for shopping, with 46,267 stores. Gastronomy is another star of Madrid, which has 17 Michelin-star restaurants and 16 gastronomic spaces and markets. Discover Madrid, and give it a bit of time: “the more you come to Madrid, the more you like it: you get to know new areas, corners, bars, and you experience its ambiance,� says Ken Carlisle, organizer of the World ATM Congress.

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CHOOSE DIFFERENT MADRID | BARCELONA parafina.es

BUILD EVENTS, CREATE EMOTIONS spain for mice 2018-2019

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MADRID

The World ATM congress holds a record edition The congress, which seems to have settled in Madrid, had a record 2017 edition with 8,500 attendees. The event combines an exhibition with conferences and social events designed to maximize opportunities for networking. Amongst this years’ innovations were: a control in real time of the attendees thanks to laser identifiers at the entrances; and double stages, which allow a new speaker to get ready while the previous one is still talking (lights focus people’s attention on the active one). There was also a Guinness world record! Following the congress’ theme of “Women in Aviation”, they organized the largest simultaneous launch of paper planes ever made.

The attendees also experienced the authenticity of the destination through local experiences. The challenge was to break the barrier of formalism and to humanize a very technological congress, through Spanish gastronomy and other typical activities.

Madrid Marriott Auditorium shows off its new look with a cinema night To coincide the presentation of its new look with the celebration of its first anniversary as part of the Marriott chain, the Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Centre, the biggest Marriott in Europe, invited 700 guests from the MICE sector to an evening of lights, clapperboards and glamour in a true Hollywood style.

“Extra, extra!” shouted a newspaper boy at the hotel entrance whilst handing out copies with a very special cover: the news of the party and the hotel refurbishment. At the entrance, guests picked up a number for a raffle and walked the red carpet while a camera recorded the arrivals. Inside, guests could dress up to look like Humphrey Bogart or Ingrid Bergman and get their photo taken at a “Casablanca” themed photo call. The photo with the best kiss received a prize at the end of the evening. The catering also stuck to the theme of the silver screen: the “Moulin Rouge” area with a Parisian flavour where guests savoured French cheeses; “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” served oysters; “Memoirs of a Geisha” had Japanese cuisine, and a “Pirates of the Caribbean” area served cocktails. Entertainment included two shows, “Saturday Night Fever” and “Bollywood”, as well as dance areas.

Siemens Gamesa chose the Hilton Madrid Airport to celebrate its Management Summit 2018, a meeting for 160 managers organized by Beon Worldwide, which organized an ice breaker based on the construction of a turbine with pieces of Lego.

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THE VENUE YOU WERE EXPECTING CONVENTION AND CONGRESS CENTRE WANDA METROPOLITANO ATLÉTICO DE MADRID

A state-of-the-art stadium with more than 10,000m2 ready to host the best events. 22 meeting rooms and halls from 50m2 to 11,000m2, 79 VIP boxes, a 450-seat auditorium. Perfectly communicated (parking and metro right at the door)… plus the lighting possibilities of the spectacular cover of the first 100%-LED stadium in the world will impress you and your guests.

The perfect venue for your events

Contact person: Mayte Sierra, director of conferences and events +34 91 600 35 00 / +34 717 153 520 events@atleticodemadrid.com spain for mice 2018-2019

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MADRID

Wine, football and lots of history with Events by tlc Showcasing the culture and essence of Madrid was the objective of an incentive that Events by tlc organised for 300 representatives of a North American logistics wholesaler. Previous editions of the event had been held in the Bahamas, Bangkok, Hawaii and aboard cruise ships like the Queen Mary 2, so the “wow” factor was fundamental!

The incentive was organised in such a way that attendees could enjoy not just the city, but also the surrounding area and even other Spanish cities, making the most of the AVE high-speed train which connects them with Madrid, and designed to give each participant some knowledge of the history of Spain. For this, the group went to Toledo, El Escorial, Segovia, Barcelona and Valencia.

One of the most popular activities was the wine sampling routes in the region of Aranjuez. Another was a private visit to the Real Madrid football stadium, with a glass of champagne on the field and dinner in the royal box. After dinner, the Free Style show took place, followed by drinks and dancing in the stadium.

EULAR 2017 fills IFEMA It is one of the macro-congresses in healthcare, with 14,300 professionals attending. The congress held in IFEMA hosted more than 70 booths for pharmaceutical companies, medical devices, associations and non-profit organizations, a logistical challenge for MCI Group that took charge of the organization. A very special closing dinner took place in the historic Castillo de Viñuelas, where participants enjoyed local flavors surrounded by a protected natural area that allows the observation of wild animals and birds. The dinner brought together professionals from around the world to create networking and included artistic performances and a live band.

Essilor’s new lens flies over Las Ventas bullring

The new SEAT Ateca is launched amidst gastronomy, magic and mapping During its launch, the new SEAT Ateca shared the spotlight with first class gastronomy and stunning audiovisuals. Organised by Parafina Comunicación, the launch of the Ateca was preceded by a show in which a magician appeared and disappeared on the stage and on the walls of Cibeles Palace. With the help of a video mapping and a 60m2 LED screen on the stage, images of the magician were blended with images of the venue’s architecture, giving the impression that he was moving from one side to the other. The final trick culminated with the vehicle appearing on the stage and going round a walkway at audience level. A counter was also set up on the stage to where the chef Ramón Freixá prepared culinary dishes that combined the Mediterranean origins of the brand with the urban heart of the vehicle. While the audience was able to follow the cooking demonstration live, Life Gourmet Catering served them food. The night continued with a cocktail dinner and DJs.

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The agency Beon organised the launch of the new Varilux X Series Lens from Essilor at the Las Ventas bullring with 1,200 attendees. The launch played on the theme of the sharpness and transparency of the lens, so the bullring was covered with a transparent canopy. The content was integrated into the presentation using video mapping and augmented reality and the surprise moment came when a drone flew over the bullring with a camera that gave a blurred view of the proceedings.

On stage, the master of ceremonies then fitted the drone with the Varilux X Series lens, and when it took off again, the blurred images became clear. This incredible event ended with a concert followed by a DJ.

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Turning a basketball court into a theatre with a ballroom Brava Producciones turned the Wiziwink Centre’s basketball court into a magnificent theatre with a ballroom for 6,000 delegates for a Mary Kay Cosmetics seminar.The tricky bit was converting these sport facilities into a glamorous, practical and safe venue for two days of talks, conferences, acknowledgements and an awards ceremony. The basketball court was split into two parts and fitted with a 300m2 multi-image stage and a 1,300m2 ballroom. The transformation made it hard to imagine that right on that same floor is where the Spanish national team plays its matches.

Lumentium is a table mapping show, which combines haute cuisine and audiovisuals, with the signature of Ramón Freixa Life Gourmet Catering. It offers a premium gastronomic and sensory show in which the guests travel through some of the most iconic places on the planet thanks to the animations and 3D simulations projected on the table itself. This was the option chosen by Sony Playstation for a dinner at Palacio Neptuno, with the show featuring countries and corporate 3D graphics of the Japanese company. The chef (with two Michelin stars) sent a video greeting live from the kitchen where the gastronomic journey began.

A very Spanish flavour

A pharmaceutical product launch straight out of the big screen After having relaunched their Toviaz treatment, the pharma company Pierre Fabre wanted to make it the star of their catalogue. And where do stars shine, if not in the sky? In the cinema! So Unit Elements prepared a communication campaign and an event that turned the product into a film star. For the communication campaign, the image of the medication was incorporated into the design of famous cinema billboards. The event, attended by 110 people, took place at the Círculo Palace, whose hall was redecorated from scratch with classic cinema items, dominated by huge film reels that served as the stage.

During the gala dinner, the guests enjoyed a ceremony hosted by a popular comedian, and film clips and trailers were shown. An Oscar awards presentation took place in which Toviaz, needless to say, triumphed.

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Feel like being a “Madrileño” for a few days? This was what ITB proposed to 150 international guests. The whole program was based on local traditions, starting with a bottle of olive oil as a welcome gift, and the first dinner held at the Posada de la Villa. Guests enjoyed a demonstration of traditional flamenco dancing with Spanish dressage horses at La Finca Los Jarales. They had an “aperitivo” with ham slicers at the bullring and tasted sherry and cheese in a wine cellar. Then they learnt how to prepare (and then enjoyed) an authentic paella, and in the afternoon they visited one of the city’s most coveted venues, the Real Madrid stadium. Dinner was held at the Real Café, a restaurant with views to the pitch. This is one of the agency’s favourite places, but they also recommend the Westin Palace where they have organised sherry-tasting sessions for up to 400 people, and Cibeles Terrace, which can be booked for dinner.

The next day, the guests enjoyed a panoramic tour of the city using GoCars and buses, and then a barbecue on the terrace of the Hotel Ayre Colón.

Following a visit to El Prado, a gala dinner was organised at the Masía de José Luis (a beautiful country house) with a giant screen to enjoy one of Spain’s other passions, football. The event finished with a modern flamenco performance accompanied by a cocktail.

Guests also played “petanca” (petanque) in a park close to Requena. This was followed by brunch on the terrace of the Café de Oriente, a true historical reference among Madrid cafés.

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Activities •

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Alternative Madrid. Las Ideas de Wendy brings us a different • way to discover Madrid. See the other side of the historical centre of Madrid and learn about its cultural background, history and modern life. The tour will take you through Malasaña, Chueca and • Chamberi districts and expose the depth of local cultural traditions beyond royal dynasties and the classical landmarks.

Almodovar experience. Another experience from La Ideas de • Wendy: the movie director’s success is a result of his circumstances. He started making films during the transitory period between the death of Franco and the development of the progressive/transgressive cultural movement, known as “La Movida”. His movies have their own built-in language and mythology. The group can follow an itinerary and discover places where he has shot his movies.

Wine schools. Rebelión de los Mandiles is a wine school in the very heart of Madrid. It offers guided tours and wine tasting courses. Its premises are also available for events and private tastings, in addition to a wine cellar with space for 70 people seated and 100 standing.

Tapas Hunter. An activity that puts participants’ orientation skills to the test. Their quest is to find the recommended taverns and enjoy a culinary trip eating some of Madrid’s typical tapas.

Cafés de Madrid. A tour around the establishments that are the most popular among reputable writers, painters and intellects while sampling a variety of coffees.

Touring Madrid in a Seat 600. In Out Travel & Events offers groups the chance to travel through Madrid in a charming Seat 600. A driver takes participants around while they sit back and take in the charm of the shops, gastronomy and sites. The tour can be extended with a walk through some of Madrid’s most famous neighbourhoods such as ‘Las Letras’. Choose your favourite place in the city and learn all about its history!

Highlighted venues The city’s hotel offering is booming, together with the development of tourism and meetings in the city. Madrid has recently added three new five-star establishments.

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Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. It has been available for events for a long time (Grupo Eventoplus held a memorable awards ceremony in 2011 on its pitch), but the novelty now is Eventos VIP which is tailored to high-end meeting and incentive clients, which includes areas in the stadium as well as special VIP areas.

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Hyatt Centric Gran Vía Madrid is located in an art-deco building, inside which we find unique meeting spaces called Ateliers, which offer 197m2 of paneled rooms decorated with an inverted garden inspired by Retiro Park. It also features a brand new rooftop bar.

Gran Hotel Inglés, in the old Las Letras neighborhood, has two meeting rooms that can be used separately or together to obtain an area of more than 90m2. In addition, the hall has more than 50m2 to organize a reception prior to the event.

Hotel VP Plaza de España, with an exclusive design, has 214 rooms and 1,400m2 for meetings and events. The largest room offers 650m2 of pillar-less space and can be split into smaller rooms. The big space also offers the possibility of presenting vehicles.

MEEU. On the upper floor of the Chamartín Station, 33,000m2 of multidisciplinary spaces and a 9.5 meter high dome for events.

Areas such as the Demos, diaphanous pavilions, industrial and customizable; the Filme area, with six auditoriums designed for events, both training and commercial; MEEU roller, a skating rink, very popular in the 80s, which has been renewed maintaining its essence and retro aesthetics. 900m2 of parquet floor with the Rolling Dance & Burger. And above the restaurant, terrace and club, Zielou. In addition, it has opened Yoofit, the new sports and wellness area of ​​the complex.

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Windobona. Indoor flying is popular these days, and the wind tunnels are open for meetings where guests can experience the sensation of free-falling. With 2,000m2 of facilities split between restaurant areas, meeting rooms, parking, gardens and open areas, Windobona also has three rooms and an open area for 50 people.

WELCOME TO SPACE IFEMA CONGRESSES AND EVENTS MADRID

12 HALLS | 85 ROOMS | 2 AUDITORIUMS | 2 CATWALKS

At IFEMA´s Congresses and Events Madrid you can rent spaces for international events, conventions, congresses and meetings.

Myriad spaces with infinite possibilities.

www.convencionesycongresos.ifema.es spain for mice 2018-2019

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Eurobuilding hotel, the tech temple for meetings On a technological level, one of the most ground-breaking hotels in Madrid is the NH Collection Eurobuilding, with 7,800m2 and 35 meeting rooms. Amongst its most appealing proposals is telepresence, which combines video conferences with interactive collaboration and 3D holographic technology. This is also available at some of the NH’s other hotels. The hotel has the largest LED curved screen TV installed in its vault of 300m2.

