Conference Matters 125 | Destination Holland by Het_Portaal_Uitgevers

DESTINATION HOLLAND Conference cities and regions in the Netherlands

TIPS & TRICKS

The king is coming! An unforgettable conference with royal grandeur STRATEGY

MAXIMISE THE IMPACT OF YOUR EVENT From two days contact to a full year

DESTINATION HOLLAND Conference cities and regions in the Netherlands

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

The important role of poetry in politics Hanneke Eggels DESTINATION MARKETING

REMARKABLY OPEN New concept for Holland stand

‘The need for contact remains relevant’ Carin Smand

COMMENT

Connecting the dots Four years ago, we made our first move from our Dutch meeting magazine, QM, into the international conference market together with Conference Holland. Not to do history an injustice, I should note that ten years earlier we had boldly made an attempt to gain a foothold with a European meeting magazine. After three years, we came to the conclusion that QM Europe offered too little added value compared with existing magazines. The decision to create a magazine specialising in conferences together with Conference Holland with a focus on the Dutch conference landscape appeared to clearly cater to a need. Two years later the family was then further expanded to incorporate Conference Belgium. It thus became a ‘modern family’, with a colourful mix of identities. Family members, who now all had their own website, newsletter and social media accounts. In 2017 we are connecting the dots to create a cohesive community with a collective identity. In Conference Matters we have found a new family name, which is a good fit for us. A name, which once again harks back to the history when roughly two decades ago we saw the light of day as Congress Vision. Our core task remains creating publications on organising content-driven events. Events that are relevant. We write about this in a substantive, independent, (constructively) critical manner and with passion for the discipline of organisation. In so doing we provide a platform for all stakeholders to share their vision at conferences: their experiences, the trends that they flag up, their opinion, the solutions that they have devised and their intrinsic motivation. We think that we can be relevant with our online and offline publications supporting the work of conference organisers, customers, suppliers and sponsors. We feel this is a noble endeavour. Because conferences do matter. @ConferenceMatters Edwin Nunnink Editor in Chief Conference Matters

Carin Smand

Need for contact

An opportunity for a general update and two-way collaboration; that is the strength of a congress, according to Carin Smand. The director of the European Hematology Association sees few threats to the EHA conference, which every year attracts 11,000 participants. Changes, however, are inevitable. “We may need to simplify the model due to regulations but the need for contact remains relevant.”

Holland stand

Remarkably open The Meccano cube has given way to an open playing field. Under the watchful guard of two impressive, dynamic inflatables, various cities, regions and venues will come together to put Holland on the map during the international meeting and travel trade shows.

CONTENT

Royal visit

Engagement

Seven tips

Hanneke Eggels

The presence of the king, queen or other head of state will give your conference extra prestige. Which method for issuing your invitation to the palace will guarantee the greatest chance of success? How can you be sure that the visit goes as well as possible? In this issue, we provide seven tips for an unforgettable conference with royal grandeur.

“Literature and poetry are good pathways for discussing broader political issues," says poet and essayist Hanneke Eggels. She despises reading texts aloud. Eggels considers her presentations at international conferences to be shows: the public has to be entertained by the contents of the conversation.

Increase the impact of your event

Growing numbers of association meetings

RAI COO Maurits van der Sluis

The number of rotating inter national association meetings continues to double every ten years for five decades in a row. ICCA captured 12,212 meetings taking place in 2016, which is clearly an all-time record for its annual snapshot, with 136 additional meetings compared to 2015.

According to Maurits van der Sluis, the need to meet each other face-to-face has only increased with the advent of digitalisation. “People who have contact with each other on the internet all day also want to meet each other in person. But the events do indeed change form. Everyone needs to reinvent themselves and find their next version or they'll fall behind,” says the COO van RAI Amsterdam.

From 2 to 365 days

Ranking

Positive

8 Drones

The Unmanned Systems (TUS) Expo in World Forum, The Hague

20 Engagement

Destination Holland

Conference cities & regions We present you five congress cities and one region, spread throughout the Netherlands. Learn which destination excels in which sectors, what their specific atmosphere is and which facilities they offer to make congresses a success. Get acquainted with Leiden, Noordwijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague and North Holland above Amsterdam.

Steffen Kalverboer Family driven

Ton Soons Top sectors

Eric Bakermans

Rod Cameron

38 Recovery 41

Hunter's instinct

HITEC Amsterdam

Conference Calendar

Giveaways

Conference Bites

International Conferences in the Netherlands

VOLUME 29, Destination Holland 2017 CONFERENCE MATTERS edition 125

Catering

Over the past five years, culinary service provider Hutten has seen an increase of 10 to 15 percent in the demand to accommodate special dietary needs. Kosher, Halal, gluten free, lactose free, vegan ... These are all much more strict than they used to be. With 250 chefs representing 15 different nationalities, het catering company from Brabant has precisely the melting pot in house to meet those demands.

Talking Green

Melting pot

Live emotional polling

Proud member of ICCA

CIRCULATION: 5,000 copies. PUBLISHING COMPANY: Het Portaal Uitgevers, Veerdijk 40-i, 1531 MS Wormer, the Netherlands E-mail: ConferenceMatters@hetportaal.com, Tel. +31 (75) 6475747 EDITOR IN CHIEF: Edwin Nunnink (edwin.nunnink@hetportaal.com). CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Eric Bakermans, Evelien Baks, Daan Borrel, Lisette Erdtsieck, Sjoerd Geurts, Steffen Kalverboer, Judith Munster, Harald Roelofs, Ton Soons. TRANSLATION: Presence Group. PUBLISHER: Edwin Nunnink. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Els Metselaar (abonnementen@hetportaal.com), Netherlands/ Belgium: € 30,00 per year (excl VAT), Europe: € 60,00 per year. ADVERTISEMENTS: Ferry Aaftink (ferry.aaftink@hetportaal.com), Tel. +31 (6) 12643168. TRAFFIC: Monique Zijlstra (traffic@hetportaal.com), Tel. +31 (75) 6475747. GRAPHIC DESIGN: Aryen Bouwmeester, Finnmedia PRINTING: Real Concepts COVER: Caroline Martinot SHIPPING BELGIUM: 4x a year, april, may, october, november. Erkenningsnummer P309949. Afgiftekantoor Antwerpen X.

CONTENT

PHOTO: HUCOPIX

DRONES

World-renowned keynote speakers, entrepreneurs and distinguished VIP guests attended the third edition of The Unmanned Systems (TUS) Expo and the fifth edition of RoboBusiness Europe on 19 - 21 April 2017 in World Forum, The Hague. During the First International Robotics Week in The Hague, two popular business events joined forces and became one fully integrated, multi-layered event – in fact, one of the largest business-to-business drones and robotics events in Europe. With the new Queen Máxima expo of World Forum, even more exhibition space was available for this event and thousands of visitors from all around the world were in attendance. TECHCRUNCH STYLE Hundreds of companies, research institutes and governmental organisations displayed their latest innovations and products in the fields of robotics and unmanned systems, such as drones, aquatic drones and other autonomous vehicle systems. More than sixty speakers – entrepreneurs and scientists from all over the world – gave keynotes and discussed the future of robotics and drones in TechCrunch style,

during panel discussions, interacting with the professional public. His Royal Highness Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, special envoy of StartupDelta, attended the conference and Kim Liebregts of Tesla Motors, Noel Sharkey of Responsible Robotics Foundation and Melonee Wise of Fetch Robotics opened the conference. HUGE IMPACT The implementation of robotics and drones is taking off at high speed. There are almost no limits to the possibilities: robots for health care, agribusiness, surveillance, autonomous harbours, intralogistics and driverless vehicles. The number of inventions and new applications is growing exponentially. Robotics and drones will play a very important role in our future. They will have a substantial impact on our society and it is vital we manage their global implementation in a responsible way.

CARIN SMAND

ASSOCIATION PL ANNER

Not only does sharing information keep you updated on developments, communicating with other doctors, getting to know your network and the group in which you operate are also very important, asserts Carin Smand, Director of the European Hematology Association. Every year the association forges partnerships between 11,000 hematologists at the EHA congress.

Reading the anniversary publication ‘Fresh blood’, it quickly becomes clear that the European Hematology Association (EHA) has had a turbulent history of initiatives to create a global and European association for this medical specialism. The successful launch of the current association finally transpired in 1992 with the announcement of a European congress, which was to take place in Brussels in 1994. The response was unexpectedly high: 1,500 people immediately responded as a result of which the organisers needed to move the event to a larger venue. Ultimately, the first congress of the European Hematology Association was officially recorded as having 1,989 participants. Now, 25 years later the EHA congress attracts about 11,000 hematologists annually. “You can definitely say that the association is originated from a congress and that this continues to be the association’s most impor-

tant activity in terms of scope and significance,” says Director Carin Smand. “It wasn’t until 2000 that EHA opened an office with one employee who undertook mainly administrative tasks. Since then, more and more activities have been developed, which means that every year another committee and an employee have been added. In 2008, when I took a position here, there were nine employees working in the office in Rotterdam. We now have about thirty employees here in The Hague; an international group all with very different backgrounds. Outside project management, running EHA nowadays requires legal expertise, a communication specialist, somebody who can make calls to arrange a meeting with the right person in Brussels, and much more.” “A congress leads to activities. In the past the board was actively involved in implementation; the actual execution of tasks.. For many years this is no longer the case any

more. The board steers the association and decides on its strategy, They provide the direction.. We are here to carry out everything that the EHA board and committees decide on. In addition, we are also actively involved in the policy and strategy of the Association and we contribute to the discussion. Still, at the end of the day, it is the EHA board that discusses and decides on the direction of the association. They do this in a very active manner.

What kind of association is the EHA? We have an individual membership. We are not a federation of national associations, as you might see with other associations within health care. This is a conscious choice. It ensures there is little political influence. Health care in all European countries is organised in very different ways. This also means that the role of the national associations can differ greatly. So as a European association you need to carefully look at what might provide added value and where common interests lie. For example, we are working together with the national associations towards the European Commission to ensure that hematology appears on the research agenda and to champion the

TEXT: EDWIN NUNNINK | PHOTOS: CAROLINE MARTINOT

‘An implicit method of learning, which is extremely valuable’

ASSOCIATION PL ANNER

We have an individual membership. This is a conscious choice. It ensures there is little political influence. harmonisation of education within our specialist field. If you want improvements to be introduced at a European level then, as specialist associations within Europe, you will first need to combine forces if you want the European Commission to listen to you. We are a European association, but one with a global reach. The philosophy behind this is that within Europe we also need to be accessible to people from outside Europe. As a result of that, over the years more and more hematologists from outside Europe have been coming to our congress. In addition we receive requests from national associations outside Europe to organise education in their country. For example, in India we are organising education together with the Indian Hematology Society, and last November there was a congress n Dubai aimed at the Middle East with a selection of sessions from our annual congress. For such so-called outreach events we get the national association to specify which speakers they want to hear and we always arrange for the sessions to be led by a chairperson from the country itself, together with an EHA chairperson. The national association also advises on practical matters. For example, in the Middle East, they view a standing lunch as quite unheard of and in India they regard

what in Europe is considered an acceptable fee, quite differently. The activities are not always profitable. In my opinion, that is also typical of an association. The money that the EHA earns through a particular activity or the support from its sponsors has to be recycled into other activities to benefit hematologists and hematology, and not, for example, into salaries for board members. All our board and committee members are unpaid volunteers. This means that you have a different dynamic within your organisation.

Membership recruitment seems challenging as an independent European association. We have 4,500 members out of 11,000 conference delegates. The number of members is less important for the conference, but it is, of course, important for, for example, lobbying activities. This is where the power of big numbers really counts. We mainly recruit during the conference. Members are given a discount, are allowed to check in via a priority lane and are given a member's flag for their badge. During the conference in the Netherlands, we stuck a tulip on for members who had extended their membership. At the end of the conference the resounding question was ‘Have you been tuliped yet?’. We make the distinction between members and non-members during the confer-

ence in a light-hearted and practical manner. Hematologists who become a member do so for benefits: a discount on the conference fee, the ability to apply for fellowships and travel grants, involvement in board elections, receiving our journal and access to our online learning platform. The latter is an absolute must if you want to engage the younger generation. Young doctors - those under the age of 36 - only pay 20 euros per annum; normally it’s 155 euros per annum.

Is digital learning going to displace congresses? Throughout their lives, hematologists need to learn to maintain an overview in their specialist field where so much is happening. Developments are occurring with ever increasing frequency. Within a short period of time we have gone from, for example, fifty to as many as one-hundred-and-fifty different disorders. For the layperson, leukaemia is one condition, but within hematology many different types occur. And then there is also leukaemia in adults, young people and in children, and they all need to be treated in a different way. Not only are you kept up-todate on developments by sharing information. Communicating with other doctors, getting to know your network, the group that you operate in…, this is also really im-

Carin Smand: "An opportunity for a general update and two-way collaboration, that is the strength of a conference."

be included in research projects. These groups use the congress to organise meetings themselves. Everything serves to promote efficiency. You cram four days full of sessions and meetings and then on Sunday you go home to once again see your patients on Monday.

portant. This is an implicit method of learning, which is extremely valuable. Part of this communication can be replaced by digital methods, however eventually people will always want to get around the table together.