The hotel also offers the ‘Smart Room System’ for video conferencing where interaction with the content and the system that is located in the room can be made through personal devices.

The Palacio Neptuno has three main rooms: an auditorium, an open terrace and a VIP hall. It has a capacity for up to 600 people.

Autocine Madrid Race, a 25,000m2 open air venue, is opening in Chamartín where you can enjoy a vintage cinema experience with period cars, an American diner and food trucks. The venue has space for 300 vehicles parked in front of the screen.

The monumental cultural centre of Madrid, Conde Duque combines its cultural events program with private ones. Its auditorium (250 people), theatre (260 people), south patio (2,200m2, 1,500 people) and the function rooms are available for meetings.

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Platea Madrid, the old Carlos III cinema, has reopened with a gourmet area of 5,800m2 split between two floors and two amphitheatres that give a touch of theatre and show to food-related events. It has a capacity for 1,183 people and is inspired by the aesthetics from the 1940s and 1950s. It is equipped with its own kitchen for show cooking and cooking courses, in addition to a private dining room for twelve diners where a Platea chef can prepare meals for small groups. Events can be organised on the stage of the former cinema where gastronomy can be combined with aerial dance, performing arts, cabaret, theatre, live music or broadcasts on the giant screen.

EXPERIENCE SAYS: IT’S BETTER TO KEEP EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL

MULTIFUNCTIONAL SPACES FOR CONVENTIONS, EVENTS AND FAIRS AVAILABLE FROM 30 TO 5.000 PEOPLE LATEST IMAGE AND SOUND TECHNOLOGY WIDE CATERING SPACES ADAPTABLE TO ANY KIND OF EVENT

Why clients entrust us their events?

All Inclusive Services.

Events assistant

Huge screens up to 820 inches

Great comfort for your guests

Internet connection, cable lines or WIFI

Free parking and VIP parking

Hotels within 5 minutes distance

Public transport

Less than 25 min to the airport

Best International Companies already trusted in Kinepolis for their events

KINÉPOLIS EVENTS

STAR EVENTS

spain for mice 2018-2019 23 More info: empresas@kinepolis.com. Tel.: +(0034) 91 512 70 63. www.kinepolisempresas.com

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Full-throttle team building Spain’s passion for motor-sports is huge... So why not enjoy Madrid’s motor-sport facilities? Auriga offers adrenaline-drenched team building experiences such as the BMW Experience: two and a half hours of test-driving on a specialist circuit, including theoretical training, testing in the paddock and on the track, and an open bar among fleets of BMW Series 1, BMW Series 3 and BMW M vehicles.

The Carlos Sainz Center has two go-karting circuits in Madrid and Las Rozas, which offer team building experiences. The indoor circuit has 3,000m2 of track full of bends, and your group can be dressed in striking racing suits and made to feel like real racing drivers. The scoreboard next to the finish line displays the results of the races in real time. The track is complemented by large halls totalling up to 500m2. Paintball and mini-golf facilities are also available.

Sala Equis, from pornographic movie theatre to event venue in Madrid The last pornograhic cinema in the capital gave way to an event venue of more than 700m2, conceived as a cultural meeting point and gastronomic space.

Located in a palace right in the historic centre, the heart of Sala Equis is a cinema with 55 seats, complemented by a square covered with a large skylight and plant decoration, which can be combined with a large screen and different seating areas divided between wooden benches, lounge chairs and swings

Wanda Metropolitano.

Atlético de Madrid football club’s new stadium has 22 multi-purpose areas for meetings (from 250m2 to 3,500m2), an auditorium for 400 people and 11,000m2 of VIP zones and premium suites including 78 VIP private areas with a view to the pitch, amongst other spaces in a stadium definitely conceived for events as well as for sports. It can host cocktail evenings for up to 1,500 people. Grupo Eventoplus held its 2018 MICE conference here, with 540 attendees, two areas for educational sessions, and an exhibition area.

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La Nube de Pastrana, is in the Duques de Pastrana Complex, which has various buildings including a palace, an auditorium, a multipurpose pavilion and gardens. A new open space of 1,000m2 with a capacity for 1,200 people features ephemeral decoration installed with mobile systems and 600m2 of fabric that convert the roof of the pavilion into a personalized sky.

Soto de ViĂąuelas, a place full of possibilities.

Three fantastic spaces in a unique environment, 15 minutes from the centre of Madrid.

The perfect venue for your corporate events.

Your greatest venue choice in Madrid to host any type of business meeting or convention offering a delicious gastronomic variety.

Aldovea always delivers an excellent service with innovation and creative ideas, giving our customers endless possibilities to have a unique experience.

Every single detail will be customised for you with a remarkable and exclusive service.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US

+34 91 310 20 00 +34 670 858 533 info@aldoveacatering.com www.aldoveacatering.com spain for mice 2018-2019

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YOUR

GO-TO COMPANY I N

S PA I N

GAME ON. 4,500 visitors

Canso ATM Dinner. 500 guests

Rooted CON. 1,500 attendees

World ATM Congress. 8,500 visitors

We are an award-winning team that organizes congresses, conventions, conferences, events and offers all kind of live communication services We have more than 15 years of experience in the industry, and every year we’re in charge of congresses hosting between 300 and 15.000 people.

DON’T TAKE CHANCES. GO FOR CONFERENCE STUDIO A subsidiary of 28

MADRID

Barceló Torre de Madrid is one of the most emblematic skyscrapers of the city. The Madrid Tower in Plaza de España opens its doors after having been converted into a five-star hotel with 256 bedrooms, two suites and eight meeting rooms, the majority of which have natural light and capacity for 30-70 people.

Palacio Municipal de Congresos. This conference centre is a versatile venue, in a building made mostly of glass which gives it amazing light. It has hosted major events such as the International Nursing Congress attended by 10,000 delegates.

Madrid Río, more than one million square metres of event-ready recreational space Madrid might not have a beach, but it has a river.

The Manzanares River has become the backbone of a new zone in the city known as Madrid Río, a park with more than one million square metres of space ready for a wide range of activities. But the area is not just for outdoor events: the Matadero Madrid Contemporary Art Centre (formerly a slaughterhouse) offers plenty of indoor options.

Madrid Río came about as part of a new, more welcoming and sustainable vision of the city based on an urbanism project which put roads underground and brought together historical gardens and urban parks featuring 30,000 new trees, 42km of walking trails, 33 sports fields and a mountaineering school.

MeliáCastilla is another huge meetings hotel and an historic institution in Madrid, with no less than 903 bedrooms and 77,000m2 of meeting space.

LaSede. The building of the Madrid Architects Association is the result of a spectacular remodelling. It offers 12,000m2 distributed over several areas, most of which can be hired for meetings. Its auditorium offers capacity for 120 people.

The Bodevil theatre. Located in the business centre of Azca, this early 20th century theatre offers an auditorium of 350m2, an amphitheatre and a bar area that can be independently used or connected to form a complete area.

Teatro Goya. Located on the estate where the famous painter lived, it offers a versatile space next to the Manzanares River. It can host small meetings for 100 people in its VIP space, as well as larger ones in the Goya Room for more than 500 people in auditorium format. It can also hold meetings for more than 1,500 people.

El Soto de Mónico. This country house offers two halls for 500 sitting or 750 standing.

Its gardens can host more than 1,000 people.

Hotel InterContinental, on the Paseo de la Castellana, offers 15 meeting rooms. Its recent renovation includes the sophisticated and neutral décor with shades of grey to create versatile and spacious rooms full of light.

Novotel Madrid Centre. The largest Novotel in the world has been recently refurbished.

It is one of the largest venues for meetings and events in Madrid: 790 rooms and 2,400m2 for holding meetings and events split into 23 halls.

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CATALONIA BARCELONA

Beyond cosmopolitan and sophisticated Barcelona, Catalonia has a lot to offer. Home of pioneers, it is a dynamic destination on an industrial and commercial level, and a cradle of great artists like Gaudí and Dalí and renowned chefs like Ferrán Adrià and Joan Roca. The region is full of charms: 500km of interesting coastline; a cultural heritage that includes Catalan modernism and Romanesque periods recognised by UNESCO; the Pyrenees, natural valleys and lakes; the areas of Garrotxa and Val d’Aran which offer sports and adventure activities. It has four major cities: Tarragona, Girona, Lleida and Barcelona.

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Barcelona With its cosmopolitan and Mediterranean spirit, Barcelona has been an international star since the 1992 Olympics which breathed a new air to the city. It hosts the Mobile World Congress, the king of all events, ibtm world, the trade show of our meetings industry, as well as large medical and technological events, sports and cultural events such as Formula 1, Sonar and Primavera Sound festivals. The city occupies the third place in the ICCA ranking and first place in the number of people attending.

Welcome to a meetings powerhouse!

Some of the unique venues that you can find include medieval buildings such as the Casa Llotja de Mar or the Royal Shipyards; modern architecture like the Mies van der Rohe’s Pavilion and Catalan Modernist masterpieces such as the Palau de la Música or Casa Batlló. Other unforgettable options include the MNAC or MACBA as well as the famous Liceu theatre. The city keeps adding new venues for events like the Montjuïc Castle which overlooks the city and the sea, the Hospital de Sant Pau which is one of the most important modernist complexes in the world, as well as creative venues like Betahaus or Valkiria Hub Space.

MADRID | BARCELONA | MARBELLA | MALLORCA www.visionarea.es events@visionarea.es

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BMW Convention

Accor takes meeting planners to the other side of the mirror Accor Hotels offered a themed party for ibtm world’s Hosted Buyers at its Pullman Barcelona, organised by the agency LaLeySeca. Inspired by the world of Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton and the famous phrase “We are all mad here!”

Guests arrived with an invitation in the form of an ace of heart card and upon entering; they had to take the elixir to decrease in size in order to pass through a lock to the world of the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen. They could also put on accessories such as hats for ladies and great ties for men.

Once inside the room, everything went crazy... A long tea table was prepared with tons of sweets, the queen’s room was the dance floor, a large chessboard with giant chess pieces was placed on one side of the room; playing cards flew across the ceiling; the DJ table was constructed in the form of a large cup of tea... A live music band, Diamond Sound System got everybody dancing the night away.

Apart from a public relations action with the hosted buyers, the event also fulfilled another of its missions by showing that in a (Accor!) hotel, you can organise a highly creative event.

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BMW presented the new Series-5 in Barcelona to representatives from various countries. Parallel events for specific regions were organised by the agency Auriga, such as the convention for 500 attendees from Asia, Pacific and South Africa with two objectives: to consolidate teams and to communicate the technological dimension of the brand.

The agency chose the Maritime Museum for its architectural uniqueness and its connection with the sea, a concept dear to BMW. The gothic building, divided into different high-vaulted ceilings, housed the gala dinner and the convention.

To consolidate teams, the motto “Shaping the future together” was implemented via graphic images such as one that grouped the silhouettes of the iconic buildings of each of these countries; invitations, posters in buses and within the venue. As for staging, a central stage was built to give a 360ª experience around the speaker. Led screens put other in a cube form were suspended above the stage to project the presentations and videos.

To project the technological dimension of the brand, videomapping projections were also used around the venue.

For the gala dinner, guests enjoyed a choreography of music and lights, 360ª mapping on the walls of the room and the façade of the building.

The agency also organised other regional events, dynamic driving tests and team building activities with iPads around the city.

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Roomscape: Live the experience of solving the mystery hidden in the Barça Museum. One of the five UEFA Champions League trophies has disappeared and in small groups, you’ll need to follow the clues and unravel the riddles to get the information you need to find out where it is. This activity is available for groups from 10 to 140 people.

Discover more at www.fcbevents.es • events@fcbarcelona.cat More than an experience.

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Barcelonize hosted an event for 70 guests from Sinclair on the terrace of the hotel Ohla, where gastronomy was combined with an aquatic show. Mermaids appeared in the swimming pool with a performance as well as giving out gifts for the guests in a treasure chest.

Leading the big wave A consultancy put the agency We Barcelona in charge of their convention with the objectives to strengthen leadership, team-building and transmit their corporate values.

The agency created a two-day programme in Sitges under the concept ‘Leading the Big Wave’ which combined internal meetings, team-building sessions and activities outside the hotel.

They also organised a Beach Camp where the group was divided into small teams and had to carry out different activities such as PadelSurf, Kayak or Pedalo, in which they had to show their skills and improve their team relations. They finished the afternoon with a fun and participative Mojito workshop before a beach dinner where the prizes where handed out to the winning teams.

The new SEAT Ibiza, an icon way up high in Barcelona SEAT entrusted Parafina ComunicaciĂłn y Eventisimo with the launch of the new Ibiza in the dome of the Arenas Barcelona Shopping Centre. The event attracted 250 journalists and was broadcast via Facebook Live.

To enable the cars to access the area, which is circular and on the top floor of the building, an enormous crane was parked in the street to lift the vehicles onto the 5th floor terrace.

The venue separated the checkpoint and welcome zones from the reveal area, and the lounge space also had an area set aside for one-on-one interviews with company experts and executives. A 144m2 screen was installed with five platforms underneath to display the vehicles.

The event was attended by press delegations from 23 countries complete with a photo shoot. During the morning, the journalists were able to get to know the Ibiza up-close. The media presentation was followed by a presentation to 280 representatives from the commercial network who were given the chance to discover the fifth generation of this iconic car in advance of its international launch.

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A wine event by Bacus Eventos Parallel events are always organised around the World Mobile Congress. Bacus Eventos created for Siris Capital Group, an American client who is an admirer of Spanish wines, a wine event with the aim to build relationships between the guests.

Held at the Sant Pau Modernist Site, 280 guests gathered to network and close business deals. The challenge for the agenda was to come up with something that would surprise the guests but at the same time, something simple without entertainment or shows that might distract them.

The decoration revolved around wine (of course!): table centrepieces with different types of grapes, tables made with wine barrels, plants to look like vines, bar centres made from corks, magnum wine bottles filled with LED lights, old wine cases as catering displays, etc.

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A Revlon day by the sea Abile Events organised an event for more than 250 Revlon employees at the Barcelona Swimming Club, which included a meeting, activities, dinner and a party. The most enjoyable part was the ‘1st Revlon Cup Regatta’ in which teams had to make their own boats out of cardboard boxes. The challenge? Not only did the teams had to be creative, but they also had to get their boats to float to the other side of the swimming pool of the venue. The teams were able to get changed in the club changing rooms and enjoyed an aperitif served by the sea. And before dinner was served, there was another surprise: the CNB’s synchronised swimming team gave a performance with LEDs worn on their bodies.

Renaissance offers its Global Day of Discovery Guests at the Renaissance Barcelona Fira got to experience the Global Day of Discovery, held at the El Cel terrace. This worldwide event, with the simultaneous participation of more than 170 Renaissance Hotels, aims to get clients, beyond a business trip, to discover something during their stay.

One of the attractions of the more than 110-metre high terrace, is its 21-metre black swimming pool, so why not make water the star of the event? Guests enjoyed a waterbowl dance show of acrobatic dancers in the water which combined artistic elements with the beauty and sensuality of the human body. The magical views of the city skyline complemented the event’s slogan “The magic fusion of aquatic art”. Catalan magician, Magic Cambras, was present and hypnotised one of the guests and suspended her in the air.

The evening also featured live pop rock from The Bob Standards group.

MACBA. Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona Venues surrounded by art in the heart of Barcelona

The Museum’s facilities include the Meier Building - diaphanous wide spaces of radical modernity and the Gothic complex of the Convent dels Àngels, a suggestive environment that is part of our historical heritage.

Plaça dels Àngels 1, Barcelona (+34) 934 817 928 / 934 813 351 espais@macba.cat macba.cat

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Your Corporate & Live partner

BARCELONA

Lighting 36

Sound

Video

Rigging

adverb def. smoothly and satisfactorily

* That

precise instant on the event day when we all realize the project you have been working on for the last months is a blast. spain for mice 2018-2019

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400 American attendees experience authentic Barcelona

A tournament with Messi for the presentation of the new football boots from Adidas The Arnold agency organised the presentation of the new Red Limit 16s in an “underground” setting. 300 football fans turned out to see Messi in action with the new boots and 50 youngsters were also selected by Adidas to take part in the Never Follow Tournament.

A tunnel was created which led to a caged game area with a LED screen pitch on the floor and synchronised with a big vertical projection display. The winner of the tournament received a trophy given out by the great Leo himself. He also took on the challenge of shooting at a virtual goal criss-crossed by dozens of red lasers. He not only scored a goal without touching the lasers but broke the screen that was acting as the back of the net!

Activities •

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Shop at the world’s most famous food market—La Boqueria— and cook a suquet de peix (traditional fish soup) under the guidance of a star-awarded chef.

And then, dig in!

• Learn about the tradition of “Correfoc” and the customs and fiestas at a nearby town where at night, the tradition of devils and bonfires awaits you.

On arrival you will discover an authentic celebration full of traditional spectacles. • That’s when the drums and the “gralla” sound, announcing the coming of the devils. Join in the party, dance among the red and black capes, jump beneath the sparks, or observe the spectacles well away from the fire.

‘Harvest morning’. Bodegas Torres offers this activity in Vilafranca del Penedés, • awarded the prize for best wine tourism experience by the magazine Drinks International. It is a workshop to get first-hand experience about the traditional grape harvest, as well as enjoy a wine tasting and a bite to eat in the vineyard itself.

One of the recent incentive programs delivered by SHE Spanish Heritage DMC in Barcelona was custom-designed for a US-based IT company. The goal was to delight the 400 demanding guests by unusual and authentic activities, smooth organisation and a unique event concept (result of numerous brainstorming sessions).

The final purpose of the whole event was to make the guests completely fall in love with Barcelona and its multifarious spirit via some key concepts: Barcelona is modern & avant-garde, tradition, maritime and passion.

Modern & avant-garde: welcome event at W Barcelona Hotel. On their first evening, the guests were invited to get to know the destination through a cocktail dinner with many things going on at the same time: live graffiti painting, Spanish dance battle, live music and DJ all through the afternoon and transiting into the evening with the stunning sunset over the Mediterranean Sea from the hotel´s terrace.

Tradition: Apart from optional thematic tours and excursions, a unique iPad game inspired by the Amazing Race concept was designed for the three-hour competition for the teams. The goal was to complete the pop-up challenges from the iPad while exploring the streets of the neighbourhood. All the challenges were designed for the participants to get familiarised with some of the Barcelona’s highlights.

Maritime Night. Picture the old shipyards of Barcelona: dim lights, faint sound of the waves and suddenly... the voice of Neptune, the God of the seas welcomed and invited the guests to dine at his table. During the dinner, the guests could enjoy the sweet and seductive voice of a mermaid, the dance of the water waves, the gentle sound of the harp and fine Mediterranean gastronomy, all honoring Barcelona’s historical link to the sea.

Passion at the National Palace. The National Art Museum of Catalonia was the right spot to say “good bye”, with the Magic Fountain bursting into colours just for the group and opera singers filled the atmosphere with their voices when they sing “Barcelona” by Montserrat Caballe and Freddie Mercury. While inside, everyone got carried away by ´Bizet’s famous opera Carmen told by Spanish guitars and air dancers.

Highlighted venues Seat 600 experience: Did you know that the SEAT 600 was Spain’s most used car during the 50s and 60s and that it was made in Barcelona? Get ready for a vintage experience with this tour around the alleyways of the Gothic and Born districts.

Wine, gastronomy, tradition and human towers. This guided minivan tour includes a visit to a winery, entry to and active participation in a real “colla castellera”, or human tower-building , and an excursion on foot through the historical centre of Mataró or Vilafranca del Penedès.

Live the traditions of Penedès (a wine region near Barcelona): Amfivia offers activities which include trencadís (Gaudístyle ceramic mosaics), sardana dances or a castell (Catalan human towers, an impressive activity especially for team building).

Palau de Congressos de Catalunya and the Hotel Rey Juan Carlos I: with 25,000m2 of meeting space, a 2,000- people auditorium and beautiful gardens for events.

Fira de Barcelona, the trade show grounds are divided into two areas: one next to Plaça Espanya and the other closer to the airport. Together, they boast of 365,000m2 of exhibition space and a convention centre. Lots of accommodation options with nearby modern hotels.

InGracia offers three rooms with a restored industrial setting, but also equipped with a lot of technology: virtual reality, interactive photocalls, digital mats, ultra short throw projectors (so the speaker can stand in front of the screen without throwing a shadow), an interactive display for writing on the presentation with a virtual pencil and sending notes to participants, etc.

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A “street party” on the village’s main square in Barcelona Every town in Spain has its main square where one can witness its social activity, enjoy the open-air markets and celebrations. Building on that tradition, the agency BarcelonaEkspertene conceived an event for 1,400 guests of a Norwegian communication company in a venue which has its own main square: the Poble Espanyol.

The group had its work sessions at the Hotel Hesperia Tower and decided to take advantage of the Mediterranean climate with a “street party”at the main square complete with music, entertainment and food.

Different chill-out areas were setup in the event, including a mural where graffiti artists embodied their art; four food trucks serving different food (vegan, oriental, Peruvian and gourmet); a delivery food service and themed buffet bars by catering Cal Blay; DJs and an entertainment area with football included.

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Beer company Moritz opens new spaces on the first floor of its Moritz Factory. These recently restored rooms were the dining room of the Moritz family. With a capacity of 70 people for cocktails and 50 for banquets, the gastronomy will be an extra bonus in the hands of one Michelin-starred chef Jordi Vilà from the Alkimia restaurant.

L’Hivernacle de El Poble Espanyol is a seasonal area opened between the months of November and March. It is 1,350m2 hall styled as greenhouse with capacity for 2,500 people for cocktails, 1,100 people for banquet and 1,350 people for theatre. It has a transparent structure and a height of over five metres, which gives those inside the sensation of being in the open air, surrounded by vegetation.

Capella del MACBA, the complex at the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) with its 18,000m2 of space, has opened its chapel, which was normally available for exhibitions, to events. With 380m2, it can cater for up to 350 people in cocktail, 250 people in theatre and 180 people for banquets.

Barcelona 360º: land, sea and air The agency We Barcelona organised an activity for a chemical company of 150 guests to discover Barcelona from three different perspectives after a day of meetings: land, sea and air.

Divided into 10 groups, the land experience included a walking tour through the historical part of town; the air with a helicopter ride and the sea with sailing the Barcelona Coast on board a Turkish Schooner.

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Casa de les Punxes: following a restoration project, this modernist medieval-inspired château has opened its doors for events. Surrounded by pointed towers is a 600m2 terrace with a capacity for up to 220 people for open-air events. It also has the penthouse, a 260m2 area with interconnecting rooms.

‘When vintage meets industrial’ by Google The agency Barcelonize combined two fashion styles for the 120 guests from Google under the theme “when vintage meets industrial”. At the BCN Nautic Centre, they recreated a vintage market with huge imperial tables as used in French villages, and organised various activities.

The guests arrived at the port of Barcelona (the industrial part of the event) at 7pm, where they were served a glass of cava under a chill-out ambience.

From there, they were moved to the BCN Nautic Centre and greeted with a decorated with electric garlands, vinyl records, old cameras, books, old newspapers and five vintage-styled food trucks serving different types of food. While the guests enjoyed their food, entertainment was also provided: live painting of a mural by a street artist; music from a soul/funk group and a photo booth. After the guests had finished their meal, the painted mural was turned around offering guests a graffiti workshop on the “clean” side.

On the following day, they were divided into four groups for cooking workshops around the city centre. They had to prepare traditional dishes like tapas, bread with tomato, paella, and the dessert crema catalana. After enjoying the dishes that they had prepared, a surprise awaited them. They were brought to the Estación de Francia, where a Roaring Twentiesthemed café had been recreated: waiters dressed in period costumes, modern Charleston and ragtime music mixes, and projection of black and white films.

The surprise? The company bosses were behind the bars and served cocktails to the staff. To end the event, there was a “cocktail war” where the teams used the ingredients available on the bar to make the best cocktail they could think of.

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Doble36 is a venue in the Poblenou area with 1,300m2 divided into three rooms with varying capacities. And right next door is Factory36 with 320m2 split between a hall and a terrace for outdoor activities.

Open Camp, the first sports entertainment park in Europe, has an auditorium, an adjacent multi-purpose area of 300m², a VIP zone with a 360m² foyer, terrace space totalling 1,269m2 and other areas for meetings. It offers over 25 activities: immersion experiences in basketball and simulators for scoring goals. Experience the thrills of a MotoGP rider, boxing, and others.

Casa Capella, a venue in Las Ramblas, located between the La Boquería market and El Liceu, has a 190m2 space available for meetings.

The Hospital de Sant Pau is the most important Modernist building in Europe and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

•The Llotja de Mar, or old commodity exchange, is an historical building from the 14th century. Sitting near the sea, the facility is now exclusively dedicated to business meetings.

La Roca Village expanded its areas for meetings with a new building with room for 80 people and a VIP Lounge. 40 minutes from Barcelona, this is the largest of the Value Retail Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages, spaces with luxury outlet shopping, in Europe.

In the cloisters of the Monasterio de Sant Miquel, an area within El Poble Espanyol, 100 guests attended the presentation of the new collection from designer Inmaculada García.

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Catalonia Barcelona Plaza just renovated its facilities: eight meeting rooms, a 674m2 central area, and the foyer equipped with the latest technology including LED technology which can manage various sources of images and distribute them over various screens. The meeting organiser can control the lights of all meeting rooms via a tablet and personalise the images of the roofs.

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Girona Costa Brava The combination of the sea and the mountains is the distinguishing feature of Girona’s gastronomy, but if we add that this area has eight natural parks, Roman ruins, 220 km of Mediterranean coastline– (the Costa Brava) which joins the Pyrenees at the Cap de Creus, beaches, volcanoes, lakes, mountain ranges and the legacy of Salvador Dalí, you can begin to get an idea of all that this destination has to offer.

One of the images most captured on camera in Girona is that of its coloured buildings on the river. Because of its size, it is possible to explore the Jewish quarter and the embankment on foot, and stop for an aperitif on one of the terraces of its squares. Girona is only 30 km from the Costa Brava, 80 km from the French border, and 100 km from Barcelona, which can be reached by the AVE high speed train in 37 minutes, and Paris in five and a half hours. It also has an airport.

Girona plays Game of Thrones

Michelin Guide Gala on the Costa Brava 450 guests attended the Michelin Guide Spain and Portugal 2017 gala, held in Mas Marroch in Vilablareix, where the 22 new establishments to gain a new star were revealed. The new Michelin Guide was also presented. The event concluded with a meal prepared by eight Michelin-starred chefs from Girona.