That would be a reason in favour of a number of smaller congresses rather than one large congress Being a general haematologist, getting an update on the latest developments in the field is important. This requires oversight and that is exactly what the congress provides, outside updates on the more specific topics aimed at specialists. You know what you are doing with your patients, and you want to know whether that could be or needs to be done differently by using newly

attained know-how and insights. In addition, contact with one another is extremely important: between peers and between general hematologists and academic specialists. An opportunity for a general update and two-way collaboration; that is the strength of the congress. General hematologists, the largest group by far that also gets to see the largest proportion of patients, come for the educational sessions where they acquire knowledge that they can put into practice. For academic specialists, personal contact with general hematologists is also important, especially for scientific research for which patients are needed. For them it is important to have contact with general hematologists who are able to help recruiting patients to

Do you specifically target the younger generation by organising special sessions for them in your congress program? We have an early track for young hematologists during which specific topics are discussed the phase in their career.. For example, how do you conduct a clinical trial and how do you present at a congress? This track is part of our congress app which enables participants to put together their own agenda very easily. Speakers are often also seasoned experts at working with this target group. They are also often involved in training courses. In addition we organise an early career reception aimed at establishing an alumni club. It is a reception with a short program and above all there is ample opportunity to chat with one another. This year for the first time we have put together a committee of young hematologists, who will also attend the management meeting.

ASSOCIATION PL ANNER

You work with a Professional Congress Organiser. Given its importance you could also choose to organise the congress all by yourself. The first congress in which I was involved, in 2008 in Copenhagen, ‘only’ attracted 6,500 attendees, which I found it overwhelming. Fortunately we had a good partner in Eurocongress. In the meantime, Eurocongress became part of MCI and we continue to work together. You might as well assert that this has been an important partner in helping us to progress. Since 2008 we’ve changed a number of things in our collaboration. At the outset you saw that things overlapped. For example, that the PCO managed the programme committee. We have separated these things from one another. You need to ask yourself what your core business is. For us, this means putting together an outstanding congress program, with the right sessions, the right speakers, no overlap and with a smart schedule for all sessions so that if you want to go from session A to session B, you don’t discover that they are both scheduled for Saturday morning from eight to ten. The other things are also unbelievably important: a good venue, a clear program book, making sure that there are enough toilets, that there are hotels nearby... But ultimately these are not our core business. We want it to be well organised, are we are actively involved in these matters, however executing

them is the responsibility of MCI. I truly believe that a fairly lean organisation contributes to efficiency and we don't need to set up fully-fledged departments taking care of logistical issues. We have regular meetings with MCI to discuss ongoing logistical matters and innovations we would like to implement in the congress organisation. It is not just a matter of sending contracts and overviews back and forth. These kinds of meetings are also an important part of the collaboration. In addition it actually comes down to continuous briefings in which things are constantly being coordinated. The evaluation day after the conference is really important, something for which the whole office and MCI provides evaluation points. We all work through these point by point. We take sufficient time for this to see how we can further improve next year’s congress.

How do you decide on the location of the next congress? We try to serve Europe by moving our congress from North to South and from East to West, however due to the increased size of the congress, the avalilibilty of enough lhotels nearby and the price/ quality ratio, the list of potential locations becomes limited. Still we manage to every year organize our congress in a different European city. There are also European medical societies who organize their congress every year in the same place. For example the European Society of Radiology every year is in Vienna. As long

as this is possible we will keep on moving around.

To what extent are you affected by pharmaceutical regulations? It isn’t that bad, except for a significant increase in the administrative burden, which is inevitably the case with all regulations. Compared to some year ago the exhibition is slightly different both in terms of its size and content. Furthermore, all kind of social activities are no longer part of the congress which is a good development. Sponsors now mainly focus on education on their specific products and studies. At a detailed level the regulatory changes are highly dynamic however the trend is clear. Our own regulations and values are also extremely important. What do we allow and what not? It is really important to independently develop our programs and projects and we strictly adhere to this. I feel that it provides greater clarity and people come specifically for the quality of our congress. After all, you don't want to hear participants saying that they are going to the EHA congress because the party on the Saturday evening is such a blast. At that point we have failed to get it right. The quality of program; that’s what people really want. That’s what you need to focus on. What I am more concerned about is the tense climate in the world and the fact that this might make people reluctant to travel. But all in all I see few threats to the congress. Changes, however, are inevitable. We may need to simplify the model due to regulations but the need for contact remains relevant.

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SECTIE

SEVEN TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL ROYAL VISIT

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TIPS & TRICKS

The king is coming!

HOW LIKELY IS YOUR INVITATION TO BE ACCEPTED? If you wish to invite the king, it is useful to ask how great the likelihood is that the head of state will actually come. Is the conference of national importance in terms of content and form? Does it tie in to what is currently happening in the country and society or a moment of historical importance? Has the organisation, institution or company been in existence for a long time, and is it held in high regard? In the case of an anniversary, say of your association, is it a jubilee year? For example, 50, 75, 100 years or more? The Royal House will consider these questions when deciding whether or not to accept an invitation. The king will also make efforts to ensure that his visits are distributed across the whole country and take in all (age) groups and life visions.

THE INVITATION The head of state may only be invited by conventional letter to the Paleis Noordeinde. It is not possible to issue an invitation by telephone, e-mail or otherwise. You should direct the invitation to the head of state himself. Do this sufficiently in advance of the event. Companies and other organisations should always conclude their correspondence with 'We remain yours faithfully' and the highest-ranking person in the organisation should sign the letter. For example, the chairman of the board or the director. The highest person in the country is always addressed by the highest person in the organisation. Never has this type of letter been signed on the person's behalf (p.p.) by a secretary or other lower-ranking member of staff. This will be taken as a sign of indifference and will certainly not help your cause.

Flowers Presenting a bouquet of flowers to the queen on her arrival will be appreciated, but is not obligatory. It is best to indicate that you wish to do this during the preparations, as well as who will present the flowers. If the queen is presented with flowers, any other female members of the royal family present should also receive a bouquet.

4 3

MAJESTY The correct form of address for the king and queen is ‘Your Majesty’. Princes and princesses are addressed as ‘Your Royal Highness’. The children of Princess Margriet are addressed as ‘Your Highness’, this is because they are not princes of the Netherlands, rather 'only' Princes of Oranje-Nassau. When Beatrix was queen, she indicated that she wished to be addressed exclusively as ‘Your Majesty’. Now Beatrix has abdicated, she is ‘Your Royal Highness’. She does not appreciate being addressed as Mrs, and will often make this subtly apparent. Willem-Alexander and Máxima are slightly more tolerant in this respect, however, for them too ‘Your Majesty’ is the safest option.

KNOW THE RULES Stricter rules apply for a royal visit than for a normal business event. There is no escaping this, but it does not mean the event is more difficult on the whole. On the contrary: if you know the rules, everything becomes perfectly straightforward. You know precisely what you need to do, you can relax and no one feels sidelined. There is an extra dimension to this if several heads of state are involved. Here too, internationally accepted rules apply. These determine who goes first, who comes after them, and who is introduced to whom. At its core, presidents and royalty are on the same level in terms of international protocol. The size of the country does not make any difference. What counts is the number of years of service of the head of state. A president will usually only be in office for four or eight years, while a monarch will, in principle, remain head of state for life. This means most monarchs who have already been in office for many years will go ahead of presidents. The now 91-year-old Queen Elizabeth II of England always takes precedence as she is the longest serving head of state in the world (since 1952). But Willem-Alexander has only been King of the Netherlands since 30 April 2013, therefore, he will be placed between the presidents, but in time he will take precedence over them.

TIPS & TRICKS

Foreign visits If the king is invited to make a foreign visit, the relationship with the Netherlands will be considered as well as how relevant a visit is relevant for the Dutch community in that country, or whether it is relevant for the good causes supported by members of the royal family. For example, Princess Margriet is involved with the Red Cross, Princess Laurentien does a great deal for campaigns to combat illiteracy and Queen Mรกxima promotes access to (micro) credit services for people who are financially disadvantaged.

PREPARATORY MEETING The king and the other members of the Royal House are supported in their duties by secretaries, ladies-in-waiting and aides who carefully plan and direct the appearances of their royal employers. If the king accepts an invitation, preparations for the visit will be made by members of the Royal Household, usually a lady-in-waiting and an aide. Of course, they will want to know what the esteemed guest will be expected to do, whether, for example, it's opening a building, unveiling a work of art or taking receipt of something. The aide will contact the organiser several months in advance to make an appointment for a preparatory meeting where the visit will take place. At the on-site preparatory meeting, staff of the Cabinet and Protocol of the King's Commissioners and of the mayor will also be present. The aide will ask to see a draft copy of the programme for the visit. So, be sure you have one. A programme that has a good balance of both formality and content (presentations, speeches, addresses) and includes an informal part (tour, time to talk with employees, et cetera) is likely to be well-received. The aide will also ask to see the schedule and summaries of speeches and addresses. The staff of the Royal Household will also wish to know the position and relevant background information about the people who will be presented to the king. Security will be handled by the Royal and Diplomatic Security Division. They will also be involved in the preparations and will be present at the event.

THE ARRIVAL The head of state always arrives last and leaves first. In principle, it is considered to be discourteous if other guests arrive later than or leave before the king. During a visit of the king, the mayor and the King's commissioner are the first people to go to the car to greet him. They introduce the host/hostess at the entrance who will then accompany the king throughout the rest of the visit. When greeting the king, wait for him to put out his hand first. You do not need to state your name again as this will have been clarified during the preparations. You may present the King to other persons present, if appropriate. The retinue will not usually be greeted separately as this would hold up proceedings. When the king enters, naturally everyone stands. They will often applaud too. Clearly, the king should be given the place of honour and certainly he will not be expected to open the door himself. The host takes the place next to the king and the retinue will be given places after the king. When the conference begins, the king is always addressed first. 'Your Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses, Mr. Mayor, ladies and gentlemen, may I warmly welcome you.' After the formal part, there will usually be an informal gathering. While drinks are being served, key employees are presented to the esteemed guests. Who these are will be is discussed with the aide beforehand. Those who meet the king and, where applicable, the queen do not need to think about how they will start a conversation. The king or the queen will open the conversation and pose questions. You may ask a question yourself, but this should be within the context of the conversation.

DEPARTURE Upon their departure, the host accompanies the esteemed guests to the door. The King's commissioner and the mayor then do the honours and accompany the royal guest(s) to their car. The king may wish to speak to the mayor again briefly. As the host, give him the opportunity to do so and do not accompany the king to the car. Sending a letter of thanks to the king following a visit will be appreciated. You may wish to send a photograph or a publication with a report on the meeting. This will bring the royal visit to a pleasant conclusion.

TIPS & TRICKS

ENGAGEMENT

Stop conducting post-event satisfaction surveys that allow participants to give socially desirable answers. With sensors in wearables and software that analyse facial expressions, you can directly determine the effect of a presentation on your delegates. Sensum CEO Gawain Morrison gave his audience at IBTM World 2016 a look at the (near) future. His company worked alongside Cisco’s business communications team to implement attendee surveys, apps, biometric, and wearable technology to build a 360° picture of how emotionally engaging and successful their events actually were. Using physiological data such as heart rate and skin-sweat response, they have been able to fine tune their conference schedules and to better structure speaker programmes to find out what does and doesn’t work. They have also been able to help their speakers improve their presentation skills and finesse session content. At Science Gallery Dublin 2015, visitors got the opportunity to test Sensum's tools to measure conscious and emotional responses to experiences, from media engagement to a digital diary device. These are real-time touch and feel interactions where a user wears a sensor or tries out an app, with responses being displayed in a cloud-based dashboard for review. Lynn Scarff, director of Science Gallery Dublin, allowed Sensum to broadcast her emotional response real time while giving a launch-night speech to a packed house. The participants could also see their live emotional-polling results captured by Sensum’s emotional 'Snap Poll' tool. Audiences are time poor, overwhelmed with content, and easily distracted, Gawain Morrison emphasises. Events need to be emotionally engaging to stand out from the crowd.

COLUMN

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES VERY IMPORTANT FOR DUTCH TOP SECTOR APPROACH

What is the Dutch top sector approach? The Netherlands is a global leader in trade and industry. We generate much of our income in the international arena, but our leading position is not a given. We will have to do everything we can to remain competitive. At the same time, we must take a firm approach to societal challenges such as an ageing population and climate change. These issues are at the very core of the top sector approach, where industry, science and government work together to tackle them. This unique form of collaboration (golden triangle/triple helix) is designed to promote innovation, to attract talent (human capital) and to ensure a solid position for the sectors in the international context. The instruments we use include investments, fiscal incentives, guarantees and cutting down on bureaucracy and red tape. What is the international interest? In the Netherlands, we generate much of our income through foreign trade and industry. In 2016 we were ranked fifth on the World Economic Forum’s list of the world’s most competitive economies, which we are immensely proud about. Our fierce competitiveness is an important pillar of our prosperity. We're refining our educational programmes to be better attuned to the demands of the job market so as to develop and retain talent. This requires the combined efforts of industry, science and government. How do the top sectors work together? The success of the top sector approach is not only due to cooperation between industry, science and government in the various sectors. The cross-fertilization between the top sectors also produces clear added value. Just consider the Horticultural sector working together with the Energy sector to help meet a city’s energy needs or the collaborative effort by the HTSM and Logistics sectors to enhance safety. Why is this so important? The big societal issues we want to address through the top sectors require an overarching, cross-border approach. What is the role of international congresses in relation to top sectors? A (scientific) international congress is a very important instrument to exchange knowledge among peers, discuss new discoveries and add to the value of each top sector. NBTC Holland Marketing is looking beyond touristic value and incorporating destination marketing and international congresses as an essential tool to enhance and maintain our leading role in the world when it comes to our top sectors.

ERIC BAKERMANS, NBTC HOLL AND MARKETING

High Tech, Life Sciences & Health, Agri & Food, Chemistry, Creative Industry, Sustainable Energy, Logistics, Horticulture & Propagation Materials, Water and Climate; these are the nine so-called top sectors of the Netherlands.