Within the territory of Girona, the restaurants with Michelin stars for 2017 are: El Celler de Can Roca, Les Cols, Miramar, Los Ramales, las Magnolias, Bo.TiC, Ca l’Enric, Casamar, Els Tinars, La Cuina de Can Simon, Fonda Xesc, Massana, Emporium and Ca l’Arpa.

After eight months of planning with 78 suppliers and 170 participants, this team building initiative organised

by Marca Condal was intended to lead participants on a journey into the world of clans and the battle for power, all with a pinch of fantasy and a sprinkle of creativity.

The entire convention was set in the city of Girona, where part of the series was shot. Participants were accommodated in the city and the chosen setting was, of course, the medieval castle. To recreate the series, the organisers planned dynamic activities, put up elaborate decorations and wrote scripts for participants to star in. The future of their companies depended on their performance!

The morning session was reserved for corporate meetings. Afterwards, the participants could get changed at the hotel and set out towards the cathedral in their GOT attire and take pictures before heading to the castle.

Upon arrival, participants were greeted by medieval music, a gastro-themed cocktail and mingled with the doubles of Khalesshi, Jon Snow with his wolves, Ygrid, Khal Drogo and the shortest of the Lannisters, followed by the first test where bets were collected between clans and knights with bronze coins. The teams had to strike a deal and bargain. After that, more tests ensued which were arranged according to the company’s needs.

• Film Set: Participants were asked to set up and shoot a scene under the stage manager’s guidance.

• Winterfell Games: They had to compete in sword fights, javelin throwing and a tug-of-war.

• Wall Towers: Building human towers with three levels.

• Archery

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Activities • ‘Arrozicleta’: Learn to grow, savour and eat rice. First, a bike ride on a stylish Burricleta (electric bike) through the rice plantations, and then get to know the product, its origins and its cultivation at first hand. With the help of a chef specialised in rice, it is cooked and then enjoyed.

• L’Empordà from the air: Travel the skies of L’Empordà and get a bird’s eye view of the region and flying over the Mediterranean. You even get a chance to take the controls!

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The Dalí Code: Discover the hidden enigma behind the work of the painter through a travel quiz round the most important places in the city where Dalí grow up (this can be extended to Púbol and Portlligat). An iPad is used to guide the teams using clues and challenges.

• Regatta in the Medes Islands: The Estartit Sailing Club organises regattas in the Montgrí Natural Park, the Medes Islands and the Baix Ter. The activity consists of a briefing with instructions on land and the competition at sea.

• Night of traditions, habaneras and cremat or daiquiri: Learn to make a cremat (or a daiquiri, in the case of Lloret de Mar). While each table prepares their own, the lyrics of a well-known habanera song have to be changed to refer to one of the meeting’s targets. The participants will be helped by musicians, and while they try the cremat or daiquiri, each team will present their creation to the other groups.

• From Earth to Table: In the Gavarres Natural Reserve, on the Costa Brava, is the Bell Lloc farm offering samplings of wines and home-produced oils, winery visits and a picnic based on ecological produce.

AEDEMO seminar: television and marketing professionals meeting

2,300 researchers on the Costa Brava

Girona hosted the meeting for 350 professionals from television and marketing who met for three days to attend lectures given by 37 speakers. After the intense mid-day session of the seminar, the delegates were able to enjoy a dinner at the Espai Mas Marroch, from the Celler de Can Roca. The pre-dinner reception was given in the great natural pergola, Ágora, made out of the stone and wood from the original outhouses of the mansion. Joan Roca gave a talk which completed the gastronomic experience of the finest restaurant in the world. On the first day, there was a welcome cocktail in the Monasterio de Sant Pere de Galligants to give a historic touch to the first meeting of the guests. The night-owls were able to carry on the evening in the Music Bar of the Girona casino. The closing cocktail was in the Palacio de Congresos, with catering by Local Market, who prepared all the dishes using local produce.

For the third consecutive year, Gordon Research Conferences chose the province of Girona - Hotel Camiral - to hold some of their 2016 conferences and seminars where leading researchers in biology, chemistry and physical sciences presented their latest progress.

From late May until the end of August, 23 conferences and seminars were held, bringing together 2,300 researchers from all over the world. Delegates were able to choose between options such as an excursion to the medieval town of Besalú, the seaside town of Tossa de Mar, a guided tour of Girona, a cultural activity at the Dalí Theatre Museum in Figueras, or a trip on a traditional Tela Marinera sailing boat along the Costa Brava.

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Tarragona – Costa Daurada

Tarragona boasts a Roman settlement with World Heritage Site status. The city has good communications and is less than an hour from Barcelona. It holds the TarracoViva festival which presents the history of ancient Rome and the meeting of Mediterranean civilisations. Another event that attracts huge crowds is the biggest ‘castellers’ (human tower) competition in the world. Tarragona will host the XVIII Mediterranean Games from June 22nd to July 1st 2018, with 4,000 athletes from 33 disciplines, 1,000 journalists, 3,500 volunteers and more than 150,000 spectators.

Photographs from Turisme Tarragona

Along its 15-kilometre coastline of fine sand, you can organise a cocktail on a yacht or a team building convention at PortAventura. Ten minutes away from Tarragona, this convention centre overlooks the sea and golf courses. It is comprised of two vast floors covering a total of 13,290m2 for meetings, divisible to up to 18 halls with room for 10 to 4,000 people. The theme park also has hotels within its ground. Following the coastline southwards takes you to one of the major natural parks of the Peninsula, the Ebro Delta, famous for its ecosystem with a multitude of bird species and extensive rice fields. Towards the interior lies the wine region of Priorat; a mountainous zone recognisable for its terraced vines and full of natural hideaways: wine tasting, a tour around Falset in a 4x4 to see the vines, etc.

The Repsol MotoGP and trial riders with the Mediterranean Games To get the engines warmed up for the XVIII Mediterranean Games, the roar of motors can already be heard from some top-notch ambassadors: Márquez, Pedrosa, Bou, Fujinami and Busto, who showed their support for the city with their visit and exhibition in Tarraco Arena Plaça, organised by LastLap. The riders visited the Roman amphitheatre and emphasised the work of the volunteers. They also visited Repsol’s Tarragona plant and, to finish off this promotional event, had a warm up run in front of almost 4,000 spectators.

Repsol, sponsor of these games, is closely connected with sporting events and this activity serves to demonstrate its commitment to the area around one of its industrial complexes.

The day ended with a motor champions’ exhibition at Tarraco Arena Plaça.

It was a charity event and the proceeds (11,781 euros) were donated to Escola Solc who is dedicated to the education of children with special needs. During the morning, the riders went to the school and learn about the work done with these children.

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Highlighted venues

“El Seminari”, Centro Tarraconense. A venue for meetings with up to 300 people.

Activities

The Monestir de Poblet. Declared a World La Boella. A convention centre featuring a • Heritage Site by UNESCO, it opens its doors to hotel with gardens and several halls, including the Grand Hall for 900 people. meetings with rooms for up to 200 people.

• Casa Joan Miret. An 1859 mansion in the centre of Tarragona with rooms that evoke the atmosphere of the mid 19th century, retaining the original high ceilings and cement tiled floors of the period. It has four rooms with a capacity of up to 60 people in cocktail and a 1,000m2 garden.

Amphitheatre. An emblematic venue for • hosting open air events with room for up to 250 cocktail guests.

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The Tarraco Plaza Arena (TAP). The former bullring has been renovated as a multi-purpose space for major events like the 2017 Mediterranean Games. Conserving the neo-Modernist exterior, the inside is amazingly modern. With a surface area of 2,376m2, the arena can hold 5,800 people, in addition to seating 4,974. There is also a second gallery with 1,800m2.

Castillo de Tamarit. Just 10 minutes away • from the city centre, the castle has an open hall bathed in natural light with room for 350 peo- • ple, as well as an area for cocktails in the pool gardens by the sea.

The Tarraco Arena Plaça (TAP) hosted the IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators) annual gala dinner, with 1,300 guests from 62 different countries. Restored in 2010, it has seating for 5,000 or double that if you include the bullring enclosure.

Palacio de Ferias y Congresos. One of its special features is that every floor has a natural stone wall, in addition to its huge arches. There are two auditoriums and 12 well equipped halls with room for up to 1,145 people in the main hall, in addition to a 3,000m2 multi-function room.

The Fair Ground. Spanning 2,100m2 with room for 1,800 people.

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Camp de Mart Auditorium. This outdoor auditorium lies near the Roman walls and can house up to 1,787 people.

Hotel Termes Montbrió. 15 km from Tarragona, this venue offers 12 rooms, 214 bedrooms, a 17th century botanical garden, spa and a thermal recreation area.

The Cambrils Park Conference Centre has a large hall available for 270 people which can be customised by movable panels.

There are also tennis, paddle and basketball courts, football pitches, table tennis tables, minigolf course, and outdoor area for team building activities.

Taking a themed tour to explore the Roman and medieval Tarragona.

Revealing the secrets of Roman cuisine in a workshop.

Taking part in the rehearsals of the city’s human castle teams.

Visiting the area’s wineries and venturing into the world of wine tasting. Wines belonging to the Tarragona Designation of Origin were already famous in Roman times and were considered the finest in the Empire.

Practising your swing on an 18-hole golf course.

Spending the day at the PortAventura theme park, at the Ebro Delta Natural Park or on the beaches of the Costa Daurada.

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PortAventura Business & Events presents Ferrari Land This new park covers 70,000m2 and has 11 rides, the most spectacular being the Ferrari Experience, which gives an in-depth experience of the brand’s GT and F1 worlds - and the Red Force vertical accelerator, a ride that accelerates to 180 km/hour in only five seconds. There are also semi-professional simulators where anyone can test their skill as a driver, and three shows. The PortAventura meetings division is hoping that Ferrari Land will provide added value to events held there. Among other options, this new park offers the chance to enjoy open-air cocktails, dinners in an Italian trattoria, exclusive openings and team building activities.

SoftwareONE held its annual Kick Off at PortAventura Convention Centre. Over three days, 850 staff from Europe, the Middle East and Africa met in the rooms of the Hotel Caribe and part of the Hotel PortAventura. On the first night, the delegates enjoyed the opening of an exclusive area in PortAventura Park and a themed dinner in the La Cantina Mexican restaurant. The night ended with a party in the Alexandria Room of the Conference Centre with food trucks and a DJ.

Annual Kids&Us conference at PortAventura This children’s English school held its annual conference for over 700 professionals at PortAventura. They were looking for a venue in which the institutional part could be combined –with the objective of communicating news and launching the new corporate campaign “Speak in Colours” - with networking and with everything taking place at the same venue.The speeches were given in the conference centre. In the Alexandria room, a projection mapping combined music and lights to produce movements and 3D effects.

To enable the professionals to get to know each other, the third day showcased team building exercises and more personal activities. An activity to boost knowledge and to strengthen the feeling of belonging was organised, through games and the surmounting of obstacles: “Live your own Adventure”. Participants were divided into teams of 10 who had to answer questions and overcome challenges in the five worlds (areas) of the park.

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SITGES, A MICE DESTINATION NEAR BARCELONA

Why Sitges?

Sitges is unique and authentic; a place with magical charm on the Mediterranean coast, full of enchanting corners preserving the bohemian atmosphere and coming alive each night as a hedonistic city, free from prejudice.

Sitges is accessible!

Tradition and modernity An emblematic town that has maintained its Mediterranean and cultural heritage over the years while at the same time encouraging continuous growth with innovation, a creative economy, sustainability and well-being for all its inhabitants and visitors.

“At just 25 minutes away from Barcelona International Airport and 35 minutes away from Barcelona city centre, this town of fewer than 30 thousand inhabitants has become Catalonia’s second city, after Barcelona, in terms of MICE”

María Sánchez Quintana Sitges Convention Bureau Sitges is a destination with ample experience in event organisation; located beside the Garraf Natural Park, with its 17 spectacular beaches and Mediterranean climate boasting more than 300 days of sun a year, making it the ideal proposal, a place to make the most of all kinds of open air activities.

Melià Sitges The Hotel Melià Sitges is in the enchanting Port d’Aiguadolç, just 10 minutes from the historic centre, a special place where work becomes a vital experience.

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ADVERTORIAL

“You get a partner that you can trust” “The Melià Sitges Hotel offers a great possibility to host large events. Their conference rooms with different sizes give you flexibility. All the conference rooms are fully equipped. The F&B services offer variety and high quality with fresh ingredients. Thanks to the hotel location, attendees can enjoy the surroundings and also have a good rest.

At the hotel we are constantly renewing the facilities and services, so as to adapt to the necessities of the clients, with a single purpose: facilitate the appropriate atmosphere where people can get to know each other, connect and achieve the objectives of their meetings.

Last but not least, the hotel staff will support you in the organisation and with flexibility, knowledge, experience and always with a smile. I personally recommend this hotel for meetings! You get a partner that you can trust – they know their business very well.”

Our greatest satisfaction is being able to help our clients at any time. To achieve this we have a professional, proactive, efficient, highly experienced team that works with a big smile.

Simone Blumoser, EBV Elektronik GmbH & Co KG

A meeting in Sitges becomes The Meeting!

The flexibility of our 20 meeting rooms, the wide exhibition spaces with natural light, an auditorium with capacity for 1,384 people, make us the perfect hotel to host any type of event and, most importantly, manage to create unique and unforgettable emotions and memories.

An injection of inspiring energy “I’ve certainly passed Experiencing the impressive sunrises and the best moments of my sunsets from any of our 307 rooms over professional life in this hotel” the calm gleaming waters of the Medi“At a time where everything is going digital and focus on the consumer experience, you struggle to imagine what this means for a convention venue such at the Melià Sitges.

First, you think the location will be a great added value to your meeting, it is. Second you expect all the fundamentals of our business to be first in class, they are.

Then you start to have crazy ideas and demands and you expect it’s gonna be difficult….well actually everything is possible!

This hotel is simply amazing. Well, it is not correct. The people of this hotel are amazing. It’s by far more than a team, it’s a family, and this family is composed of best in class professionals All the members of this family share the same professional values and an incredible love for their mission: to create the most perfect moments for their customers.

terranean is an injection of inspirational energy that will make you wake up with a smile.

When eating is not just eating Our selection of food and drink is designed to be adapted to any kind of group or event. Making eating and drinking around a table an act of celebration, of sharing unique moments with colleagues, friends and family.

“The Key point of a successful event: The People” Sales Team Melià Sitges

After some years and 5 events with you guys, I’ve certainly passed the best moments of my professional life in this hotel. You are a fantastic inspiring model for many.

Sébastien Vastel, Sagarmatha

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ANDALUSIA Iberians, Carthaginians, Romans and Moors have all passed through Andalusia, filling the pages of history of this cultural melting pot, and creating a unique blend of architecture and tradition. Andalusia is home to stunning Arabic monuments like Granada’s Alhambra, the Mosque in Cordoba and the Alcazar of Sevilla.

Another asset is its 900 kilometres of coastline, which includes the famous Costa del Sol, a meeting point for travellers from all over Europe and beyond. Andalusia’s mountains also offer world-class skiing, in snow-covered peaks such as the Sierra Nevada. The province, located in southern Spain, is also characterized by the open nature of its people, its intense and colourful folklore, flamenco and its Easter processions. With all of this, Andalusia offers a plethora of memorable experiences for your meetings.

Seville

Highlighted venues Eurostars Torre Sevilla. This 180-meter high building is the tallest one in Andalusia.

It offers 17,000m2 of facilities and 159 rooms with panoramic views over the city Muelle 21. Multidisciplinary space which can host large events for up to 1,000 people.

The capital of the region is an established meetings destination. Its air connections have improved significantly in recent years; while the AVE high-speed train connects it with Madrid. It also has a thriving river port popular with cruise ships. In terms of meetings infrastructure, the Fibes Conference and Exhibition Centre was recently completed, offering an enormous, brand new congress centre. Seville has a wide range of hotels, venues, palaces and country houses, for events with a touch of history.

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If you are looking for a city that represents the classic image of Spain, Seville – a city of color and passion – is the one. It has been the setting for more than 100 operas, including some blockbusters (Carmen, Don Giovani, Fidelio, the marriage of Figaro and the Barber of Seville). It offers an intense program of religious celebrations during Easter Week and madness during the April Fair, maybe the most colourful tradition in Spain.

Mude Market. A multidisciplinary venue on the banks of the Guadalquivir river, in the Delicias dock of the Port of Seville. This sustainable venue was created with 46 recycled shipping containers.

Planta 21 Torre Sevilla. With its 360-degree view of the city, it offers four spaces: the Altar de la Giralda Hall, the Monasterio de la Cartuja Hall (90pax), Fernando de Magallanes Room (30pax) and Puente del Cristo Room (16pax).

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Palacio de Congresos de Sevilla (FIBES).

Seville’s trade show offering now features a new conference centre, with its three exhibitions halls linked by a 3,000m2 of covered walkway.

It includes three areas: a 3,577-seat auditorium, the largest covered space in Spain; a multi-purpose building that houses a 2,000m2 restaurant area; and a 2,500m2 exhibition zone.

Cartuja Center CITE. Opened in early 2018, this brand new multipurpose space offers more than 33,000m2 for events, equipped with the latest technology. It has a VIP box with 36 seats, VIP lounges, an auditorium with more than 2,000 seats, as well as another auditorium for 360 people, exhibition halls, a rehearsal room, and recording studios. A terrace on the 5th floor and parking complete this latest addition to Seville’s meetings offering.

Box Sevilla. In the Isla de la Cartuja Technology Park, 10 minutes from the city center, this versatile venue offers three spaces, including a conference hall and auditorium, both with capacity for 500 people.

Hacienda Azahares. An estate just ten minutes from the city centre and resting on a 127m ledge, it has four halls with room for 100 to 700 Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento. This 5-star guests and a large square for 3,500 people. hotel offers 295 rooms, a convention centre and 25 meeting rooms, surrounded by beauPalacio Andaluz. As well as being a flamentiful gardens. Well-equipped to host congressco venue, it has a wine cellar located on the es and conventions, product (including car) ground floor of the building for meetings of up launches and incentives, it has four large open to 350 people. spaces that can be customized.

Cortijo El Esparragal. Located 15 minutes from Seville, it is a 3,000-hectare site dedicated to breeding Spanish horses, as well as cattle.

It hosts a 17th century monastery which today is a hotel with 21 bedrooms, meeting rooms for 20 to 300 people, 5,000m2 of gardens and a swimming pool. It offers a wide range of activities such as horse riding, excursions and mountain biking.

Metropol Parasol, somewhere between an impressive sculpture and a “liquid” building, the Metropol Parasol is 150m long and 75m wide and towers 28m above Seville’s city centre. “The mushrooms”, as locals have dubbed The Chamber of Commerce of Seville. the building for its unique shape, has four sepClose to the cathedral with 30 different-sized arate levels. The second level has 3,500m2 of rooms and a maximum capacity of 1,500 peoevent space, the third has a restaurant and the ple. The largest of the rooms has 525m2. fourth has a balcony with panoramic views.

Fundación Tres Culturas. Situated on the Isla de la Cartuja, in what was the Moroccan Pavilion during the Seville EXPO ‘92, it has seven rooms with a maximum capacity for 1,500 people.

Real Venta de Antequera. A series of buildings and halls built for the Iberian-American Expo in 1929. Typical Sevillian architecture divided into ten halls with room for 800 guests and vast gardens.

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Flamenco is one of Seville’s hallmarks, • and the city allows you to experience some of the most famous flamenco locations in the world. Agency EsCultura offers the Ruta Carmen, where opera, flamenco and theater meet. Guests will not only enjoy the uniqueness of the monuments and places visited, but also the appearance of • the famous legend of Carmen who, during this visit and accompanied by other characters of this famous opera, will delight them with a professional performance of one of the pieces of the famous work.

Visit to bull farms. A way to get to know first-hand an Andalusian pasture. Guests • can even participate in an authentic “capea” (mini-corrida, not too dangerous), see the fighting bulls in their natural environment, enjoy horse shows, and simply immerse themselves in the magic of the authentic experience that among its stunning natural landscapes.

Sensory tasting sessions on the Guadalquivir: wine tasting and a gourmet gastronomy experience aboard a boat on the river, serenaded by flamenco guitars and violins.

The 18th century Casa de la Guitarra (House of the Guitar) is also home to the Flamenco Cultural Centre, where you can spend one hour touring the main flamenco styles through its three disciplines: dance, singing and the guitar. It offers Flamenco shows every day.

In a genuine Sevilian ‘hacienda’, participate in the Flamenco Percussion Workshop, an experience designed by Exploramás based on Andalusian folklore.

Teams learn about percussion and other instruments such as the flamenco cajón and caña, castanets, sticks and bottles.

Bandolero Tours offers you the opportunity to sample the lifestyle of a 14th-century highwayman in the Sierra Morena.

The M&I Summer Forum comes to Seville You probably know about the M&I events, designed to bring together buyers and sellers of meetings and events through a mix of appointments and networking activities. This event came to Seville in 2017, gathering close to 600 MICE professionals in the congress and exhibition centre. This came two years after the city hosted the European Best Event Awards (EUBEA).

Mitsubishi’s guests become “Master Chefs” for a day at Alfonso XIII EsCultura prepared a team building activity for Mitsubishi. The proposal was a Master Chef session at the Hotel Alfonso XIII, for about 200 people. Divided into teams, the aspiring chefs created original recipes, letting their imaginations fly, learning to work in teams and discovering new textures, flavors, and smells.

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A TV talk show for the Schweppes convention For the annual meeting of its sales teams, Schweppes Suntory Spain wanted escape the usual convention format and thought of a TV show format, where the event’s content was communicated in the form of interviews, monologues and performances. Like any good television show, the work was done in teams. In charge of the staging and logistics was Beon, while Unit Elements was responsible for the conceptualization, script and contents design.

The auditorium hosted 400 attendees who, like in a TV show, were stimulated and entertained so they wouldn’t ‘change channels’, absorbing the new brand strategy in a very interesting way. The stage became a set with several spaces and an area reserved for a live music band. The guests enjoyed a program of activities to learn about Seville. The event closed with a dinner at one of the most emblematic points of the city: the Plaza de España. A transparent octagonal tent allowed guests to enjoy the architectural ensemble located in the María Luisa Park. The agenda was completed with a bike tour of Seville; a private tour of the Real Alcázar, as well as a visit to the city’s fish market.

The new Touran at the Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento Unit Elements Agency set up a two-day training event on the new Touran at the Barceló Sevilla Renacimiento Hotel for 750 dealers.

The size of the halls was a decisive factor in the choice of venue, as was being close to a driving track and being able to get vehicles inside the halls. The event started with a corporate presentation including video mapping to present the vehicle’s new features, after which attendees were split into different rooms for the training sessions. In the evening, the group travelled by boat to the city center and set out on a tapas tour around Seville’s finest venues.

The event ended with a party at the Lonjadel Barranco marketplace. On the following day, they headed to the Monteblanco circuit to take part in the practical side of their training.

Volvo Kempinski event in Estepona (Málaga)

Costa del Sol One of the powerhouses of Spain tourism with its upscale resorts, golf clubs and shopping areas, Costa del Sol has a vast offering for meetings.

Malaga has become one of Spain’s cultural Meccas, with an explosion of museums and the recent opening of no fewer than 36 cultural centres for events. The Pompidou (‘El Cubo’), in the port of Malaga and the Museum of Russian Art in the former ‘Tabacalera’ building are the latest to come to the city and are two of the best options for meetings. Other venues include the Glass Museum, the Motor Museum, the Revello de Toro Museum, the Contemporary Art Center and La Térmica. Malaga’s cultural identity is especially vibrant in March when it hosts the Malaga Spanish film festival.

The Pompidou Art Centre is the first representation of

ITB organised a back-to-back event for Volvo which included a test drive of two cars before they went on sale. The challenge was to find a place for the test drives where different road types were needed: highways, mountain roads, motorways, tricky tarmac, etc.

Held at the Hotel Kempinski Bahía Estepona, international press members could take the long routes of four hours or the short twp-hour routes.

Honda chooses Ronda for its incentive trip Towards the end of last year, Honda organized an incentive trip for its managers to experience the speed and energy that the brand exudes. The agency Unit Elements arranged a day at the private Ascari circuit in Ronda (Málaga). The 40 people attending were able to enjoy exclusive access to a first-class racing track, driving Honda vehicles on tarmac and buggies in the mountains.

At lunchtime, they stopped at a farmhouse where they enjoyed a relaxed barbecue. To round the day off, dinner was served at the Restaurante Dani García, where the two-Michelin-starred chefs offered them a selection of dishes to show the contrasts of typical Andalusian cooking. The group stayed at the Hotel Puente Romano, a 5* in Marbella.

the famous Parisian centre of modern art outside of France. It is located in the Cubo building at the port of Málaga and houses modern and contemporary art.

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Highlighted venues Congress centres. The Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Málaga’s avant-garde architecture has 60,000m2 of facilities with capacity for up to 20,000 people. The Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Marbella has a top floor that offers more than 3,000m2 and a plenary room with 1,600 seats. The Palacio de Congresos de Torremolinos has its main hall divided into two floors covering 3,000m2 and 2,500m2. It has also opened the first meeting room for smokers in Spain. Finally the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos de Estepona offers 21,000m2 of indoor space and a garden, a heliport and an all-purpose pavilion.

Finca el Realengo. A place with one of the most majestic entrances on the Costa del Sol created with Royal Palms brought from Costa Rica. It has gardens and rooms like the Chill Out (for 200 people) or the Conference Lounge (for 400 people for banquets or 1,200 for cocktails).

Teatro de la Maestranza. This beautiful venue is one of the reference opera theaters in Spain, which rents out some of its halls for events. The main hall has a capacity for 1,800 people, distributed between the Patio (600pax), the Balcony (314pax), the Terrace (438pax) and the Paradise (448pax). Another option is the Manuel García Room for 225 people.

Abades Ronda. Situated in the heart of Ronda next to one of the oldest bullrings in Spain, it has two terraces for open-air events: the Crystal Lounge, an airy space of 300m2; and three other rooms for smaller groups.

The Málaga bullring has hosted festivals and shows (including a bullfighting museum).

Now, it is ready to host meetings. Four million euros will be invested to turn it into a cultural and conference centre to host meetings all year round.