DESTINATION MARKETING

REMARKABLY OPEN

TEXT: EDWIN NUNNINK ILLUSTR ATION: VISUALS TOTEMS/GIELISSEN

The Meccano cube has given way to an open playing field. Under the watchful guard of two impressive, dynamic inflatables, various cities, regions and venues will come together to put Holland on the map during the international meeting and travel trade shows.

After eight years of service, the highly recognisable Holland stand simply had nothing left to give. There was no choice left but to replace it. For each of the leading international meeting and travel shows, the stand had been rebuilt, adapted for the venue, participants and audience and then broken down once more, packed up and transported to the next trade show elsewhere in the world.

The orange cube, as if built with the Meccano method, had many compact desks on the outside, where the participating destination and venue representatives were ready to present themselves to the hosted buyers and passers-by. And in the middle, as its beating heart, stood the spacious bar where Mr Holland experienced many high points during Happy Hour. The singing figurehead of the most recent

campaign bid a festive farewell last year at IBTM World in Barcelona. And when this trade show drew to a close, the Holland stand was discretely spirited away in transport crates. A NEW DIRECTION By the start of 2015, NBTC Holland Marketing — responsible for promoting the Netherlands as a tourist and business destination — had already begun preparing for a new stand to serve in 2017 as a flagship at the international meeting and travel shows. That two-year period was used in part to exchange ideas with the participating partners. “The key words for the new concept were striking and open,"

DESTINATION MARKETING

says Eric Bakermans, Meetings & Conventions Manager. “Open, because the desks and displays installed on the outside of the old stand had created a closed-off feeling. Especially when you consider that the stand was staffed by about 80 people, and that's not even counting the hosted buyers. The stand should be striking from a distance and striking in its simplicity. We didn't want to create a fun fair atmosphere, an information overload or to erect any barriers.” The final result? A Holland stand that differs entirely from its predecessor. The virtually closed box of the former stand has made way for an open playing field as its successor. IMPRESSIVE INFLATABLES “The stand embodies an enterprising, inviting, colourful and inventive spirit with a sense of fun," says Peter van Lier of Totems, the design agency that co-developed the winning design with Gielissen, a booth constructor. Dual inflatables, standing an impressive six metres in height, will ensure that the new Holland stand can be distinguished from the other high-rise stands in their midst. The orange and white light-weight hulks are ten- and fifteen-metres tall, respectively, have a dynamic curved shape

(the characteristic swoosh springs to mind) and will be illuminated due to ingenious built-in LED lighting. A UNITING GESTURE “They also represent a uniting gesture," explains Peter van Lier. “Participants literally work underneath the Holland brand, so this foster a sense of community and togetherness that is mutually reinforcing rather than competitive.” According to Bakermans, “Our partners want to collaborate. We welcome our guests on behalf of Holland, because the choice of country is often the first consideration for clients. Only after this has been accomplished will they go on to select the city and then the venue.” The cities and regions no longer have their own desk, but they can be found in the so-called theme circles. The circles are a visual representation of NBTC's strategy to market the Netherlands as a go-to destination. This new stand is designed to provide the growing number of foreign visitors with more room and guidance by spreading them out in time and space. GOING PAPERLESS Flat screens on the trade stand exterior and icons in the theme circles will

attract and lead trade show visitors inside the Holland stand. Sample icons include the lighthouse of Noordwijk, Miffy for Utrecht and Rembrandt and books for Leiden. The first introductory meeting for the destination and venue representatives will be held inside the circles. Visitors need not fear being sent back out on the trade show floor with a pack of brochures, because the Holland stand has gone paperless; information is now displayed digitally on tablets and upon request. Seating areas for relaxation and conversation have been set up to help people become better acquainted. NO TALKING SUITS Space is also reserved for group presentations. “This time, the stand is under the capable hands of Aaaaha! the Actor Factory, whose staff will provide the necessary humour and interactivity," says Eric Bakermans, adding: “because no one wants to sit around waiting on a talking suit. What we want is to create a memory.” Should any guests grow concerned about the fate of the popular Happy Hour at the Holland stand, the Meetings & Conventions Manager of NBTC Holland Marketing assures us that the bar, Heinekens and music will also be on offer at the new stand.

ADVERTORIAL

Every meeting is a new story Radisson Blu brings success stories to life

Find out more at: radissonblu.com ↓

The perfect location, an inspiring ambience, and cutting-edge technology. Focused work for successful goal achievement, delicious food, and an entertaining program of accompanying events. Requirements for "the perfect meeting" are diverse and present great challenges for the event planner. But the path to a successful event is often nerve-racking and the wishful thinking is a far cry from the reality of daily meetings.

"AS COMMITTED AS YOU ARE" Radisson Blu's innovative approach to meetings and events proves that things can be done differently. For them, every event represents a new story that they can tell together with the client. From the first minute of planning to the successful conclusion of the event, experts promise a unique conference experience that helps organizers in writing their own meeting success stories. The approach is built on passion, inspiration, trust, and a sympathetic ear for personal needs, since every event is unique. Individual requests are made a focal point and are handled with sensitivity and empathy. Valuable expert advice helps organizers to find the perfect event location, select the best facilities, and bring together a fabulous event. Event planning "Designed for Success". This event promise is aimed at all of the diverse industries with all of their unique ins and outs. Whether the

automotive industry, pharmaceutical companies, or the sports industry, experienced meeting and event teams possess the necessary knowledge and are perfectly familiar with all of the diverse requirements. Thanks to expert know-how, confident event planning can be guaranteed for the smallest meetings all the way to major events. FROM INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO EXCEPTIONAL CUISINE As a driver of innovation, Radisson Blu also tells the stories of its clients in the field of technology: with innovative event technology, free high speed internet, and an experienced event team that is well-versed in the newest technological developments and design ideas. With the Radisson Blu One Touch app, conference planners and attendees can maintain full view of the event at all times. The agenda, speaker information, and much more can be accessed quickly and comfort-

ably with just one click on one’s cell phone or laptop. As they say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. This is also how to ensure a successful meeting, since every event is a culinary story waiting to be told. Fresh, regional ingredients are the heart of Radisson Blu's cuisine. Together with experienced chefs and dietary experts, Radisson Blu has created a smart "Brain Food Concept" that, combined with creative food trends, guarantees energy and culinary delight during the event day. The perfect basis for a successful event. "Experience Meetings by Radisson Blu" at more than 280 locations worldwide.

COLUMN

FAMILY DRIVEN In my job, I often visit conference and meeting venues. With their management I discuss the quality of the facilities and services, but also the market, customer expectations and technical developments.

TON SOONS, TR AINER AND ADVISOR IN TEXTS, PRESENTATIONS, AND CONFERENCES. COMMENTS: TON.SOONS@WINNINGWORDS.NL

When I meet a venue manager for the first time, I'm curious about what kind of person is sitting across from me. I classify them as money-driven or passion-driven, and that makes a big difference. You can hire money-driven people in every business, but passionate people have deliberately chosen a profession. How do they talk to me about the job?

Sincere support Sometimes I meet managers who love their job, but their location is far from perfect. It looks worn, outdated and tattered. That has to hurt them, right? Is this unwillingness or is this inability, and which management level is responsible? When I used to organise conferences, I heard many speakers say: "You might want to achieve something in your business, but that will only work if top management is sincerely supporting it." They have to want to invest enough in people, money and attention. Otherwise a change dies an early death or â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at the finish line â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you only get a poor reflection of the original goal. And that's sad for all the co-workers who don't think about money first, but instead think about the customer and hospitality. Mushroom growers Of course, managers have to control the financial parameters. Too often, after all, great companies go under after focusing on expensive and unprofitable services. The art of it is to give passionate people the space they need without letting them forget about costs and benefits. That works better if they understand the financial state of the company. That's how modern, open managers provide their shareholders a greater service than hierarchical managers who strive for maximizing profits using their Excel sheets. This kind of mushroom grower (keep people in the dark and cut off their head as soon as they raise it) seems to appear more in companies where the next quarter's numbers are more important to headquarters than the survival and long-term success of the company. A passion for hospitality If a director is driven and passionate about keeping the company stable in the long term, then both he and his investors benefit each other more than when the return on investment is the only consideration. That's why Dutch family companies in the hospitality industry garner so much respect. Their passion for hospitality prevails over the short-term hunt for money.

INTERVIEW

MAURITS VAN DER SLUIS “Meetings remain, but they change in form”

TEXT: HAR ALD ROELOFS

Digitalisation results in more rather than less events, notes Maurits van der Sluis. The COO of RAI Amsterdam predicts that the growth curve of the past few years will continue.

RAI Amsterdam is going well. In recent years, the exhibition and conference centre has hosted more and more international events, despite the global economic crisis. During that time, the company invested heavily in the site and is currently building the largest hotel in Benelux there. COO Maurits van der Sluis sees the future in a positive light and thinks that the digitalisation of society has proven to be more of a blessing for the meeting industry than a threat.

Greater need “The conference industry has been scared for years that people will not want to meet each other in person thanks to all the digital developments. Some people still have that fear. But it seems this fear is not justified. People are used to digitalisation and yet they still want to see each other in real live, because a physical meeting is still the best way to build trust and to network.” “The need to establish real contact is actually only growing

greater and greater. Because you already know each other digitally, you're more interested in meeting each other in real life,” says Van der Sluis. “That certainly applies to bloggers and other people who have only become known through digital channels. A beautiful example of this is the VidCon event that we recently hosted. It is the world's largest conference for bloggers, fans, creatives and professionals. Approximately 7,500 fans and creators came together to celebrate the world of online video. These fans watch videos on the internet every day, but the success of this event shows that they also have a desire to meet each other in person. That also applies to bloggers who want to meet their colleagues in real life. It provides a nice additional dimension.” “So meetings continue, but they change in form. You also see that with Vidcon. It was a party, exhibition, conference and event all at the same time. They all bleed into each other, and from that you get something new.”

Necessary innovation RAI Amsterdam has listed innovation as high a priority. Van der Sluis: “It has to be. Everyone needs to reinvent the next version of themselves or they'll fall behind. You always have to ask: “How will our children attend conferences?”” “For example, right now we're responding to the fact that advanced digital devices can also support live events. We're investing in big data to bring people into contact through their technology and mobile phones. Who are the people who interest me, and where can I meet them during events at RAI? In this context, we are looking at wayfinding and signage, but smart versions of these. There are endless possibilities in this field that we are currently studying and investing in.” Largest hotel RAI continues to invest in expanding and qualitatively improving the building and will soon have the largest hotel in Benelux on their site. “For the past twenty years, we've wanted a large hotel at RAI and now it's finally going to happen.” says Van der Sluis. Construction has started and the opening is planned for mid2019. Hotel Nhow Amsterdam RAI will have 650 rooms, 25 floors and it will be an exceptional hotel in terms of style, look and feel.”

Maurits van der Sluis (51) has been COO of RAI Amsterdam since April, 2016. He and Paul Riemens forms the executive board of the Amsterdam exhibition and conference organisation. Previously, Van der Sluis worked for RAI Amsterdam for twenty years in various commercial functions, most recently as the commercial director for RAI Convention Centre. Before joining RAI, he was a policy worker for the Dutch Ministry of Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations.

INTERVIEW

“Nhow is NH's disruptive brand and that means that it's not onesize-fits-all. If you have a hotel with this many rooms, every room is usually the same, and that goes for the rest of the hotel too. That's not the case with this hotel. It will officially be a four-star hotel, but actually it's 4.5 stars, once you include the beautiful interiors where the guests stay and the complete 24-hour experience. For instance, there is a skybar and a restaurant at 91 metres, a TV-studio and an impressive spa. Rem Koolhaas designed it, and it is simply beautiful.” “RAI is not the owner and operator of the hotel, but we have been very involved in its creation alongside the owner NH, De Zuidas and the municipality. We have had a lot of influence on how it will look, the features, what the added value of the hotel has to be and that sort of thing.”

Close by Van der Sluis thinks that the hotel will be a great success and that it will be more and more attractive to organise national and international events at RAI. He notes, “And we already have so many advantages for international visitors. We are fifteen minutes from both the Amsterdam Central Station and the city centre; from Schiphol Airport you're there just as quickly.” “Many European conference centres are located far outside of town, but with us everything is within reach. People enjoy being close to such an international-

ly popular city as Amsterdam. Logistically it is ideal, and there are stops for trams, buses, trains and metros near us. Next year, the new underground North/South line will open and then the logistics will get even better.” “RAI Amsterdam has just about all the benefits you can think of, while other European conference centres often have just a fraction of them. Amsterdam is not only a popular destination, but everyone here speaks English, plus the headquarters of major international companies and many scientific organisations are here.”

Growth during a crisis RAI Amsterdam has also been relatively unaffected by the economic crisis in the past few years. “Specifically, on an international level we've only grown in that time. Scientific conferences, for example, are always being organized, crisis or no crisis. Maybe some budgets have shrunk, but we haven't noticed very many of those.” “Corporate conferences have gotten smaller and, for some national exhibitions, only the market leader remained.” “However, that was more than made up for by an increasing number of international meetings. Still, we've kept our focus on national events. The Home Exhibition, for example, is such an icon and is truly connected with RAI; these sorts of events also provide a bit of recognisability for Dutch citizens. On closer inspection, we have had

stable growth for years. That also comes from our experience, proven track record and good personnel.”

Employee satisfaction RAI Amsterdam sees its staff as an important capital investment and is proud to have won the Top Employer certificate three times. “There is a great sense of pride among our workers and worker satisfaction is very high. People like working here. It is a very dynamic company with 450 events per year. Every day you find yourself in another world. We take good care of our employees and that's highly valued. That gives us highly motivated workers, which adds value to the service we offer our clients.” President Trump The growing international success of RAI Amsterdam is also helped by globalisation. Some people in the conference industry fear that change is coming due to the protectionism of President Trump and the rise of like-minded political leaders, Brexit, terrorism and world conflicts. Van der Sluis remains optimistic. “We haven't noticed that yet, and naturally we hope that globalisation will continue. For now it's still going well, with airplane tickets continually getting cheaper, the ease with which people can travel and the great way logistics around RAI are arranged. Regarding Brexit: It seems that headquarters are going to move from London to Amsterdam, and as the European centre for exhibitions and conferences, that's only good for Amsterdam RAI.”

INTERVIEW

COLUMN

LET’S TALK GREEN Can you still remember when the Al Gore’s movie an Inconvenient Truth was released? It has had great impact on the growing awareness for the importance of sustainability both for businesses and for our personal lives. But this important moment in history is already 11 years ago, yet the impact still echo’s on till this day.

Rocky start It started with a rocky start, with wild ideas like completely stop flying to international conferences, only use bio-degradable materials, buying only bio-certified and fair trade produced catering, et cetera. Both planners and suppliers soon met the boundaries of these new green changes in terms of budget, quality, material feasibility, product availability and acceptance of the delegates. Often by trial-and-error did we learn how to really become more sustainable in organising meetings. Changed mindset Despite this rocky start, the meeting industry has since been developing towards more sustainability ever since. The changed mindset has resulted in great achievements in green-certifications of hotels, venues and suppliers, new AV and IT technologies, better education, reduced waste, CO2 compensation programmes and enhanced efficiency. This is a great achievement of the complete meeting industry, which in many cases had to re-invent itself to be meet the expectations of all stakeholders in this green change. Far from over The change-process is nevertheless far from over and many things still need to be changed and improved. Sustainability is maybe not as prominent on the agenda or menu as some years ago, but has become a natural part of each organisation and individual. Just don’t forget to keep on challenging your suppliers, your delegates, your colleagues and yourself!

STEFFEN K ALVERBOER, OWNER CREATOR MEETING SUPPORT. COMMENTS: STEFFEN@CREATORMEETINGSUPPORT.COM

Looking back on these years, the impact on the meetings industry has been tremendous. The process of changing views and behaviours, creating and adopting new innovations and dealing with the cost aspects of this change.

STRATEGY

How to increase the impact of your meetings from 2 days to 365

TEXT: MCI ILLUSTR ATION: ISTOCK

A relevant and well-remembered event is not only addressed to the people attending, but should also aim towards your extended community. Making sure that you target your focus on both the attendees and potential ones, you can maximise the impact of your event from two days to a full year. This article is meant to give an indepth overview of the importance of digital marketing in engaging delegates and extending your meetings’ life-cycle. Regardless of the tactic you employ to enhance your target audience’s interest, divide your focus into three attendee-categories: those who are certainly attending, those who have expressed a desire to participate but might be unable to do so, and, last but not least, those who could potentially be interested. And this applies to all communication strategies prior and after your meetings. THE ‘BEFORE’ PHASE Creating pre-event buzz in order to build up anticipation and excitement is a process that can start long before the actual day itself. Spreading information across all communication channels and sparking interest through teasers, social media and online campaigns is a tactic that can stimulate curiosity and encourage people to engage with your event. Gradually revealing small pieces

of information to trigger the target audience eventually culminates in a big push of strong reminders and calls to action, highlighting the event’s main selling points. It is important to have a strong digital marketing campaign prior to the event, as it has high return on investment. SOCIAL MEDIA IS YOUR ALLY Consider social media platforms your friends when it comes to grasping the audience’s early attention. During this phase, it is important to use all available channels to reach as many of the target audience as possible, monitor mentions, connect and interact with potential attendees. In other words: Be seen. Be active. Activating social media teaser campaigns is a good example of preparing the ground and increasing your target audience’s appetite. Elluria Breytenbach, MCI’s Global PCO Marketing Director, emphasises “It costs less than 3 per cent of overall registration fee, but can result in a 5 to 10 per cent increase in attendees.”

E-MAIL CAMPAIGNS FOR QUICK WINS It might be the oldest trick in the book, but it is still truly effective. Adding information about your upcoming conference or incentive to your email campaigns is a fast and yet successful way to remind delegates of the big day and the value of attending. There are numerous instances where you can implement this type of strategy, such as incorporating a specific segment into your newsletters, providing Key Opinion Leaders with special VIP invites, even mentioning the event in the signatures of speakers, exhibitors and sponsors. This is a proven method of raising credibility and strengthening people’s interest in attending your conference. Moreover, as results show from MCI’s previous work, it has generated between 20-180 per cent increase in registrations within the first year of implementation. THE ‘AFTER’ PHASE The time of your event has passed and it now comes down to making it last another 364 days. Based on key learnings from MCI’s 30-year experience in the industry, by prioritising your post-event marketing strategies you ensure that the investment of the event is leveraged to its fullest.

STRATEGY

TRULY WIN THEM OVER WITH CONTENT In order to forge strong relationships with key delegates and retain their interest in your brand and future events, there is one central point to focus on; content. Determining the type of content and finding the most suitable channels to disseminate it, are the two first steps to build the foundation for greater impact and engagement. Again, the emphasis should be placed on your target audience depending on their final decision on attendance. Generally, people who participate in congresses - and especially younger, tech savvy audiences - crave for educational opportunities. As they are beginning to question the traditional one-way communication format, adding an element of interactive learning with insightful information they would like to remember is a catalyst for an everlasting impact. Through the implementation of interactive educational programmes with quality content from congresses, MCI has successfully helped associations to expand to new key markets. Webinars, session snippets, testimonials and strong social proof of your eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success can be effective tools to engage with those who ultimately

couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make it. The post-event phase is your opportunity to keep them warm and interested in your next endeavours and promote your content as evidence of value to them. At this stage, it is paramount to lay additional focus on those, who might not have considered yet but certainly should attend next time. The best practice to achieve that is by providing them with carefully selected and highly visual content. Bogdan Manta, Director Marketing & Sales of the Carwash Show Europe, says that triggering videos and images have played an integral part for boosting the attendance of the second European show with over 20 per cent, compared to the launch year. Also, light pieces of information and thought-provoking statistics are an effective way to go in order to increase your chances of motivating them to participate. THE CUSTOMER'S VOICE Spoiling your target audience with quality content is a critical strategy to increase impact and engagement, but you also need to concentrate your efforts on another important aspect. Keeping up the momentum is a challenge, especially since it requires strategically structured follow-ups

with attendees. Here, the value of listening to customers, strategically cannot be ignored. Utilising the power of the voice of your delegates can help build stronger relationships with them, as well as new relationships with potential attendees. Working with long-term clients on various projects, MCI sees that offering attendees a platform to openly provide feedback, shows them that their opinion matters and you extend the conversation. As a result, it increases satisfaction as well as turns them into advocates of the upcoming editions. Another way is to encourage bilateral conversations and peer-2peer engagement on your community platform, may it be on an app or an educational portal. This way you can leverage the power of word-of-mouth within a set forum. There is always room for improvement in the holistic event experience. By customising high-quality content and tailoring the interactivity to the three attendee-categories throughout the entire life-cycle, you instantly boost attendee engagement and further extend your meetingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact. And that is, after all, one of the most sought-after goals of associations.

COLUMN

MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS, EXHIBITIONS: A FORCE FOR RECOVERY?

ROD CAMERON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JMIC

The growth in international terrorism is one of the latest challenges to emerge as a threat to the ongoing success of the Meetings Industry. But now, it turns out that events such as meetings, conventions and exhibitions may in fact also be amongst the most potent weapons for fighting back. Reports from some prominently affected destinations such as Paris, Brussels and Istanbul suggest that the strength of events and their associated attendees relative to other types of visitors show the kind of resilience formerly seen in connection with rebounds following global economic and security-related incidents; namely, that delegates are much more likely to keep travelling than other types of visitors when travel conditions deteriorate. In fact, in some destinations affected by such incidents, meetings were barely impacted even as overall visitor numbers were significantly down. These kinds of observations are not new. Both hotels and airlines have previously noted that the earliest signs of recovery following major incidents were seen in people travelling to attend events. Furthermore, this group tended to be amongst the biggest generator of economic impacts amongst various visitor groups, which further enhanced the effect they had on overall destination spending.

Beneficial influence But another effect is being observed that may even further underline the beneficial influence that events have in the face of terrorism incidents: the role that such events have in restoring and demonstrating the stability of a destination in the face of such incidents. The fact that a city has managed to retain important and usually high-profile events in the face of incidents that may be deterring other visitors has a moderating effect on the overall image of a destination as a place to visit, and projects exactly the right kind of message about a city when it may need it the most. This suggests a very specific tactic for cities that are unfortunate enough to experience terrorist attacks and the accompanying impacts on destination reputation: do everything possible to retain these events as a priority for visitor traffic. Not only are they demonstrably more likely to carry on with their original plans, but the fact that so many are so visible to a wider audience suggests they can actually act as a very effective promotional vehicle for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;business as usualâ&#x20AC;? message to the world as a whole. Disproportionate effect These kinds of terror incidents will likely be with us for some time, and while relatively rare, they have a disproportionate effect on travellers due to their extreme and seemingly random consequences. Understanding that meetings and conventions can be a potent counter-weapon should give governments yet another reason to put a priority on growing and maintaining this sector.

PHOTO: ISTOCK

GIVEAWAY

The emotional value a attendee attaches to a gift is much more important than its actual objective value. There's an evolutionary psychological explanation for this. The size of the man's catch illustrates his talent as a hunter. In an economy where money can buy - almost - anything, this mechanism only works if the reward is of such a nature that only this one single individual could have made this specific catch. That's why caricature artists in a stand are so successful. They draw a caricature of that one guest, not of one of the thousands of other guests strolling through the passages. SECRET There was time that if you were giving a gift to a guest, the name of

the giver had to be printed in large letters across it. It wasn't until later that people realised that discretion and subtlety could also be efficient. Especially in more expensive promotional gifts, a little reserve goes a long way. The beneficiary will probably remember who gave them that leather case or beautiful pen. It's important that it's kept something of a secret between the giver and the receiver. To score big with gadgets and giveaways, all you really need is one thing: knowledge. The more you know about the intended target audience, the easier it is to be generous with a small present that the beneficiary will

really appreciate. A key ring? Why not, but it'll be even more fun if that key ring has the logo of the brand of car this client drives. An impossible assignment? Not if you have commercial services that keep their eyes and ears open when meeting a client. The larger the amount of gifts you want to spread, the larger the common denominator will have to be, decreasing the attractiveness of the giveaway. Just another cap might carelessly end up in the boot or in the toy chest of the children. But that one cap that has your name embroidered on it might perhaps be put away safely, to wear it while gardening. And in the end, that's the most important desired effect of a giveaway: that a relation thinks of your company at times they normally never would.

↑ www.maastrichtconventionbureau.com

MPI's Next Generation Platform will use the Networkapp to connect up-and-coming hospitality talents with prospective employers. During the event trade fair Event 17 in the Jaarbeurs Utrecht, MPI Netherlands and Networkapp have entered into a collaborative agreement to achieve this. Students, young professionals, training courses and companies that employ hospitality professionals can use the online platform to make contact and keep each other updated on job openings, masterclasses, recruitment and events. Networkapp can also be used as an event app during meetings.

Over 1,100 hospitality industry professionals from around the globe came together in Amsterdam to explore the industry’s best practices and latest innovations at the inaugural HITEC Amsterdam. Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), producers of the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference, exceeded its goal to successfully produce a European counterpart to its recognized, 45-year-old North American event. Based on this year’s successful show, HFTP has already scheduled HITEC Amsterdam 2018 for April 11–13 at the RAI Convention Centre.

Inaugural HITEC Amsterdam

The proposed opening of the Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre has been moved to the end of 2020. The opening had originally been scheduled for the end of 2019. The development and execution of the new multifunctional building require more time, according to the Rotterdam event accommodation. The new Ahoy conference centre will consist of 35 plenary rooms and a large hall which will function as an auditorium, music hall and theatre. The large hall, called RTM Stage, will be the largest auditorium of the Netherlands, boasting 2,750 seats.

↑ www.mitawards.co.uk/finalists-2017/

MPI Netherlands & Networkapp

The Hague Convention Bureau (THCB) received the Silver M&IT Award for Best Overseas Convention Bureau at Battersea Evolution in London. The Hague’s Silver is the fifth time the city won an M&IT Award. In total, THCB was awarded two Gold and three Silver awards over the past 6 years. This showcases the ongoing effort THCB puts into establi shing the city as a preferred business destination of UK event-planners.

Silver M&IT Award

↑ www.hftp.org/hitec/amsterdam/

Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre

The Maastricht Region is the destination for (inter) national multi-day confe rences in the field of health and (bio) materials. This was the conclusion during the presentation of the new Maastricht Region Bidbook, which was offered to alderman John Aarts and prof. Marja van Dieijen-Visser, Chairman of the Board of the Maastricht University Medical Center+ (Maastricht UMC+). Every year, about 55 tailor made bidbooks are used to convince organizers of large conferences to organize their conference in the Maastricht Region.