Automobile and Fashion Museum has more than 6,000m2 with a capacity for 3,000 people, which can host product presentations, meetings, conferences, themed dinners, fashion shows, performance, live music, etc., where guests are surrounded by a collection of a hundred vehicles and more than 200 pieces of haute couture.

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BMW Motorrad on two wheels on the mountains next to Málaga

Dreams Bikes: team building through CSR in Marbella In a meeting room of the Hotel Puente Romano, 100 staff from a multinational company enjoyed a team building experience. Meanwhile, outside, 15 youngsters from two children’s homes in Málaga enjoyed a quiz trail. Both groups, without realising it, made up the two sides of an emotional experience designed by Exploramás at the request of the DMC España Incoming.

The participants in the team building had only been told that they were going to make a donation of bicycles to some children in foster homes. They were split into teams and given a colour and the name of a child. They had to design and make flags with the name of each child and a message, as well as partake in a “treasure hunt” around the hotel to gather the tools and materials necessary to assemble the bikes. The two groups finally met face to face in one of the hotel lounges.

Gran Hotel Miramar5*GL. On the sea front in La Malagueta (Málaga), the hotel occupies 13,000m2 and has 200 bedrooms, 9,000m2 of gardens where meetings can be organized among hundred-year-old trees, and 1,900m2 of terrace with sea views. In addition, there are 17 rooms with natural light with a maximum capacity of 700 people. Hotel Miramar enMálaga

To present the new BMW F750 GS and F850 GS models, the team from Beon developed back-to-back events for international press, featuring road circuits along with off-road routes that allowed journalists to get to grips with both the motorcycles, as well as the destination. Starting in La Cala Golf Resort hotel in Mijas, the first day consisted of a session of technical workshops held in the tent of the hotel’s golf club, where the new motorcycles were on display. Participants were divided into four groups to learn more about the bikes from experts from BMW. The day ended with a barbecue dinner at the hotel.

On the second day, the participants could test the new BMW F850GS on a route to the Enduro circuit in Casarabonela.

The new BMW F750 had its turn on the third day, with attendees experiencing a new three-hour route through the Torcal de Antequera area.

Linkedin experiences the Malaga streetlife in their convention LinkedIn chose Malaga to celebrate its annual convention, the SK’17, attended by 2,000 participants. The working days were held in FYCMA, and Viajes Presstour organized the logistics of the meeting with their partner Cogs & Marvel, as well as accommodation, transportation and a very local “LinkedIn Tapas Tour”. They designed a fun event for attendees to enjoy and to get to know the city. For this, they set up tents in the center of Malaga. There attendees could pick up a map of the city marked with typical restaurants and bars and coupons for tapas and drinks.

In each restaurant, bar or tent there was a LinkedIn staff member who acted as a translator and connected the participants to their destination through walkie-talkies and a WhatsApp group that facilitated communication between all the venues of the Malaga tapas route.

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Nilva in the town of Manilva offers a workshop called ‘Senses – an initiation to wine tasting’ and activities related to the training of the senses of sight, smell and taste for wine tasting.

TurismoMarinero offers sea-related experiences: sailing trips, visits to the quayside to experience fish markets, or become a sailor for the day and discover traditional fishing.

At Reservatauro, a farm where bulls and horses roam freely located 5km from Ronda, you can learn how the animals live and are bred – a 100% Iberian experience!

Driving 4x4s or convertible cars is a great way to explore the Sierra de las Nieves mountain area and the Valley of the Genal River.

Traditions of Al Andalus. In Malaga, spas are a centuries-old tradition. You can take your group for a relaxing afternoon at the Hammam Al Andalus Málaga, a restored historic space that captures the essence of the ancient Arab baths of Al Andalus.

Looking for an adrenaline rush?

Then pull over to the Ascari Club at the exclusive Race Resort. The track, the longest in the country, can be enjoyed in a Lotus, BMW, F3 race car, or even in buggies and go-karts. What could be more fun for a group of grown-up kids?

Options in Sierra Nevada. Cetursa offers a wide range of activities in the Sierra Nevada mountains; from a day or night tour with snowshoes, igloo-building, or even soccer and golf in the snow. Sierra Nevada is also a good place to observe stars, with a telescope and instruction from the staff of the Institute of Astrophysics. Crossing Sierra Nevada from north to south is a proposal from Lime Dmc. You can cycle through the highest peak of the Iberian Peninsula (3,478m) and enjoy the views of Granada’s Mediterranean coast, the Gorafe Desert and Tabernas. On clear days, you can even see the African coast.

Photo caption: Enjoy a pilgrimage to the villages of southern Spain – one of the most authentic experiences in Seville. The tour includes several stops to taste local products and take in the scenery. Along the way, participants will be accompanied by a traditional choir or musicians playing rumbas and ‘Sevillanas’.

At the end of the road, guests can visit a chapel – a fitting end to an almost-spiritual experience.

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ANDALUSIA

Granada hosts EMEC Granada is small but is full of beautiful nooks and crannies, and artistic, architectural, multicultural and historical contrasts. It is also home to the Alhambra.

MPI held its annual European Meetings & Event Conference (EMEC) this year in the city. When the city presented its proposal with all its Andalusian passion in a cold Copenhagen during the 2016 edition, the Scandinavians fell in love.

Each EMEC conference has a slogan. For its edition, Granada wanted human values, traditions, lifestyle, the magic of the destination, and the blend of cultures in the city to be part of the conference’s experience. The first meeting with the host committee was held at the Cuarto Real, one of the oldest buildings in Granada, where attendees enjoyed a local experience: one and a half hours of lunch and beers, which was a way to let them experience how the locals live and work in a pleasant and relaxed environment. During the four days, a lot of work was done using the event canvas model. And the slogan “the human side of meetings” was created and was demonstrated from the graphic design of the conference to the way the moderator presented. A flamenco performance that opened the conference offered a moment of connection with Andalusian culture. Spontaneity was also very important. The host committee wore traditional Andalusian dresses and performers mingled with the guests and got them to dance. Also included in the program was a private visit to the Alhambra, as well as to some of the city’s other emblematic locations, an initiation to flamenco, a tasting of local products; a dinner in a farmhouse and a tapas excursion organised by Lime Dmc.

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Camping in the Gorafe desert. An hour and a half from Granada, you can sleep in the middle of the desert.

To get there, Lime Dmc proposes a jeep route along rocky roads, narrow paths and ravines.

A route by the roots of Granada. TA Incentivos proposes a route through the historic districts of Granada: the Sacromonte and the Albaicín, ending in the center of the city. The group will start in San Miguel Alto, following a descent down a path until reaching the Interpretation Center of the Caves of Sacromonte.

After the visit, they continue to the Sacromonte neighborhood and make a stop at Pepiro’s Mirador, where Pepe’s “chiringuito” (traditional café) is located, and where they try sangria while listening to Spanish guitar. The route continues through the narrow streets until the Albaicín, where they can visit a bakery to try tea and traditional sweets. They continue with a visit to the Plaza Larga Market, passing through the famous Arco de Las Pesas and arriving at the Mirador de San Nicolás. After lunch, they begin the journey to the center through the old Arab souk, stopping at some of the craft stalls. The route ends at Plaza Nueva in the center and with a connection to the Alhambra, the next visit for those who wish to continue on with the route.

BASQUE COUNTRY

Bilbao

No city has ever taken advantage of an opportunity as well as Bilbao did back in 1997 with the opening of the Guggenheim, which revolutionized the city and included the face lift of the estuary to make it a more pleasant area to visit. It was an economic, urban and environmental change that brought about the rebirth of this industrial city. It has gone from an industrial pole to a cosmopolitan city that is teeming with culture, all while maintaining its dynamism and parliamentary tradition. The city has 4,000 hotel rooms, and a series of renovated venues such as the Euskalduna Palace, the Bilbao Exhibition Centre, the Iberdrola Tower, the Guggenheim, the Arriaga Theatre and the Alhondiga. Well-connected with a very strong personality and reputable culinary fame, it’s a great city for gastronomic incentive trips.

In 2018, Bilbao hosts great events such as ‘The World’s 50 Best Restaurants’, the final of the European Rugby Champions Cup, and the Vuelta a Bizkaia. And in November, the Bilbao Exhibition Center (BEC) will host the celebration of the European gala of the MTV Awards, which in each edition will generate millions of audiences and bring 100,000 people to Bilbao.

Bilbao, an avant-garde metropolis; San Sebastián, the beautiful coastal city; and Vitoria-Gasteiz, the green one.

They are so close to each other that you can visit all three in a few days.

Lighthouses, cliffs, old smugglers’ hideaways, an aquarium, prehistoric caves, romantic restored old boats, marinas, traditional fishermen’s houses, txakoli wine and much more! The Basque Country boasts 250 km of coastline with tidal wetlands, beaches, estuaries and quaint fishing villages, as well as the two key cities of Bilbao and San Sebastián, with an array of options for events and incentive trips. This is a privileged destination for water sports and boasts a renowned wealth of gastronomical delights, including unmissable cooking workshops and gastro trails. spain for mice 2018-2019

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The Ingenieros-Deusto Regatta is a traditional event in the Bilbao sporting and social calendar and has been staged in the estuary since 1981. It is an Olympic rowing competition and each year it pitches a crew from the Engineering School against Deusto University.

Highlighted venues Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) -with a total of 18,000m2 and a usable surface of 5,500m2 divided into three areas, this facility has room for up to 2,500 people. It will host the MTV Awards Europe in November, 2018.

The Torre Iberdrola - is a reference point for sustainable businesses. Its business centre has five halls totaling 320m2. The 24th floor has a 1,000m2 open space with spectacular Euskalduna Conference Centre - this views.

58,200m2 venue symbolizes the last ship built at the old Euskalduna Shipyard. With 2,164 seats, the auditorium is complemented by the Theatre Hall with 613 seats, an exhibition area and one of the most well-known restaurants in the Basque Country handles the catering.

San Mamés stadium – How about holding your event in a football stadium? San Mames has an auditorium and a gastronomic area Guggenheim Museum offers a unique enfor 700 people. There are 778m2 available for vironment for meetings. It has three areas for events with a system of adjustable seats to reevents: the atrium, the auditorium and the hall. configure the space to your needs.

Booking the venue requires being a corporate member of the museum.

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Other options include the Alhondiga former wine warehouse renovated by Philippe Stark, the 100-year-old Arriaga Theater, the Campos Elíseos Theater, which was built in 1901 and recently reformed, the Ilgner building which is a unique industrial site or the University of Deusto which allows for gatherings in closed cloisters in the auditorium.

BASQUE COUNTRY

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• DMC Euskadi Reception suggests turning your group into shepherds in Urkiola National Park. Patxi will show them how to milk the sheep, they will accompany his border collie to walk the flock, and learn how to make traditional ointments with local herbs. They will finish with a tasting of Idiazabal designation of origin cheeses.

• The Basque Country’s industrial and ironand-steel past is extremely important. So much so that you can don a helmet, grab a pick and dig out your own minerals in the town of Zerain.

Sagardoetxea, Basque Cider Museum: The Basques pay their tribute to cider in the form of a fascinating ritual known as txotx. During the txotx season, from January to April, cider cellars open their doors to allow visitors to sample their new brew straight from the barrel.

www.audiomic.com

Discovering Bilbao by bike. What was once a grey and polluted industrial city has become a city with a cosmopolitan vibe and a lively atmosphere. This twohour tour along bike lanes and special cycling areas explores the city’s history and introduces visitors to a local tradition: pintxo-pote. It includes a visit to the Guggenheim Museum.

Surroundings. The dmc STI proposes tours of the city with special attention to its architecture and structures such as the Bizkaia Suspension Bridge (UNESCO Heritage site), as well as excursions in the surrounding area, amongst others to the peninsula of Sant Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo fishing port, following the Mundaka estuary to the small marina, which is the center of the Urdaibai Reserve.

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The gastronomy Mecca. Whether with popular tapas routes or at high-end restaurants (many Michelin stars have been awarded in the region), you must take advantage of the gastronomy.

Luxury cars at an old fortress. Bilbao Paso a Paso proposes a visit to the Loizaba Tower in the Concejuelo Castle, a fortress that hides a collection of classical cars.

c e 2 471 0 1 8 - 2 015 1 9 79 audiomic@audiomic.coms p a i n f o r m i 94

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SEAT conference in Bilbao SEAT Spain dealers gathered in the Guggenheim city to be introduced to the new SEAT León model.

There were around 300 guests, for whom Parafina Comunicación organized sessions and fun activities at the BEC. To test their knowledge of the brand, a quiz game about the history of the SEAT, its models and sponsorship activities were set up in a fun TV contest format. The guests visited the Bizkaia Transporter Bridge, went on the Artxanda cable car, enjoyed a trip on a boat on the Bilbao estuary, visited the Guggenheim Museum and watched a vertical trunk-cutting exhibition on the streets of Bilbao. Gastronomic activities offered: a txacolí tasting session, a trip through the city’s tapas area, dinner at the three-Michelin-star Azurmendi restaurant and a cooking demonstration.

Basque FEST is the annual Basque culture event held every April, featuring music, design, gastronomy and sport. In 2017 there were over 200 different activities on offer. An unmissable event for anyone wanting to learn about Basque culture.

San Sebastián The Marquesina is a wine cellar of Bodegas Bilbaina, which offers 600m2 for events, with a capacity for 400 people.

The place has kept its original appearance and preserved the essence of the winery and even original materials, thanks to its iron structure and the facade that remains intact after many years.

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A striking proposal: Crusoe Treasure suggests discovering a particular underground bodega in the Bay of Plentzia and to combine tasting with a day’s sailing. It is a unique setup with its barrels, bottles and hulls 20m underwater. Guests will sail to this underwater bodega, trying wines on board and discover (by underwater camera) this project comprising an artificial reef of more than a thousand species.

The world Mini capital 4,700 professionals from dealerships from all over the world visited Gipuzkoa in waves of 165 people to try out the new Mini.

The guests arrived at Loiu airport and were given their trial Mini at the Azurmendi restaurant in Larrabetzu. They began a tour of Bizkaia, which included rural sports trials in Mendata and along the Guizpuzcoan coast, and they visited Igeldo, Orio, Aia, Zarautz and Getaria. To get to know the Basque Country, as well as the new Mini, there were gastronomic stop-offs at the Katxina in Orio and dinners at the Abeletxe in Zirzurkil.

BASQUE COUNTRY

Jaguar and Range Rover conquer San Sebastian

A 4x4 route paired with txakolí This activity was carried out for Allianz Insurance Italy in the mountains of the area. Driving new or preowned 4x4 vehicles, attendees stopped at different spots to experience the culture and tradition of the area. Cazaventuras offered the group a variety of txakolí wines at different stops. Logically, drivers could not drink and in most cases professional drivers were hired so that everyone could enjoy the incentive.

An exclusive dinner and a fun themed party, the ingredients of an incentive trip: in this case, the dinner at the Bokado restaurant and the party at the legendary Hotel Mª Cristina in San Sebastián, organized

by The Pinnacle Experience, made the Jaguar and Range Rover employees thoroughly enjoy their stay in Donostia. For dinner, Lankor decorated the restaurant with murals of the city, floral centers with marine motifs, and a lighting design that highlighted the space.

During the evening they listened to live jazz, and after dinner, they were surprised with a fireworks show.

The second party was held in the Elcano Room of the María Cristina Hotel, which was decorated with a 20s theme to once again impress the guests.

TRANSPORTE DIRIGIDO A PROFESIONALES 35

EXCELENTE FLOTA

Tel.: +34 943 36 32 90 www.autocares-aizpurua.es

SEGUROS

PROFESIONALES

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Una organización profesional con un partner de confianza.

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BASQUE COUNTRY

Highlighted venues Kursaal Convention Centre - this spectacular building is formed by two translucent glass cubes and overlooks the Cantabrian sea.

It has an auditorium for 1,800 people.

Tabakalera - located in the building that used to house the tobacco factory, it reopened in late 2015. In the heart of the city, this vast building can be hold events with up to 1,000 guests.

The Balenciaga Museum - offers presentation spaces and guided visits which shed light on the golden age of haute couture. The atrium can handle a cocktail for 1,000 people. And the entrance hall is perfect for receptions of 400 people.

GU - is a new venue inside one of San Sebastián’s most emblematic buildings: the Royal Yacht Club, erected in 1928. GU contains a cocktail bar, a screening hall, reserved areas and a breath-taking glass lookout area with views across the bay. The venue can host up to Victoria Eugenia Theatre - one of the most 300 people. emblematic buildings in San Sebastian, it opened in 1912 and was transformed in 2007 into a scenic venue complete with the most modern equipment. It can hold 910 people and has rooms for events for up to 195 people.

The Basque Culinary Center - houses the first Faculty of Gastronomic Sciences and has an auditorium for 200 people and other spaces.

Some of the city’s classic hotels have been upgraded: the Hotel Londres y de Inglaterra (4*) completed the refurbishment of rooms and lounges, and Hotel NH Aranzazu (4*) has refurbished its 180 rooms.

Activities

San Telmo Museum -This 16th century Dominican monastery houses a church and clois- • ter hosting dinner events for up to 670 people.

The Vitoria Eugenia Theater has a main hall for events, but also offers its stage together with the raised orchestra pit, to make for an exclusive area for banquets with up to 200 guests, who get to see the theater from the view of the performer.

Gastronomy-packed convention for Mitsubishi in San Sebastián Auriga organized the Mitsubishi convention for dealers in San Sebastián. The event included a meal prepared by chef Eneko Atxa, who boasts three Michelin stars, as well as a pintxos trail, a driving test, a visit to the Balenciaga Museum, a cookery workshop, a visit to the Chillida Museum, and a surprise dinner on the stage at the Victoria Eugenia Theater.

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Sailing contests – Americas cup style – for Porsche bank. This activity created by Cazaventuras begins with an explanation of everything necessary so that the group can navigate together in teams. Before setting sail, they are given a time so that, with the advice of a professional, they can make a race strategy.

Working as a team, they carry out all the workings of the boat in the regatta and the decisions on board.

Another option is the “Cheese and Cider” tour, which includes visiting the Sagardoetxe Cider Museum in Astigarraga, with a sampling of cider and visit a to cheese house, followed by the corresponding tasting.

Basque Pelota and fishing Basquetour brings us the activity “Sea & Cider” in San Sebastián, where participants get to relive the adventure of whale hunting, discover what it has to do with cider and try the gastronomical delights linked to it. Participants visit the Aquarium, sail on a boat around the bay and have a meal at a cider bar in Astigarraga. Another choice is the “Cheese & Cider” tour, which includes visiting the Sagardoetxe Cider Museum in Astigarraga with some cider sampling, and visiting a cheese house followed by cheese and cider sampling.

Another option outside Bilbao is the new incentive trip around Bermeo and Elantxobe. In addition to visiting these two towns, the trip includes an exhibition of the Basque pelota sport on the court itself, a boat ride from Bermeo to Elantxobe, and a visit to a preserve company to taste their preserves and some txakoli wine.

VALENCIAN COMMUNITY

Valencia

You were probably impressed when Valencia came into our industry as a new star a decade ago, with huge car launches, Formula 1 racing, the America’s Cup and some amazing infrastructure such as a huge trade fair ground and the City of Arts and Sciences. But this city embodied both the Spanish excesses of the boom and the bust that followed. And like Spain, it is now back in full swing.

Where else in the world will you find a city with inhabitants dedicating months to building huge and carefully elaborated figurines which they then burn on a single night of madness (during the

Las Fallas festival)? Valencia is cheerful and special, and definitely worth considering for colorful events.

Valencia’s size makes it easy and practical to get around: it is 7km from the airport; in 15 minutes you can be in a country house surrounded by orange trees; you can go to the beach without leaving the city; and often you can just walk from the venue to the hotel. Valencia has 15,780 hotel rooms and has very low crime and theft rates. And its air connections, which were one of the city’s handicaps, are improving, with new flights to Copenhagen, Glasgow, Edinburgh,

Budapest, Marseilles and Milan.

The city is also connected to the high-speed train network.

Valencia’s traditions and historic heritage (the city is more than 2,000 years old) is complemented with the super modern City of Arts and Sciences. And gastronomy-wise, it boasts two icons: the rice which grows close to the city in the Albufera area and is used to make the most famous paellas in Spain; and its orange trees, which make it a perfect setting for incentives and meetings with an orange blossom flavor.

The Hamilton brand showed off their new diving watch in the Oceanographic. Its shark aquarium and 30m transparent tunnel made it ideal. The guests enjoyed the exhibition given by the free-diver Pierre Frolla and a number of guest journalists were given a free-diving lesson in the shark tank itself!

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VALENCIAn community

Highlighted venues One of the most attractive options for events is to dine among sharks at the Oceanographic Museum. The stars of the aquarium are sharks and stingrays; guests have the privilege of observing these creatures during any event held there. This double structure is connected by a 30-meter, transparent acrylic tunnel, thus facilitating a full view of submarine fauna. Likewise, the 585m2 interior area has an 80-seat capacity for dinners, or 150 for cocktails. It also offers 400m2 for outdoor events. CWT Meetings & Events organized a meeting here at which the general manager got into the fish tank to give the welcome. The guests had no idea it was him until he emerged and took off his neoprene suit! For the dinner, the agency chose l’Hemisferic. The hall was carpeted in orange and performers juggled fire. The area was decorated with hanging centerpieces of white flowers, there were orange and white lighting effects and the tables bore the names of the products and features of the region: horchata (a milky nut-based drink), sunshine, beaches, The City of Arts and Science is the flagship and paella. of the city’s renovation. It includes auditoriums, a stunning aquarium, the Palace of Arts, the Hemisferic, and the Agora, all located along almost two kilometers, along the now-dried-up Turia Riverbed.

Mercado de Tapineria, a 360º creative area in the old town with 500 m2 of space divided between two pedestrianized squares. It has three areas for short-term events and two catering zones.

Mercedes Benz presented their new “E” Class in l’Hemisfèric. After the presentation the cars were uncovered not only to be photographed, but also to be examined in detail during the cocktail reception.

Valencia’s conference centre is a pioneer in sustainable energy. In 2008, solar panels were installed on the 8,200m2 roof capable of generating 379,875 kWh per year, preventing emissions of 288,705 kg of CO2 (this amount would take 67,000 trees to absorb!). And September marked the hosting of the “International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2016”, which is set to turn Valencia into a research capital for the future of mobile communications networks.

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Coven Carmen. In the old Chapel of Santa Anna, which was part of the old Mosen Sorell Convent, a new venue opens up its door and its history. Three floors with large spaces that can be adapted for meetings, product presentations, exhibitions and other types of artistic Feria Valencia has 231,000m2 and a con- performances. ference centre for 5,000 people. This year it hosts the 50th Annual SEPA Meeting and the 2018 will see a boom in new hotels in Valencia: 6th SEPA Oral Hygiene Meeting for over 4,000 after the opening of the five-star hotel Marqués delegates.

House next to the National Ceramics Museum, The NBA chose La Explanada de L’Assut, with an area of 12,000m2, to hold exhibitions and basketball displays open to the public. The event was also attended by Danny Green, the San Antonio Spurs shooting guard. The Lords of Gravity’s acrobatics were featured throughout on the parquet surface.

Bombas Gens. This new art center offers large indoor and outdoor spaces. Located in an old hydraulic pump factory, it features industrial architecture inspired by the art-deco style of the 30s; its interior patio of 550m2 welcomes 400 people for cocktails. The art center is also the new home of Ricard Camarena’s Michelin-star restaurant.

the Myr chain plans to open its third hotel in Valencia, next to the Palau de la Generalitat.

In summer, another five-star hotel will open in the Paseo de Neptuno, next to the beach. And finally, a new four-star NH Collection will open on Calle Colón.

De Wall has rooms for up to 100 people as well as a terrace. This Gothic-style construction retains original structural elements and stands on top of the Arabic fortifications themselves.

You can also organize film events at Kinépolis, at the various La Rambleta rooms, or if you prefer a location nearer Valencia you have the Masía Xamandreu, Masía Campo Aníbal, or nearby, all the facilities at Terra Mítica.

Valencia, one of the most innovative and charismatic cities in Europe, could host in its interior an authentic icon of the 21st century: the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències.

An exceptional location with several spaces and endless creative possibilities that will allow you to convert from the biggest event to the most intimate in a unique event.

(+34) 96 197 44 36 · actosyeventos@cac.es Todas las posibilidades para tui próximo s p ahacer i n f ode r m c e 2 0 1 8evento - 2 0 1 9algo único 6 7 en

http://meetingsandevents.cac.es

An urban resort for an international congress Agency Finest Turevents organized the 40th European Accounting Association Congress that began with the Doctoral Colloquium, held at the Parador del Saler, a space surrounded by golf courses and dunes, and the Mediterranean sea. This was the starting point of the congress that had a record attendance: 1,500 delegates worked for three days in the Palacio de Congresos, the Hotel Sorolla Palace and the Hotel Meliá Valencia.

In addition to the attendees, this urban resort hosted a commercial exhibition, 280 parallel sessions, nine symposiums, eight parallel events, 3,000 catering services, 6,700 coffee services, as well as the social events of the EAA Congress, such as a welcome reception at the Principe Felipe Science Museum in the City of Arts and Sciences, which hosted 1,400 attendees. The highlight was the gala dinner, served in the gardens of the Hotel Las Arenas where delegates could taste the Valencian gastronomy on the shore of the beach.

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Horchata tasting in Alboraya. The Alquería del Machistre houses the Horchata Museum where you can learn the traditional way of making this typical Va- • lencian drink, and get to know the process of cultivation, management and drying of tiger nuts. After the preparation, enjoy a nice glass of traditional Horchata and feel like a true Valencian!

Bike Tour along the Turia River. Valencia has a river that has been turned into a park. On bike, you can follow the river to • its delta, where the City of Arts and Science is located.

Citrus tasting: from orange picking to cocktail lessons, the groups were taught how to make the orange-juice-based Agua de Valencia cocktail or desserts using oranges, as this is the area’s typical fruit.

Fallas Team: to learn the art of building • Fallas in workshops given by master falleros. The aim is to build one of the traditional Valencian figures known as Ninots and to compete for it to be named the only Ninot that does not get burnt to the ground on the great day of the Cremà. Out of all the teams taking part, only one Ninot can win and the choice will depend on the figure’s originality and quality.

Gastronomic experiences: from a stroll through the central market with a Michelin-star chef to cooking a paella in the Albufera after visiting the rice fields, or tasting the famous local horchata drink in Alboraya.