Maastricht Region Bidbook

Conference Bites

42 NEWS

↓ www.networkapp.eu/en/

↑ www.rotterdamconferences.nl/venues

↓ www.itsineurope.com

Conference Compass will be the mobile event app supplier for United European Gastroente rology (UEG), servicing their 25th UEG Week from October 28 – November 1, 2017 in Barcelona. This after a successful cooperation for the UEG Week 2016 app. A record number of over 7,500 attendees downloaded the app and enjoyed customised features such as intuitive UEG Week pathways and a branded user experience. The app users further appreciated the in-app availability of more than 2,000 abstracts and interactive Q&A sessions.

UEG chooses Conference Compass

Meetingsbooker.com has further expanded its global coverage with the addition of Regus meeting rooms. The online meeting room reservations marketplace will integrate all of Regus’ meeting rooms across its 3,000 venues in 120 countries. The Regus deal follows on from a series of partnerships with global hotel and venue providers. “We are driving the digitalization of meeting room bookings, it’s the last part of business travel you can’t book online and we are rapidly changing this through our innovative booking platform”, said CEO Ciaran Delaney.

Meetingsbooker.com & Regus

The candidates for the European ITS Congress in 2019 on behalf of the Netherlands are Eindhoven and Helmond. Both cities in North Brabant are ready to host over 2,000 participants, thanks to the strong support provided by other cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague, and the Dutch industry. The announcement whether one of our two cities will host the European Congress for Intelligent Transport Systems will be published in October 2017.

ITS European Congress 2019

↑ www.ueg.eu/week/

Haarlem Marketing has been expanded with the Haarlem Convention Bureau (HCB). Over thirty parties have joined the initiative, coming together during a festive kick-off in Huis Barnaart. Suzanne Kakkos, the freshly appointed manager of HCB: 'Haarlem is a very appealing destination for business events, thanks to the wide variety of meeting venues combined with its strategic position with regard to Amsterdam, Schiphol, and the beach. The city is distinguished by its characteristic focus on top quality combined with human measure.'

Haarlem Convention Bureau

Jeroen Kuyper will be the new managing director of Rotterdam Partners as of 1 September. Kuyper, born and raised in Rotterdam, has a large network in Rotterdam’s business community. In addition to his current position as managing director of Maritime & Transport at insurance broker and risk advisor Aon, he is also chairman of the Rotterdam Maritime Services Community (RMSC) and chairman of the Supervisory Board of chamber orchestra Sinfonia Rotterdam.

New director Rotterdam Partners

NEWS

↓ www.meetingbookers.com

↓ www.en.rotterdampartners.nl/conventions

↑ www.haarlemmarketing.co.uk

MARKET RESEARCH

ICCA announces all-time record number of association meetings in 2016 The number of rotating international association meetings continues to double every ten years for five decades in a row. ICCA captured 12,212 meetings taking place in 2016, which is clearly an all-time record for its annual snapshot, with 136 additional meetings compared to 2015. The ICCA Association Database now includes 20,000 regularly occurring meeting series, 220,000 meeting editions and 11,500 international associations. To be included, meetings must be organised by associations, on a regular basis, attracting at least 50 delegates and rotate between at least three countries. NEW ASSOCIATION-TYPE EVENTS ICCA CEO Martin Sirk: “Once again our report provides clear evidence of the resilience and long-term continued growth of the international association meetings sector.” “Anecdotally, we hear that it is not just the traditional association meetings business that is in a healthy state: new association-type events are being created by groups of scientists and doctors, destinations are designing and hosting their own world-class STEM meetings and festivals (science, technology, engineering, maths), online discussions are migrating to the real world of concrete face-to-face interactions, and even corporate events are evolving into community gatherings of suppliers, clients, partners, investors, users and academics, blurring the lines between the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.” “The Information Revolution and Knowledge Economy are experiencing

continuing exponential growth, so it’s hardly surprising that the entire association meetings community is responding in such a dynamic fashion. Traditional association meetings are growing strongly, but they are definitely no longer the only game in town.” PARIS RECLAIMS THE TOP SPOT Paris, number one in 2014, takes over first place in the city ranking again with 196 meetings in 2016 – one more meeting than last year’s number one Berlin. Even though the order is quite different, this year’s top 5 cities were also represented in last year’s top 5. Newcomers in the top 10 compared to last year are Amsterdam, twelfth last year and now sharing seventh place with Madrid, and Seoul jumping from 13th to tenth. The top 10 of the country ranking is made up of the same countries as last year, with some minor shift and one newcomer on a shared tenth place. The U.S.A. remains number one with 934 meetings in 2016; 9 more than in 2015. France and Spain swap places: France is now fourth and Spain fifth. The Netherlands drops one place from shared eighth to ninth and Canada remains tenth but is now joined on tenth place by Portugal, which was twelfth last year.

TOP 10 ICCA CITY RANKING 2016 Rank City # Meetings 1 Paris 196 2 Vienna 186 3 Barcelona 181 4 Berlin 176 5 London 153 6 Singapore 151 7 Amsterdam 144 Madrid 144 9 Lisbon 138 10 Seoul 137 ------------------------- 29 Rotterdam 49 43 The Hague 30 55 Utrecht 25 72 Groningen 19 86 Maastricht 16 91 Delft 15 91 Eindhoven 15 116 Leiden 12 157 Noordwijk 8 168 Enschede 7

TOP 10 ICCA COUNTRY RANKING 2016 Rank City # Meetings 1 U.S.A. 934 2 Germany 689 3 United Kingdom 582 4 France 545 5 Spain 533 6 Italy 468 7 China-P.R. 410 Japan 410 9 Netherlands 368 10 Canada 287 Portugal 287

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

"As Peace Poet at the Peace Palace, I gave lectures to an international audience. The Peace Palace regularly asked me to write poems in English, such as about Hugo de Groot, a Dutch humanist and legal scholar who lived in the early 17th century. I found that very exciting: it was a prestigious symposium with only high-ranking people and scholars from around the world. With sweaty palms, I recited the poem and introduced it: his political engagement was the link to my own work. Afterwards, I heard people say that it sounded as if English were my native language."

Hanneke Eggels

Poet and essayist Hanneke Eggels' preferred topic is the important role of poetry in politics. For 18 years, she discussed books by Nobel laureates for literature that addressed topics such as the struggle between good and evil. Her own poems also focus on social topics such as politics, human rights and peace, and are well known internationally. At the beginning of 2017, her new volume titled Nice was published, with poems she wrote for commissions from the Peace Palace.

What is your message? "If I can choose my own subjects, my preferred topic is the important role of poetry in politics. I grew up with debates around the dining table; engagement is in my blood. After completing my studies in Dutch and Philosophy, I soon embarked on my own writing career. I also wrote for a period of time as 'Peace Poet' for the Peace Palace. "Poetry is so useful in politics because the poet makes use of met-

TEXT: DA AN BORRELâ&#x20AC;&#x192; PHOTO: STEYE R AVIEZ

ENGAGEMENT

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

aphors; he or she can thus convey messages in an oblique manner. Where Donald Trump with his gestures and direct talk alienates many people, poetry is much more veiled. The listener can interpret more freely what he or she hears." "With poetry, the author can make a statement without arousing vehement reactions." "I have tried to do that in my new volume, Nice, as well. The title poem is about the violent attack last year on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, where 85 people were killed, and also about what the boulevard looked like in 1966; with a very poetic image on the cover. A place can be both innocent and guilty at the same time, and something can be both good and evil. That is the tension that poetry can depict so beautifully. Reading literature cultivates understanding and empathy for people who think differently."

What is your favourite format? "I prefer to give an introduction of about twenty minutes to half an hour to politics and poetry, and after that I read poems that illustrate that message." "For example, the poems in my volume Sluier van Europa (Veil of Europe) published in 2002. They show how difficult it is for European countries to work together, because they all want to pursue their own nationalistic ideas. Yet another area of tension that poetry can illustrate very effectively. Literature and poetry are good pathways for discussing broader political issues. My experience is that my message always gives rise to reactions. After reading my

poems aloud, I like to engage in conversation with people."

How do you make contact with the audience? "My preference is to ask those in attendance to ask questions. People generally ask about my sources of inspiration. In that case I talk about the city of Nice or about European thought. Or about how I can imagine how the Mars rover 'Curiosity' looks down from high above the Earth and sees all the different religions in conflict with each other. I draw inspiration by zooming out; I see the tensions. In the conversations after the reading, the discussion often naturally opens out on to general political topics." "My ideal example is how that fits into College Tour, an interview programme of the public broadcaster. The format gives expression to commitment, and the young people in the audience always ask particularly refreshing questions of the interviewee, but these move into social topics.” "The presenter, Twan Huys, comes across as very natural: he never reads out his questions from a piece of paper but asks questions that arise in the course of the interview.” "That is something I always try to do as well: I focus on the public and try to listen very closely to them and not to stick to a script." "Of course, it depends somewhat on the size of the audience. Once I gave lectures at the Stock Exchange of Berlage to 800 people. Interaction is not really possible in such cases, and so I try to tell as balanced a story as possible. But I

prefer to work interactively, for then I can sense that my story has reached people." "I see such presentations as a show, as well: the audience has to be entertained by the contents of the conversation. Nothing is worse than a speaker who reads his or her text from a piece of paper, without any attention to the reaction of the audience.”

What is your speciality? "I address people's humanitarian commitment. As an artist, I am at the coalface of our times, I don't talk about forms and rules when the world is on fire. I always want to focus on the content." “In the Netherlands that is an exception, my work doesn't really fit into the Dutch tradition. This kind of political engagement is more common abroad, and that is why my work is widely translated. Into Russian, for example." What do you consider a good location? “Location where interaction is possible. Although my message would not work on television, which is something I would nonetheless want to try one day. Christiane Amanpour, the CNN news anchor, has the ability to speak very intimately to the television audience. That is something I find challenging." What can an organiser do to make you happy? "I am always very happy if the organizer embraces my message. If politics and poetry really go straight to the heart. That is a win-win situation; in that case, the audience and I go home inspired."

SUPPLIER

“Creativity is our lifeblood”

PHOTO: MONIQUE VAN DER STEEN

Gluten-free, halal, kosher, vegan, lactose-free,.... Culinary service provider Hutten enjoys sinking its teeth into a fresh challenge.

A conference for 2,000 visitors from all parts of the world with so many food and beverage requirements? That is when the Hutten company from Brabant pulls out all the culinary stops. “Frankly, that's simply in our DNA. Italian, Indian? With 250 chefs representing 15 different nationalities, we have precisely the melting pot in house to meet those demands,” says sales manager Michiel Wijnstroom and regional manager Bram Meijer. “And every demand calls for customisation. Per order, we gather the best people to cook together. For very specialised dishes, such as traditional Chinese, we work with experienced partners.” The proof of this can be seen every day from the men and women of the culinary service. With over 1,700 “collaborators,” (as the selfwilled staff here are called) on the outskirts of Veghel, there is a creative cooking and baking organisation that can take on corporate and private events, company kitchens, supermarkets and the hospitality sector. Every day, they create thousands of handmade snacks, drinks and farm-fresh meals that are sent out all over the country. “There is always activity here, all throughout the day. We are

now already cooking and tasting for Christmas 2017,” according to Wijnstroom and Meijer. As is typical for Hutten, twice a year they invite their staff, clients and affiliates to have a taste of what's to come. During Hutten's 'Ideas Garden,' invitees can see, taste, feel and smell the new dishes and concepts.

85 years With over 85 years' experience grandpa John started his bakery in 1929 - Hutten now has a large piece of the pie as far as the major international conferences are concerned. The company works at a number of fixed locations, including the MECC exhibition and conference centre in Maastricht, the Evoluon in Eindhoven, St. Jan in Roosendaal and Ruwenberg in St. Michielsgestel. In total, there are 160 locations throughout the Netherlands, ranging from small to large. Because of its large size and distribution, the company can respond to any and all questions and wishes. And there are quite a few of those, the managers agree. Wijnstroom: “Over the past five years, we have seen an increase of 10 to 15 per cent in terms of dietary requirements. Kosher, Halal, gluten free, lactose free, vegan ... These are

all much more strict than they used to be. Some people can become extremely ill from a lost piece of peanut. For guests with allergies or other faiths, we make separate dishes. Kosher is, therefore, always a special challenge. We usually order that food in Amsterdam or Antwerp, where the experts are located. But these are exceptions. Basically, our brigade can do anything.”

Vegan For the Congress of the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA), which took place in September 2016 in the MECC Maastricht, the Hutten staff and cooks were able, for four days in a row, to display their culinary talents. They are still proud of the large number and variety of international vegan dishes that they served. The icing on the cake in this area, as the managers well know. With their catering for the meeting of the EU Presidency in the beautiful Ridderzaal in The Hague Binnenhof, Hutten also passed with flying colours. Around 450 people were treated to a buffet with, in particular, a beautiful variety of vegetables and fish. Thanks to a superb tasting dinner

SECTIE

of of fresh fruit, vegetable water and tea as an alternative to high-calorie sodas.

which easily fulfilled a long string of (dietary) wishes, the contract was awarded to Hutten. “Quality, quality ... and a great eye for even the smallest detail. We try to be distinctive by thinking along with the client in every way possible. If the whole conference is talking about innovation, that should also be reflected in the way you present the catering,” according to Wijnstroom and Meijer in summing up the strengths of their employer. Hutten also has its own décor department which creates a beautiful and appropriate setting.