Sampling Tour at the Central Market: one of the city’s most interesting culinary activities is a visit to the Central Market, where guests can experience a tasting of local products or a tour through the various stands.

The Silk Road: discover the hidden threads of the silk road on a walking tour of the Velluters district, the Silk Museum, the Silk Wharf (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and shops selling typical Valencian clothes.

Worldwide presentation of the Smart Electric Drive The Veles e Vents venue hosted 6,500 dealers who, over a month, could meet and try out this new car. For that, ITB converted the 11,000m2 venue into a ‘Smart Center’. Eight models were brought onto the building using cranes and the second and third floors were filled with four Smart models each.

To try the new model, a hundred cars were used for the tests in a driving circuit which stopped by the City of Arts and Sciences. There, a showroom was installed with small glass boxes featuring the cars inside.

A space was closed in the car park for hand washing the cars every day. And on a technological note (and a good way to experience the city and the car), the event included virtual reality workshops. The event ended on a high with the ‘Smart Party’.

VALENCIAn community

The Cirque du Soleil turns Feria Valencia into a magical forest

The City of Arts and Sciences was the perfect futuristic stage to record a short Star Wars film. Viviendo del Cuento organized this teambuilding experience for 27 people. During the convention, Darth Vader suddenly bursts into the room. The objective: to make a short film as a team, with a script based on the values of the company. At the end of the day, watch the film as a team.

The trade show ground of the city turned into a place where everything was possible, full of fantastic creatures. In ‘Varekai’, 50 artists and musicians from 20 countries participated in a fusion of drama and impossible acrobatics. The setup was a particular vision of the myth of Icarus that aims to pay a tribute to the nomadic spirit, the soul and the ancient circus traditions.

Hall 3.3 was chosen by the Canadian multinational for the staging of the show.

The dimensions and technical characteristics of the pavilion, 22m in height and a surface area of close to 12.000m2, made the complex setup possible in just four days, creating a site with capacity for 5,400 people. The site is gaining share in this area thanks to its facilities and technical capacity and has already received major political meetings, sports championships, and Dreamhack, a large e-sports event.

Valencia hosts the international launch of Lamborghini ‘Aventador S’

“La gourmet Ipad Valencia”

With the slogan ‘Dare your Ego’, the Italian brand chose Valencia to present its new model, and agency CuldeSac organized a launch that took place in different locations: the Ricardo Tormo circuit, the Balneario Las Arenas hotel and the Reina Sofía Palace in the City of Arts and Sciences, for 225 guests, including international press and dealers. Conference Studio was in charge of the logistics of attendees, technical secretariat and registration, and digital media library support.

In addition to the airport, which provided a space to receive attendees with Lamborghini banners, the Las Arenas hotel, where the guests were staying, was also filled with the spirit of the brand. The pool area of the hotel overlooking the sea, the Malvarrosa Pantheon, was enhanced with haloes of light in white and yellow tones, generating a zigzag along the floor, in the direction of the pantheon, where the new model was located.

Exploramás organised an activity for 94 people from the food sector combining a quiz with a tapas excursion, the “gourmet Ipad Valencia”. They divided the group into teams with different routes, each with a tablet to find their way around and overcome challenges: to photograph hidden details in historic corners, record videos involving local people, identify wines, types of oil, etc. The teams were allowed to sabotage rival teams by blocking their tablets or making deals with serving staff to slow them down.

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VALENCIAn community

Alicante

Good transport links, a great climate and a large hotel offering make the Costa Blanca area, around Alicante, an interesting destination for meetings and incentives. Alicante, Altea, Elche, Alcoy,Torrevieja, Teulada-Moraira and Benidorm have congress facilities and 300 establishments, including 50,000 beds and 60,000 seats in their meeting rooms.

Connected by land, sea and air with several cities in Spain and Europe, they have the added attraction of a complementary offer of active tourism, sports, wineries tours, scenic routes and teambuilding programs.

A triathlon by Terra Mitica to present the new Decathlon outfils What better way to present a product than letting the audience test it out? Decathlon thought so when they turned the Terra Mitica theme park into a triathlon circuit for the global presentation of their new Aptonia sportswear. It was a seven-day event with working sessions at the Grand Luxor hotel and leisure activities, in which 400 people from several countries participated.The format combined business with activities that engaged attendees and connected them with the brand.

As a closing to this week of work and outdoor sports, attendees participated in a Hawaiian-themed dinner at the Pica Picae restaurant in Terra Mítica, which recreates a Roman villa, with high ceilings and spaces of various heights. The guests had to dress according to the color theme of Hawaiian aesthetics and enjoyed a buffet dinner with typical products from this Pacific island.

A teambuilding on the high seas Dare yourself! Under this theme, agency Queen organized a teambuilding activity featuring sailing and Mediterranean cuisine in Altea.

The idea was to stimulate the daring spirit through sailing, with the attendees enjoying a sport clearly different from more conventional activities. The teambuilding activity was a sailing regatta to put the 150 salespeople into action in a team competition. The sales meeting involved a training program, networking sessions and gastronomic activities, but the surprise came with the race on the third day. The Hotel Villa Gadea in Alteahosted the meeting. The teambuilding agenda was made up of meetings between salespeople, training sessions and visits to the town, which included two dinners in typical restaurants such as ‘L’Calleta’ and ‘La Campaneta’ to taste the typical flavors of the area. And to promote companionship, they participated in the regatta.20 teams were given some basic knowledge to manage a sailboat and learned to work as a team.

Highlighted venues

Terra Mitica This theme park, located in Benidorm, has clearly entered the MICE arena and offers multifunctional spaces totaling more than 2,500m2, distributed over two floors to accommodate events from 20 to 150 people. The Pharaoh Room on the top floor of the convention center is the largest, equipped with 1,300m2 of pillar-less spacewith natural light and access for vehicles for presentations.

Also in its enclosure is the Grand Luxor Hotel that houses the convention center.

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Wine Routes. A great way to immerse yourself in a journey that unites several regions of the Costa Blanca with great wine traditions, such as Vinalopó and Marina Alta y Baja. You can also enjoy interesting leisure activities around wine such as guided tours of the vineyards and wineries, wine tastings, etc.

Route of the 100 castles. With a script based on heritage, history and culture, the routes of the castles around Alicante are a great experience. Each fortress is a door to enter amazing natural spaces, enjoy traditional gastronomy and practice complementary activities, from hiking to shopping, as well as sports and nautical experiences.

Climbing in the mountains of Jávea and Denia. Tururac designs teambuilding adventures to encourage teamwork and strengthen bonds between company employees.

Palau Altea Center D’Arts. It has a capacity for 859 people divided into two spaces, stalls and amphitheater, distributed between the ground floor with 526 seats, and the first floor ADDA Auditorium of the Provincial with 333.

Council of Alicante. It totals 28,000m2 and has a total capacity of more than 5,000 peo- Auditorio de Cristal in Benidorm. Locatple. The Symphonic Hall holds 1,216 seats; the ed in the grounds of the Gran Hotel Bali, where entrance hall has an impactful “forest” of 584 attendees can be hosted, it has a main hall of hanging lamps; a glass room for 310 people; 939m2, with room for 1,000 people. In addithe conference room is a circular forum that tion, the Glass Terrace can accommodate 350 can be used for debates, presentations and people in cocktail and 170 in banquet. These talks which involve an audience of up to 150 spaces are completed with five rooms, a press people. room and a meeting room.

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BALEARIC ISLANDS

No need to go to exotic destinations to find magical islands: the famous Balearic Islands offer beautiful nature and lots of activities for your groups. You will find old, quiet and traditional villages inland, beautiful fishing villages by the sea, and cities of bustling nightlife. For quiet groups, Menorca and Formentera are the perfect options. In Mallorca, the capital city, Palma, stands out as well as the Cabrera natural park and the Sierra de Tramontana Mountain. Ibiza, the international star famous for its clubbing scene, is a UNESCO Heritage Site because of its biodiversity and culture.

Majorca The largest of the Balearic Islands attracts visitors with its traditions, gastronomy, secluded bays and picturesque spots. But Majorca is not only coastal, its landscapes and the Serra de la Tramontana (UNESCO World Heritage Site) offer a unique variety of scenery and colors beyond the sea.

The island lets you combine your conference with its cultural and gastronomic offerings and its many attractions.

What’s more, the recent opening of the congress center will enable the hosting of larger conferences, making the most of one of the island’s greatest assets - its airport, which is Spain’s third-busiest.

For incentive trips there are many different activity options: exclusive hire of one of the Sóller train carriages, jeep excursions to Serra de la Tramontana, classic car trips, winery visits with workshops and dining amongst the vines, sailing and expeditions. Travel to Son Marroig to dine while enjoying panoramic views of the town. Quiz-style excursions offer the chance to discover different places in a fun way.

Highlighted venues

After years in the making, the congress center finally opened in early 2017, and offers an auditorium for 1,978 delegates, a smaller one for 462 and various meeting rooms. It is operated by Meliá Hotels, which also manages the 4-star hotel located right on top of the center. Another recent addition is the Park Hyatt Mallorca, which got its inspiration from the local culture and imitates a Majorcan mountain village.

It offers eight meeting rooms, dominated by a central patio, perfect for coffee breaks.

Rafa Nadal Sports Center. A sports center and residence for stays (and events!) that combine sports, health, well-being and comfort. It has indoor and outdoor spaces for events, as well as catering services and sports facilities.

It also features “Sport Xperience by Rafa Nadal”, a sports museum dedicated to great international athletes and an ‘Xperience’ room with state-of-the-art simulators.

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Four days of work and play Mallorca Business Support organized four days of work meetings and fun activities for 170 sales staff of a German company. The guests arrived at different times, so on the first day a dinner was prepared at Bodegas Castell de Miquel, in Alaró, where they sampled typical products.

The second day was dedicated to work, but attendees were surrounded by nature at the Finca Sa Canova in Sa Pobla. The morning was spent in meetings for the various countries as well as joint meetings, interspersed with rest periods: swimming, massages, coffee breaks, sun loungers, etc.

On the third day, the group was split in two: some went to the Renn Arena racetrack in Llucmajor to compete in go-carts and enjoy team activities; the others went to Santa Ponsa to partake in various water sports: speed-boating, catamaran trips and jet skis. Halfway through the day the teams swapped roles to try the other activities.

On the last day, the group enjoyed a team-building activity. They began by making Majorcan herb spirit and learned how to make different types of salt (rosemary, curry, etc.) using salt extracted from the Majorcan salt flats. Later, to test their creativity, they formed groups accompanied by local musicians who were tasked with helping them to compose versions of well-known songs using their own lyrics. They had to sing about how the year had been in the company, teamwork, etc. In the Sa Canova gardens a circular stage was set up surrounded by candles, settees, blankets, cushions, etc., and the chosen member of each group went on stage, accompanied by the musicians, to perform their song.

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Pidelaluna Events suggests visiting the Sierra de Tramuntana in a classic car, stopping in the picturesque villages of Valldemossa and Sóller for lunch in a typical Mallorcan restaurant (some options have a Michelin Star). This activity is great to experience the culture, gastronomy and excitement of driving a vintage car through spectacular scenery.

Sea and mountain: the flavor of Mallorca. A genuine way to explore the coast of Majorca is in Llaüt, a small traditional wooden boat that was originally used for fishing. Pidelaluna organizes these excursions to explore secret places that can only be accessed by sea.

Underwater cave. Discover an authentic underwater treasure equipped with neoprene, helmet and lantern and accompanied by a speleologist who will guide you through the cave and its rooms full of stalagmites, stalactites, columns and swimming pools.

Majorca is also very attractive for equestrian tourism, a perfect option for nature lovers who want to enjoy beautiful rural and coastal environments on horseback.

See craftsmen work in the Passeig de l’Artesanía de Palma in Sa Gerreria, one of Majorca’s oldest neighborhoods. The traditional handicrafts, dating from medieval times, are now showcased in 15 workshops.

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BALEARIC ISLAND

Ibiza This modern and cosmopolitan island maintains its customs and traditions, but also offers great infrastructure for events, with a congress center right by the sea and the FECOEF, a trade show center with more than 10,000m2 for events, which was recently renovated. In Ibiza, go beyond the star-filled hotels and beach clubs, and you can complete your work program with hot-air balloon trips, organize a private party right in the middle of the sea, snorkel in the clearest waters and kayak along the coast. But there is nothing like enjoying its famous sunsets with chill-out music in the background. Ibiza is maturing and its appeal is growing, partly thanks to a rise in the number of flights and to the willingness of the authorities to help organizers with the logistics, which includes cordoning off roadways for the island’s popular vehicle shows.

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Dreams & Adventures provides a variety of the Island’s options for activities for events Nautical Activities offers an interactive course on meteorology and radio communication at the Meteo & Radio station, followed by a trip on a sailing boat. Meanwhile, Ibiza Hippy Rally has visitors zooming around Ibiza’s ‘hippiest’ locations in a vintage Citroen 2CV. Each team is kitted out with this two-horsepower vehicle, hippy outfits and a backpack full of gear, including a Nikon camera and a pedometer, ready to set out on the course and explore the island. At Ibiza Food & Cooking, visitors will learn how to cook up a traditional Borrida de Rajada, a very popular dish in Ibiza and Formentera, as well as concocting Mallorcan and Ibizan “ herbes”, which is a spirit which contains up to thirty different herbs.

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