Pure products The culinary service organization has a close relationship with its

suppliers, also called the Heroes of Hutten. Meat, fish, vegetables, cheese, eggs: preferably they come from local suppliers Wijnstroom: “Honest, sustainably produced products. Back to basics is important. Healthy foods, pure products, cooking with the seasons ... That's what matters now.” Limp cheese sandwiches and the roast pork of yesteryear have given way to trendy vitamin-rich smoothies, home-made fruit juices and home-made breads from our own Hutten bakery. Products which carry the 'healthy' label sell like hotcakes, as Meijer and Wijnstroom well know. No unnecessary added sugars is the trend. On the table, therefore, there are a lot

Smaller portions In terms of the portions, in the year 2017 less is more. They are becoming increasingly smaller. And the huge buffets are out. The trend is now to have it cooked in front of the screens, with the guests being served the dish. This is also the way to avoid any unnecessary wastage. Because, if there is something of great importance at Hutten, it is that as little as possible ends up in the garbage bin. In the adjacent Waste Plant in Veghel, the tomato leftovers end up in the stockpot, for example, or are put to good use in the pasta sauce. And another thing the caterer is certainly judged by, is his ability to make the very best cup of coffee. “Freshly ground beans. A barista who prepares a good caffè macchiato or cappuccino full of love .... Look, that's what guests want.”

DESTINATION HOLLAND CONFERENCE CITIES AND REGIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS

NORTH HOLLAND ABOVE AMSTERDAM

Everything the Netherlands is famous for NOORDWIJK

‘The space to be’ LEIDEN

Leiden is the unifying factor UTRECHT

Conference city Utrecht throws off all modesty THE HAGUE

The city that matters ROTTERDAM

Big city on a small scale

Conference city Utrecht throws off all modesty

www.utrechtconventionbureau.nl/en ↓

Delightful alleyways, atmospheric canals, historic monuments: Utrecht has it all when it comes to attracting tourists. In recent years, delegates of international conferences have also discovered the cathedral city. Residents of the city always like to tell you that Utrecht is at the heart of Europe. A lively university city with roots in the past, but nonetheless with a youthful profile and a flourishing creative sector. An inspiring city full of energy brought by students, innovative entrepreneurs and forward-looking initiatives. And, plentiful strategically-located conference facilities; all this less than half an hour from Schiphol Airport.

National leaders Utrecht already has a strong reputation nationally as a conference

• UTRECHT

city, but more could be done at an international level. For many years now, the city has been projecting its image internationally under the strong Holland label. All stakeholders in the region believe the name Utrecht should now be given greater prominence. That's why the city is throwing off all modesty in making conference and event organisers aware of the many assets of Utrecht. The emphasis will not be on facilities: the city has those in abundance, however, the number of hotel rooms is still not keeping pace with demand. Consideration is being given to how to make up the shortfall. The centre of Utrecht currently has around 1,900 hotel rooms and another 1,000 or so rooms will be added to this over the next five years. This will come as a great relief to all. Now, conference delegates will not have to look for accommodation outside the city if they do not wish to, but will be able to stay close to the conference location itself. According to the Utrecht Convention Bureau there are plenty of delegates with this prefer-

PHOTO: RENZO GERRITSEN

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ence. It is important now to start drawing international conferences to Utrecht. This will happen through multi-lingual, additional efforts at the international level and the new conferences handbook in which the region of Utrecht will be promoted.

Various locations If we are considering the various conference locations on offer, then the Jaarbeurs is perhaps the most well-known. A modern conference and meeting centre with its own unique character and a wide range of halls and meeting rooms. From the modern auditorium in the Beatrixgebouw to the stylish Missionzaal. Large groups of participants can be accommodated here and, with the addition of a Kinepolis cinema, the number of rooms has grown significantly. Muziekgebouw Tivoli Vredenburg is a unique location offering a range of rooms each on a different scale and with a different feel. If you need extra space for a break-out session, then just head over the street to La Vie.

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The Railway Museum falls into the ‘authentic’ category. It is very accessible and is suitable for groups of up to 3,000 people. The great thing is you are meeting amongst life-size steam locomotives. If you are looking for a green conference environment, then Woudschoten or Kontakt der Kontinenten make the ideal location for a conference. Top-class sport clinics are also available on the KNVB campus. These are all fantastic locations within a stone's throw of Utrecht.

All tastes catered for The Utrecht Convention Bureau is in no doubt Utrecht caters for all tastes. You can choose between football fever at the Galgenwaard Stadium or urban cool at Winkel van Sinkel in the heart of Utrecht. How about thinking completely out-of-the-box? In that case, you might consider hiring the Dom Church, also known as St Martin's Cathedral, for a plenary meeting and using the locations around the cathedral square for break-out sessions. This is a very old part of the city whose history goes back to the Middle Ages.

Here conference delegates are right in the heart of the city, because no one can leave Utrecht without experiencing the unique charms of the centre with its many alleyways, cosy terraces and fascinating museums. For instance, a visit to the Museum Speelklok with its collection of chiming instruments is sure to bring a smile to your face. Even more so if you book your conference dinner at the venue.

Utrecht Science Park Life science and health are top sectors in Utrecht. The city is ideally suited to scientific conferences: the city has an extensive network of knowledge intensive companies and institutions with the ‘Utrecht Science Park’ (USP) the link that joins them all. Here scientists and entrepreneurs join forces to give a powerful boost to the regional economy. There could be no better backdrop for a fascinating conference. The University of Utrecht, arguably the best research university in the Netherlands, is based at the USP. You will also find UMC Utrecht and

the Faculty of Veterinary sciences here. Each of them a magnet for international conferences in their own specialisms. But Utrecht wants to do even more! The flourishing economy, highly skilled workforce, the rich cultural life and the wide range of historic and contemporary venues make Utrecht the ultimate city for business meetings, according to the Utrecht Convention Bureau. With a wealth of opportunities for amazing excursions related to a range of specialist areas that fit with the conference themes.

Princess Máxima Centre A further draw is the Nutricia Research Center in Utrecht. This is an innovation centre for Danone that moved to the USP from Wageningen in 2013. Or the Princess Máxima Centre that will open in 2018. Not to mention RIVM and CBG that will be moving to Utrecht within a few years. There is the opportunity for conference visitors to get a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of these amazing companies and organisations.

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• ROTTERDAM

Big city on a small scale

PHOTO: IRIS VAN DEN BROEK

www.rotterdampartners.nl ↓

Rotterdam is booming. Rotterdam is the city where everything is possible. The city where it happens. You'll feel it, you'll smell it, you'll taste it. Residents, students and entrepreneurs in Rotterdam have the mental and physical space to create, innovate and grow. Rotterdammers are leaders and take an active role in building their city. Their can-do mentality is a part of the DNA of the city. In the Second World War, Rotterdam was bombed flat on 14 May 1940. A sign appeared the following day, saying: "We are Rotterdammers. We keep going!" The writer of this message could apparently see the future, as a lively city rose out of the rubble. A city unlike any other. Not in the Netherlands, and not in the world.

A city where you want to be Rotterdam sparkles, Rotterdam moves, Rotterdam does. Rotterdam is a city where you want to be, that you want to visit. There's good reason that tourism in Rotterdam continues to grow. That growth has already improved for five years in a row, reaching a temporary peak in 2016 when the city reported more than 1.6 million overnight stays. It's a growth rate of around 34 percent compared to 2012. The city's positive image grips you immediately. Respected media such as The New York Times, Rough Guides and Lonely Planet called the city a ‘must see’ and ‘best in travel’. Rotterdam was even crowned as European City of the Year 2015.

For a city, there's no better testimonial. In a city that's alive with motivation, willpower and a cando mentality, the desire to share knowledge is limitless. So it's no surprise that Rotterdam is the fast-growing, second conference city of the Netherlands. Leading research institutions in and around the city, such as Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus Medical Center and Delft University of Technology, also play a leading role in this growth.

Architectural icons The city has lots to offer association-wise. Take brand-new architectural icons such as De Rotterdam building (the ‘vertical city’), the Central Station and of course the incomparable Market Hall. The most important venues, such as the Ahoy Rotterdam Convention Center, Postillion Convention Centre WTC

PHOTO: IRIS VAN DEN BROEK

Rotterdam is the most unique city in the Netherlands. Internationally famous for its innovative spirit and unpolished charm. Leading architecture, unique city development, high-quality research institutions, one of the smartest harbours in the world, more than 170 nationalities, a wonderfully creative urban vibe.

Renowned for its leading architecture and unique city development.

Rotterdam, De Doelen Rotterdam ICC and many other venues are state-of-the-art, with all possible comforts available. The best part is that they are easily accessible from the city centre. This is a hallmark of Rotterdam: clear routes, easy public transportation and lots within walking distance. Rotterdam is safe, orderly and easy. The city is also easy to reach from international locations. Rotterdam The Hague Airport has more than forty international destinations, but is still a nice, small airport where you have virtually no waiting times. Schiphol International Airport is accessible within 30 minutes via a direct train. Rotterdam also has excellent high-speed train connections to international hubs such as Brussels and Paris. The Central Station is located in the lively downtown, where visitors will immediately find a hip, cozy atmosphere. And where they can feel free to people to ask for directions. Practically everyone speaks English and is happy to help.

Maritime & Offshore, Life Sciences & Health, Agri-food & Logistics, Energy & Chemicals, Clean Tech, Business Services and Smart Industry & IT. In Rotterdam, organic connections between innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists, policy makers and creatives occur in all these areas. They come together to find new, creative and, most importantly, sustainable solutions. Rotterdam offers lots of proof of this. For instance, the Smog Free Park from Studio Rosengaarde, the circular ‘no waste’ initiatives associated with BlueCity10's blue economy, a transparent farm with grazing cows and complete dairy production which floats on the water (Floating Farm), a Recycled Park built with plastic waste from the river, and RDM Rotterdam, where education and business come together and where all kinds of smart applications are developed for the city of tomorrow. These are examples of the unique and innovative projects that are happening in Rotterdam. Thought up, developed and shared with the rest of the world with love.

Organic connections Rotterdam is also the city of cooperation. The economic priority sectors that Rotterdam is targeting include

Urban Vibe In recent years the city has also been making great strides in the cultural sector. Rotterdammers

and visitors enjoy the inspirational expositions and programmes by renowned institutions such as Boijmans van Beuningen (adding a fantastic statement to the city with the design and construction of its new collection building Het Depot), but also by creatives who produce completely new artistic trends and street art in a natural way. Another good example near the Witte de Withstraat is WORM, an initiative where experimental, avant-garde and underground art, especially in music and film, comes to life. Since we're talking about the Witte de Withstraat: that's one of the streets where it (the urban vibe!) is happening at this moment. A street full of hip galleries, restaurants and bars. This street is also a shining example of how the city (municipal government, organisations and inhabitants together) picks up something and breathes new life into it. The same goes for Katendrecht. Once the red light district where the sailors found the ‘girls’, Katendrecht is now hip & happening and the place to meet and socialise over food and drinks. And we have not even begun to talk about the many artistic, culinary and musical festivals taking place throughout the city, especially in summer, and where Rotterdam's many nationalities come together in one big melting pot of smells, colours and tastes.

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PHOTO: OSSIP VAN DUIVENBODE

• THE HAGUE

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Few world cities are as diverse as The Hague. Governmental city, royal city, city of peace and justice, city by the sea, city of art, student city, sustainable city. The Hague is all of that and it continues to surprise and deliver at every point. The residents of The Hague simply take this diversity in their stride. Of course, this doesn't mean that they aren't proud of their city – on the contrary! Perhaps they just see themselves as part of the diverse cityscape: the historic lanes, the little courts, the ministers cycling by, the presence of the king and queen, Vermeer's famous 'Girl with the Pearl Earring', the impressive Peace Palace, the salty sea air blowing in from the nearby and the miles-long beach. The Hague is truly special. Not only because it is the Netherlands' only city by the sea and the city that houses the Dutch government as well as the Royal family. It is, above all, the city where every day people are working towards a better world.

The Hague & world leaders The city is alluring without being stiff, thanks to its age-old history and the current position of The Hague on the world stage. The streets are wide and green, the historic buildings

breathtakingly beautiful, and the palaces, embassies, and parks are numerous. This is a muchappreciated setting for those who organise events here and those who attend them. The city also offers an extensive variety of hotel and conference facilities of excellent quality, which work in a well-aligned network of partners to service the event industry to the best standard. The city delivers every time, and continues to build on the decades of experience in welcoming world leaders, ministers and top international professionals to many events that take place here. Ever since the UN hosted the first peace conference in The Hague in 1899, the city has developed an excellent event infrastructure which offers customised solutions for unique association and corporate events.

The Hague & safety The Hague is an excellent example of an event destination that takes a pragmatic and structured approach to implementing safety and

security measures. This translates into a certain mentality that can be found at event venues, in the streets, and in the various aspects of the city’s hospitality infrastructure. On the one hand, many institutions in The Hague work hard towards a better and safer world for everyone, such as the International Court of Justice, The International Criminal Court. On the other hand, the city takes a lead in bringing new knowledge to the table, generating innovation within its security and cybersecurity knowledge infrastructure. Home to such organisations as the Europol and The Hague Security Delta, The Hague continues to build on its expertise and impact in this field. For example: in September 2017, the city will welcome the Cyber Security Week, a cluster of events investigating the subject from a multitude of perspectives, experiences and ambitions.

The Hague & capacity Several other leading congresses have been scheduled to take place in The Hague, including One Young World 2018, which will welcome over 1,350 young leaders from over 190 countries to The Hague. Another large meeting that the city is looking forward to hosting is the ESPEN congress, with over 3,500 experts in the field of clinical

www.theconferencethehague.com ↑

The city that matters

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Mauritshuis: admire Vermeer's sensual 'Girl with the Pearl Earring' and other cultural treasures by famous Dutch painters, such as Rembrandt and Jan Steen.

Historic City Centre: Visit the Binnenhof, next to the Hofvijver (Court Pond), which has housed the Dutch Parliament since 1446.

Peace Palace: every day, in this impressive building and all around The Hague, thousands of people from 130 international organisations work towards peace and justice in the world.

nutrition & metabolism from over 100 countries attending in September 2017. The Hague has nearly 5,000 hotel rooms in different categories. An additional 700 rooms are expected to be realised by 2018. The largest conferences take place at the World Forum: a full-service convention centre, with the largest auditorium of the Netherlands (2,161 seats), 25 breakout rooms and 12.000 m2 expo space. Another popular venue is the Fokker Terminal, a former school for aircraft engineering. With its impressive industrial plane hangar and 17 surrounding breakout rooms, it is the perfect location for business exhibitions, congresses, summits and gala dinners. Out of many other event locations, there is the New Babylon Meeting Center; the perfect location for (in)formal events, with 14 meeting rooms and an auditorium that can host up to 350 guests in a theatre setting.

Noordeinde Palace: King WillemAlexander's work palace is located in the middle of the city and is surrounded by exquisite boutiques and galleries. We recommend a picnic in the palace gardens.

The Hague & accessibility One of the great advantages of The Hague is the city's excellent accessibility. The city is easy to reach from anywhere in the world. It is located in one of the best-connected regions in Europe, with two airports and multiple train stations nearby. Furthermore, The Hague has an outstanding and sustainable system of public transport, which makes it easy to find your way around the city. In the case of larger events, The Hague provides congress delegates with a specialised Congress Card. With this card, delegates are able to ride on all trams and busses during the conference period. However, walking is certainly an alternative worth considering for all those who would like to discover The Hague at its fullest, with its beautiful monuments, lively squares, shopping and restaurant areas. We all know that the road to a successful event will present its own challenges and puzzles to resolve. The Hague Convention Bureau

(THCB) can be of great assistance in solving such challenges. THCB will make The Hague accessible, manageable, transparent, supportive, hospitable and most of all - unforgettable.

THE HAGUE FACTS & FIGURES Home of the royal family • second UN city after New York • centre of international peace & justice • 100 multinational companies • 115 foreign embassies • 516,000 residents • 180 nationalities • 160 institutions & organisations • 11 kilometres of typical Dutch coastline • five 5-star hotels • over 4,700 hotel rooms • 700 additional hotel rooms in 2018 • excellent public transport in the city • 50 kilometres from Schiphol Airport • 20 kilometres from RotterdamThe Hague Airport • connected to more than 280 air travel destinations worldwide.

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• LEIDEN

Leiden is the unifying factor

www.leidenconventionbureau.nl ↓

From tulip to Bio Science Park. From Rembrandt van Rijn to Armin van Buuren. From the Pilgrim Fathers to T. Rex. They seem totally different, but the opposite is true. The unifying factor? Leiden! The story of Leiden is the story of The Leiden Continuum: a steady stream of developments, where one leads directly to the next. Take the Seige of Leiden: as thanks for the heroic resistance of Leiden against the Spanish, the States of Holland gave the city her own university in 1575. The University of Leiden is still the symbol of (academic) freedom. As the centuries passed, Leiden became known as the city that has warmly kept its gates open. For instance, the Pilgrim Fathers found a temporary home there during the Golden Century, and economic refugees were always welcome there. Scientists, artists and inventors also felt, and still feel, attracted to the city, a place where they can follow their ideas no matter where they lead. It's what makes Leiden the City of Discoveries.

Scientific conferences Leiden is the city where yesterday, today, tomorrow and the future come together into a vibrant whole. It is no coincidence that Leiden, with her university and Bio Science Park, is one of the leading scientific research centers of Europe. It is no

accident that T. Rex, the dinosaur that most captures the imagination, is laid out in the Naturalis in Leiden for all to see. And is also no accident that Leiden is “the place to be” for more than 24 international scientific conferences per year. The conference agenda for 2017 shows how varied the conference subjects are, with international conferences such as Euroclassica, where members of 22 European trade unions in the field of classical languages come together, the 1st official Society for Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies (SIPS) conference, the 14th International Toy Library Conference and the International Carnivorous Plant Society Conference. For 2018, among others, the schedule features the International Science and Technology Indicators Conference, and the Conference of the European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. In 2019, the University of Leiden will host the eleventh edition of the International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS). Around 1,500 academics from across the world will come

together in Leiden. Since the second meeting in Berlin in 2001, the conferences have only taken place in Asia. The scientific conference Equadiff has also chosen Leiden. A group of 600 scientists from across Europe will meet in the summer of 2019 for the five-day conference.

Nothing missing The conference participants have everything they need in Leiden. The city has exceptional conference facilities; from intimate to mega and from historic to ultramodern. Among the historic conference locations are the Hooglandse Kerk, Pieterskerk Leiden, the Leiden Theatre and the City Auditorium. The Hooglandse Kerk dates from 1315. Construction of the historic church started at the end of the 14th century. The large Gothic windows bathe the interior space in light and evoke the atmosphere of a painting from the Middle Ages. The church can hold 2,000 people. With the existing screens, it's possible to divide the church into separate spaces. On the choir side of the church, there are a three more halls with capacities of 45 to 65 people. Just steps away is the Pieterskerk Leiden, the heart of the city for the past nine hundred years. Through the centuries a number of famous visitors have admired the church,

International journalists visit the Hortus Botanicus The oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands still has a famous collection. Up to a hundred participants can attend a meeting in the monumental Orangery.

The facade with colonnade gives the City Auditorium a special allure. The concert building in NeoRenaissance style offers something for everyone, with its 19th-century Great Hall, modern Aalmarkt Hall, classical Bree Hall and various other foyers and spaces.

The EARMA 21st Annual Conference dinner took place in the Hooglandse Church, which dates from the 14th century. The light through the large Gothic windows evokes the atmosphere of a painting from the Middle Ages.

such as Floris V, Rembrandt van Rijn, Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela. Whether you participate in an intimate dinner in the beautifully lit nave, a business conference for 1,500 people or a meeting in the choir area; Pieterskerk Leiden makes an unforgettable impression on everyone.

Fantastic scene The Leiden Theatre dates back to 1705 and is the oldest theatre still in use in the Netherlands. The theatre forms a fantastic scene for conferences, presentations or an unforgettable dinner on the stage. Besides the theatre hall, there are a number of foyers that are perfectly built for meetings, workshops and dinners for smaller groups.

The Corpus Congress Centre is part of the educational attraction "Corpus, journey through the human body", located next to the Bio Science Park and four-star Hilton Garden Inn.

Organisers of larger events and conferences will find a good fit in the City Auditorium. This was built in the 19th century as a concert hall in the Neo-Renaissance style; a rarity in the Netherlands. The facade and colonnade give the building a special allure. The City Auditorium has a 19th century Large Hall, a modern Aalmarkt Hall, a classical Bree Hall and various foyers and other spaces which offer something for everyone. A total of 2,000 guests can be hosted.

Close by Bio Science Park Among other modern conference centers are the new Event & Convention Centre Leiden and the Corpus Congress Centre. ECC Leiden is near the Bio Science Park and located in the

same complex as the four-star Holiday Inn. That makes this location perfect for multi-day international conferences. The convention centre has a capacity of up to 1,500 people. There are fourteen meeting rooms, two hundred hotel rooms, a bar, a restaurant and various sport and leisure facilities. The Corpus Congress Centre is part of the educational attraction “Corpus, journey through the human body”, located next to the Bio Science Park and fourstar Hilton Garden Inn. The large industrial conference hall can hold 540 people and can be divided into different rooms by sliding walls. The penthouse offers a great view of the coastline and is the perfect location for a reception, gathering or a sit-down dinner.

DESTINATION HOLL AND

• NORTH HOLLAND

Everything the Netherlands is famous for

If you want to discover the Netherlands in all its glory, you don't have to travel far. Less than thirty minutes from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, visitors are right in the middle of what makes the Netherlands famous. The organisers of the Earth Moon Earth Conference 2018 explain why they chose North Holland above Amsterdam as the epicentre of their conference. It is difficult to choose between the dykes with their characteristic windmills and the pastures with cows and authentic farms, where cheese is often still made in the traditional manner. And we have not even yet mentioned the kilometres-long coastline with its beautiful dunes and sandy beaches, the seaside towns and fields of flowers. We also can't forget the ancient fishing villages on the IJsselmeer, such as Edam and Volendam, and innovative new and ancient waterworks, such as the Afsluitdijk. And we also have the many old Dutch towns with their beautiful historical streets, squares and houses, such as Hoorn, Enkhuizen and Alkmaar. North Holland, just above Amsterdam, has all of this and more. Just about the best thing you can do for conference members is to let them be part of this. That is precisely why Jan van Muijlwijk and Marjan Pierhagen have chosen this area as the epicentre of the 18th edition of

the International Earth Moon Earth (EME) Conference in 2018.

Moonbouncers Jan van Muijlwijk is a passionate amateur radio transmitter. Worldwide, there are about two million of them. A small proportion of them are so-called ‘moonbouncers’, people who use the moon as a passive reflector. They send a signal to the moon and - if all goes according to plan - a few seconds later they hear it back. Thus, Earth-Moon-Earth. This signal can land anywhere in the world. Close contact between ‘moonbouncers’ is, therefore, crucial. It goes without saying that the approximately three thousand moonbouncers around the world are committed to improving the moon bouncing technique. At the biennial EME conferences, they come together to learn, discuss and, above all, enjoy the now close friendships that have developed over the years.

Perfect location Jan and Marjan themselves do not live in the area where they are organising the conference. “We were on vacation in Egmond aan Zee and were impressed by the surroundings and the hospitality. We noticed that there were business guests in the hotel. When checking out, we asked them if they sometimes organise conferences.” The woman told us, with a smile, that there were at least two conferences per week in Hotel Zuiderduin. We were then given a tour of every nook and cranny of the hotel, and it became clear to us: This is the perfect location for our conference! All hotel and conference facilities are under one roof, located on the beach in one of the nicest seaside resorts in the Netherlands." Marjan: “The actual conference lasts for two days, but most of the participants - two hundred moonbouncers and a hundred partners from all over Europe and from South and North America, Asia, Australia and Africa - arrive a few days earlier and go back few days later. So, we wanted to create a nice side programme where we show the highlights of the Netherlands. We were helped enormously with that by the people of Zuiderduin and Convention Bureau Holland. They

www.conventionbureauholland.nl ↑

North Holland above Amsterdam

DESTINATION HOLL AND

One of the largest production areas for flower bulbs.

VOC-ship Halve Maen enters the port of Hoorn.

PHOTO: ROBERT GORT

DESTINATION HOLL AND

The Cheese Market in Alkmaar.

Egmond: The always popular North Sea beach.

are incredibly flexible and can really respond to our every wish. That is, of course, exactly what you need as an organiser.”

Customised programme Along with the above partners, a customised programme was put together. Marjan: “From the airport, it is less than an hour’s drive to the hotel. After such a long trip, our guests will be so happy to see the sun setting into the North Sea. The first day we gave the conference the theme, ‘Netherlands, Land of Water.’ With four buses, we will travel through the typical Dutch landscape towards Rotterdam, along various tourist highlights, such as the Kinderdijk with its beautiful windmills. We will take the ferry over the Lek River - a unique experience - and take a boat trip with lunch through the port of Rotterdam. We will also visit the second Maasvlakte; the newly constructed seaport.”

On Friday, the trip will take us across the Afsluitdijk in the direction of Dwingeloo, where the moonbouncers will visit ASTRON (the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy) with its newly-restored 25-metres radio telescope. This is something they are already eagerly looking forward to. The partners will visit the nearby Camp Westerbork, from the Second World War, where they can see an interesting exhibition about Anne Frank. On the way back, the group will visit a typically Dutch wooden shoe and cheese factory, where they will have dinner. During the conference, on Saturday and Sunday, the partners can, if they want, take an excursion to Volendam and Amsterdam. Saturday will end with an informal beach party at a beach restaurant within walking distance of the hotel. The official closing moment will be held during the ‘goodbye lunch’ on Sunday at the Hotel Zuiderduin.

Convention Bureau Holland These are just some examples of what is possible in North Holland, north of Amsterdam. Ten kilometres from Hotel Zuiderduin (550 rooms and 33 meeting and conference rooms, ranging from 30 to 1,000 square metres for a total of 1,500 guests) for example, is the AFAS Stadium in Alkmaar, where gatherings up to 1,000 guests can be organized. In the centre of Alkmaar, there is the Theater De Vest (700 people) and the Grote Laurenskerk (750 people). Beach Hotel Golfzang in Egmond aan Zee (144 rooms and 2 conference rooms) is very suitable for smaller groups. And if you are looking for a location with an industrial tint to it, choose the Taets Arts Gallery in Zaanstad. This building has a total of 30,000 square metres, divided into different rooms and areas, including an outdoor area, and can accommodate meetings of up to 7,000 guests. There is, in short, in North Holland, above Amsterdam, something for everyone.

DESTINATION HOLL AND

• NOORDWIJK

Noordwijk

‘The space to be’

www.noordwijk.info ↓

Noordwijk offers astounding diversity for each square mile. This exclusive seaside resort is situated in the Dutch Dune and Flowerbulb Region and is, with its numerous international space agencies, the epicentre of the European aerospace industry. Noordwijk is not only one of the leading resorts of the Netherlands, but also the place where many Dutch and European aerospace activities take place. Internationally, the Netherlands is one of the most developed countries in the field of aerospace. The Dutch contribution to the development of the aerospace industry is substantial: fundamental scientific research, education and training, data processing and application, and hardware design and production for the industry. The Dutch aerospace sector comprises around 80 companies and research institutions with annual sales totalling €140 million. The European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) with 2,500 highly qualified employees, is located in Noordwijk. Starting in 2018, the government will be investing 13 million euros extra per year in the Dutch aerospace industry so that Dutch entrepreneurs and scientists can continue to benefit from developments in the European aerospace programme. The investment for Research & Development of aerospace projects from the government amounts to between 90 and 100 million

euros annually. The technological discoveries made in Noordwijk are not only used in the aerospace and aviation industry, but also in, for instance, the communication, navigation, meteorology, astronomy and physics sectors.

Space Expo The Space Technology industry organises numerous large and small conferences each year, many of which are held in Noordwijk. Those who want a place in the sun can go to Space Expo. About 17 years ago, this centre was set up as a visitor centre of ESTEC and has, since then, already welcomed millions of visitors. The permanent exhibition gives an idea of the development of the aerospace industry and the exploration of the universe. For conference organisers, Space Expo offers the necessary facilities. There are several halls and reception areas on site, including an auditorium for 130 people. Dutch astronaut André Kuipers returned on 1 July 2012 from the International Space Station (ISS). He travelled with a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. As many as 1.5 million Dutch people saw the

landing for the first time live on Dutch television. This summer, the Soyuz capsule will be brought to the Netherlands and exhibited at Space Expo.

Flowerbulb Fields Noordwijk is in the heart of the Dutch Dune and Flowerbulb Region. This so-called ‘Greenport’ is an economic area of world stature. Businesses in this region account for almost two thirds of the global trade and export of flower bulbs. The development of horticulture and the respective knowledge institutes, logistic and service activities provide for a strong international competitive position. Noordwijk also has one of the most famous attractions in the Netherlands: the bulb fields and Keukenhof, situated about ten minutes from the seaside resort. The Keukenhof is a unique flower park that is open only a few months each year: from around the end of March to the end of May. For conferences, the park features five colourful pavilions and various rooms for business meetings. Of these, the 860 square meter exhibition hall is the largest. In the Keukenhof, groups from 25 to 300 people can be accommodated all year round. Noordwijk-Leiden Noordwijk is 15 miles from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and 6 miles from the ancient city of

PHOTO: ISTOCK/REPISTU

A more than eight miles sandy beach is within a stone's throw, making sure that the sound of the sea can be heard anywhere in town.

Leiden, which boasts the largest and oldest university of the Netherlands. While Noordwijk offers numerous hotels and accommodations of various star ratings in the middle of nature, Leiden boasts an ancient city centre with 3,000 monuments. If only because of this, both cities complement each other and work together.

Accommodation The special thing about Noordwijk is that it has conferencing facilities worthy of a big city while it has, at the same time, been able to preserve the charm of a small seaside resort. Do you opt for an old church or theatre or do you prefer a conference hotel? Numerous four- and five-star conference hotels are close to each other and work together intimately. Most hotels are within half a mile of each other and the

shopping centre and entertainment district are right in between. A more than eight miles long sandy beach is within a stone's throw, making sure that the sound of the sea can be heard anywhere in town.

International conferences Noordwijk is, thanks to its proximity to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and the city of The Hague, a good base for major international conferences. The past years, the seaside resort has provided accommodation for a large number of leading conferences and international delegations. The two largest delegations of the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in 2014, America and China, found accommodations respectively in Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin and Hotels van Oranje.

Noordwijk is in the heart of the Dutch Dune and Flowerbulb Region.

PHOTO: ISTOCK/JASPER MEIJER

PHOTO: ISTOCK/SLOOT

PHOTO: ESA

The Space Technology industry organises numerous large and small conferences each year.

DESTINATION HOLL AND

Conferencing facilities worthy of a big city, with the charm of a small seaside resort.

In 2018, Noordwijk will cooperate with Leiden and Delft to organise the SSP Conference. The Space Studies Program (SSP) of the International Space University (ISU) is a 10-week summer program providing a unique educational experience on the world’s space activities to international young professionals. In total, Noordwijk hosts some 250 international conferences and over 1,000 meetings.

Conference Bureau Noordwijk Conference Bureau Noordwijk provides conference organisers with advice and information about all the facilities in the region. Would you like to know more about Noordwijk? Take part in a site visit; together with colleagues from the industry, you can get to know the region as a destination for your congress.

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72 DESTINATION MANAGEMENT COMPANIES

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CONGRESS CALENDAR Selection of international conferences that will be held in The Netherlands. For the complete list visit www.conferenceholland.com 2017 05-09

JC-16, 40, 42, 45, 63, 64th Hotel Pullman JEDEC Committee Meeting Eindhoven Cocagne

Eindhoven

07-09 JUNE

51st General Meeting of Moevenpick Hotel the European Coil Coating Amsterdam City Association (ECCA) Centre

Amsterdam

08-09 JUNE

83rd European NH Grand Hotel Euroconstruct Conference Krasnapolsky

Amsterdam

12-14

Savage Marketing

De Meervaart

Amsterdam

12-16

FIB Symposium

Maastricht Exhibition Maastricht & Congress Centre (MECC)

JUNE

JUNE JUNE

13-16

9th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Affective Disorders (ISAD)

16-23

17th International Utrecht School Congress of the World of the Arts -HKUAssociation of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE)

Utrecht

25-29 JULY

16th World Conference of Vrije Universiteit the International Society Amsterdam of Family Law (ISFL)

Amsterdam

26-28

Informs Healthcare

de Doelen International Congress Centre Rotterdam

Rotterdam

JULY

VU University Amsterdam

Amsterdam

12-16

5th International Symposium on End User Development (IS-EUD)

14-17

Amsterdam

30 JULY 03 AUGUST

XV Congress of the European Biological Rhythms Society (EBRS-15)

Academic Medical Centre -AMC-

Amsterdam

JUNE

52nd Congress of the Amsterdam European Society for Conference Centre Surgical Research (ESSR) Beurs van Berlage

15-17

International GSD Conference (IGSD)

Groningen

20-25

MartiniPlaza

Groningen

20-22

56th European Amsterdam Pharmaceutical Marketing Conference Centre Research Association Beurs van Berlage General Meeting (EPHMRA)

Amsterdam

16th Congress of the European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB)

23-25

AUGUST

43rd International Symposium on Water Supply and Drainage for Buildings (CIB W062)

Hotel Van der Valk Haarlem

Haarlem

21-22

International Standard Inntel Hotel for Maritime Pilot Organizations Conference (ISPO)

Rotterdam

28-30

Laracon

De Meervaart

Amsterdam

9th International Locke Hall Conference on the History of Drugs and Alcohol

Utrecht

57th Congress of the 29 AUGUST 01 SEPTEMBER European Regional

University of Groningen

Groningen

22-25 24-27

3rd Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN)

RAI Amsterdam

Amsterdam

23rd Meeting of the 29 AUGUST 03 SEPTEMBER European Association of

Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre (MECC)

Maastricht

JUNE

25-29

International Conference on Low Vision (VISION)

World Forum

The Hague

14th Annual IMISCOE Conference International Migration, Integration & Social Cohesion

Erasmus University Rotterdam

28 JUNE 01 JULY

24th Conference of the European Real Estate Society (ERES)

Delft University of Techology -TU Delft-

Delft

29-30

IFRS Foundation Conference

Okura Hotel Amsterdam

Amsterdam

29-30

LANDac Annual International Conference

Muntgebouw

Utrecht

02-05

24th International Conference on Adults Learning Mathematics (ALM24)

Albeda College

09-13 10-12

JUNE

Technische Universiteit Eindhoven

University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)

Eindhoven

AUGUST

Science Association (ERSA)

Archaeology (EAA)

44th Annual Meeting of University of 31 AUGUST 02 SEPTEMBER the European Association Maastricht

Maastricht

02-06

29th European Congress of Pathology (ECP)

RAI Amsterdam

Amsterdam

06-08

28th Congress of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

de Doelen International Congress Centre Rotterdam

Rotterdam

09-12

39th Congress of the European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN)

World Forum

The Hague

Rotterdam

10-13

70th Congress of the World Association of Research Professional (ESOMAR)

Amsterdam Conference Centre Beurs van Berlage

Amsterdam

XXII EuCHEMS Conference Amsterdam on Organometallic Conference Centre Chemistry (EuCOMC) Beurs van Berlage

Amsterdam

18-21

Amsterdam

Aula Conference Centre Delft University of Technology -TU Delft-

Delft

6th Meeting of the EURO Vrije Universiteit Working Group on Vehicle Amsterdam Routing and Logistics Optimization (VeRoLog)

16th International Conference on Microwave and High Frequency Heating

19-22

De Meervaart

Amsterdam

10-14

International Conference on Rock Magnetism

Utrecht University

Utrecht

5th European Congress on Microbial Biofilms (EUROBIOFILMS)

19-22

RAI Amsterdam

Amsterdam

International Conference on the History of Mathematics Educationâ&#x20AC;&#x2039;

Utrecht

15th European Congress of Psychology

SEPTEMBER

Utrecht University

11-14

20-22

18th European Parking Congress

de Doelen International Congress Centre Rotterdam

Rotterdam

JUNE

28-30 JUNE

JUNE JUNE JULY

JULY

JULY JULY

for Research in Industrial Economics (EARIE)

Rotterdam SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER

CONGRESS CALENDAR

2017 20-22

6th ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on the Mechanical Response of Composites (COMPOSITES)

Natlab

Eindhoven

25-29

32nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC)

RAI Amsterdam

Amsterdam

28-30

10th Conference of the European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians (EFAD)

Beurs-WTC Congress Center

03-06

AGM and Conference of Mainport Hotel the Women's International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA)

Rotterdam

European Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia Conference (EUROGIN)

RAI Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Sosu Europe

De Meervaart

Amsterdam

18-20

European League for Middle Level Education (ELMLE)

Marriott Hotel Amsterdam

Amsterdam

11-13

Georg Rajka International Symposium on Atopic Dermatitis

Tivoli Vredenburg

Utrecht

09-12

17th International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR)

de Doelen International Congress Centre Rotterdam

Rotterdam

10-12

International Meeting of the Psychonomic Society (IMPS)

Amsterdam Conference Centre Beurs van Berlage

Amsterdam

17-18

IACPM Spring General Conference

NH Collection Barbizon Palace

Amsterdam

21-25

16th Conference of the International Association of Colloid and Interface Scientists (IACIS)

Postillion Convention Centre WTC Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Conference of the International Association for Breath Research (IBRA)

Crowne Plaza Hotel

5th European Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA)

World Forum

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

08-11

OCTOBER

10-12

OCTOBER

15-18

OCTOBER

10th World Congress on Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)

de Doelen International Congress Centre Rotterdam

Rotterdam

25-26

World Pension Summit

Louwman Museum

The Hague

26-28

IB AEM Regional Conference 2017

World Forum

The Hague

31 OCTOBER 02 NOVEMBER

Wi-Fi Now

NH Hotel Den Haag

The Hague

06-10

72nd World Congress of the Junior Chamber International (JCI)

ijVENUES

Amsterdam

09-11

NOVEMBER

8th Annual Alliance for Healthy Ageing Conference

Universitair Medisch Groningen Centrum Groningen

27-29

Europe-ATP

Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin

Noordwijk

28-30

WindEurope Conference & Exhibition

RAI Amsterdam

Amsterdam

22-28

22nd International Conference on AIDS

RAI Amsterdam

Amsterdam

15-19

18th International Earth Moon Earth Conference (EME)

Hotel Zuiderduin

Egmond aan Zee

27-29

10th ICN International Nurse Practitioner / Advanced Practice Nursing Network Conference (ICN INP/ APNN)

de Doelen International Congress Centre Rotterdam

Rotterdam

27-31

AUGUST

17th International Amsterdam Symposium on Conference Centre Electromagnetic Beurs van Berlage Compability (EMC Europe)

Amsterdam

02-05

5th European Congress of Immunology (ECI)

RAI Amsterdam

Amsterdam

08-13

29th European Conference on Biomaterials (ESB)

Maastricht Exhibition Maastricht & Congress Centre (MECC)

11-14

15th International Symposium on Heavy Vehicle Transport Technology (HVTT)

RDM Campus

Rotterdam

13-15

18th International Conference on Behcet's Disease

de Doelen International Congress Centre Rotterdam

Rotterdam

04-06

22nd Congress of the European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social Security (EUMASS)

Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre (MECC)

Maastricht

07-09

21st World Congress of the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy (ISSHP)

Westergasfabriek Conference & Event Venue

Amsterdam

17 - 20

9th One Young World Summit

World Forum

The Hague

21 - 28

15th Conference of the European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA)

de Doelen International Congress Centre Rotterdam

Rotterdam

OCTOBER OCTOBER

Rotterdam

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER NOVEMBER

2018 JANUARY

APRIL

MAY

MAY MAY

28-30 MAY

04-08 JUNE

10-13 JUNE

Maastricht

The Hague

41st International Energy MartiniPlaza Horeca Groningen Economics Conference of IAEE Amsterdam

20-23

9th Conference of the European Federation of Periodontology (EUROPERIO 9)

RAI Amsterdam

Amsterdam

24-29

28th International Delft University Conference on Automated of Techology -TU Planning and Scheduling Delft(ICAPS)

Delft

30 JUNE 04 JULY

28th Symposium of the Stadsgehoorzaal International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS)

Leiden

11-14

12nd European Conference on Health Economics (ECHE)

Maastricht

JULY

SEPTEMBER

Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ

JUNE

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

22nd International Worskhop on Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA)

JUNE

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

20-22 JUNE

JULY

Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre (MECC)

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER