HQ40

HEADQUARTERS E U R O P E , M I D D L E - E A S T, A F R I C A

the EMEA Magazine for Association Executives Supported by ESAE, European Society of Association Executives, and UIA, Union of International Associations, Brussels

40

Meeting Media Company Meetings Industry Publishers (Belgium) Afgiftekantoor 2800 Mechelen 1 Bureau de D茅p么t 2800 Malines 1 Published 6 times a year: February, April, June, September, October & December Edition September 2010 - P3A9029

EVER-SURPRISING

MADRID ESAE & UIA TALK ABOUT STRATEGY

MEETING TRENDS 2010

HQ

> M A R C E L’ S PA G E

EMEA, EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA From now on, there will be a new subheader on the cover of Headquarters Magazine: EMEA. With this change we want to involve two important areas read: continents - in the distribution of the magazine. The newest development of the association market is not only occurring in Asia but also in the Gulf States and Africa.

MARCEL A.M. VISSERS Editor in Chief

Europe, the Middle East and Africa, usually abbreviated to EMEA, is a regional designation used for government, marketing and business purposes and has primarily been utilized by American companies to point out their areas of interest. The new action area of Headquarters Magazine in the Middle East is concentrated in Dubai. Like Washington is the capital of international association headquarters in the USA, Brussels in Europe and Singapore in South-East Asia, Dubai has become the association capital for countries from the Middle East.

There are significant developments happening in the Gulf States that will undoubtedly have an influence on the meetings industry. If the magazine The Economist is to be believed, the Gulf Region will reign supreme in the international air traffic sector. Six months ago the world’s highest skyscraper, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, usually the Burj Kalifa in Dubai, was ofabbreviated to EMEA, is a regional designation used ficially inaugurated. Hundreds of for government, marketing and business purposes journalists attended the celebraand has primarily been utilized by American tion. Only a few miles from there, Al Maktoum International Airport, the companies to point out their areas of interest.

This is the new action area of Headquarters Magazine. world’s largest airport, was opened in July 2010. Similar things are happening in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Doha International Airport in Qatar will open to the public within 18 months.

Congress capacity is being expanded at the same speed. It is evident that the association industry will follow these developments with interest.

On the African continent, there is already a well-established player in the congress world: South Africa. Big plans are ready for the construction of new convention centres in Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya as well. Where the capital of the African association headquarters will be is yet to be revealed.

There is an important task waiting for Europe within EMEA: the transfer of knowledge and expertise in the area of association development and management. I sincerely hope that the five association industry capitals will come together and form a union. And if you ask me, this might as well happen in Brussels.

» READ MORE STORIES ON WWW.HEADQUARTERSMAGAZINE.COM

HQ

> MEETINGS FOREST

THE MEETINGS FOREST NOW HAS ITS OWN (MICRO)WEBSITE! IN MARCH 2010, THE FIRST TREES OF OUR MEETINGS FOREST WERE PLANTED, AS PART OF THE RESTORATION OF ONE OF THE OLDEST FORESTS IN EUROPE. THE GOAL IS, IN COOPERATION WITH TREES FOR LIFE, THE SCOTTISH EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE CENTRE (SECC) - AND OF COURSE THE WORLDWIDE MEETINGS INDUSTRY -, TO REPOPULATE AN ANCIENT FOREST WITH TREES, ANIMALS, PLANTS, FLOWERS AND INSECTS. AND WHO KNOWS, ONE DAY SOMEONE WILL BUILD A TREE HOUSE THERE WHERE WE CAN MEET. THAT WILL BE THE VERY FIRST FOREST MEETING! TEXT MARCEL A.M. VISSERS

THE (MICRO)SITE The initiators of the Meetings Forest created their own (micro)website where the restoration process can be closely monitored. It’s a non-commercial project. The ultimate aim is to give Mother Nature everything back, all that the meetings industry has taken throughout the years, by traveling by plane, producing carbon emissions, printing papers, not recycling as we should have, and so on.

If you go to www.headquartersmagazine.com you can click on the ‘Meetings Forest’ link on the far right of your screen. What can you find there for now?

1. How to donate/to buy a tree?

2. Concept and history 3. Merging with SECC 4. Who got a Meeting Tree 5. How to contact us

HEADQUARTERS 4

The initiators of the Meetings Forest created their own (micro)website where the restoration process can be closely monitored. It’s a noncommercial project.

The ultimate aim is to give Mother Nature everything back.

We’ve tried to make it easy for you to linkup with our sustainable project. Donating trees or whatever you want (a whole grove, animals and even insects) is now beyond simple: just follow the steps on our microsite. You will then appear in the list of the generous donators who contributed to making the very first Meetings Forest grow.

LIST OF DONATIONS Since we merged with the SECC’s forest in March 2010, trees were donated after several events took place. The following organisations have now become Sponsors of the Dundreggan Project, as part of a scheme through which individuals and associations can fund specially-dedicated trees and groves through Trees for Life. + The Educational Institute + Chartered Institute of Housing In Scotland 2010 + IOSH 2010 + Geotex + Royal College of General Practitioners 2010 + Podium 2012 Event + Scottish Patient Safety Programme + Learning Session 6 + FOCUS 2010 + SQA Meeting + The 11th World Congress on Biosensors + Prolia Internal Launch Meeting + Scottish Enterprise Staff Conference 2010 + Skills Development Scotland + International Conference on Posture & Wheeled Mobility + The 6th Research Forum of the European Association for Palliative Care 2010 + American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Gas Turbine Expo 2010 + Emergency Planning Conference 2010

HQ > CONTENTS

COLOPHON

CONTENTS

HQ OR HEADQUARTERS IS A NICHE PUBLICATION FOR EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS HEADQUARTERED IN BRUSSELS AND ALL MAJOR EUROPEAN CITIES DEALING WITH THE ORGANIZATION OF WORLDWIDE CONGRESSES. IT IS PUBLISHED 6 TIMES A YEAR. CIRCULATION IS 5000 COPIES. Subscriptions Subscription amounts to 65 EUR (all incl.) in Belgium, 75 EUR (all incl.) in the EU and 95 EUR (all incl.) in the rest of the world.

The subscription entails 6 editions of HQ per year including the special edition Meeting Trends, as well as an online access to the website.

To subscribe: www.headquartersmagazine.com Editor in Chief Marcel A.M.Vissers T: +32 (0)3 226 88 81 marcel@headquartersmagazine.com Managing Director Cécile Caiati-Koch T: +32 (0)2 761 70 52 cecile@headquartersmagazine.com

Cover HQ40: A new, beautiful terminal opened in Madrid in 2006.

Terminal 4 now sets the airport’s capacity to 70 million passengers. And puts the Spanish capital even more on the international map.

Editorial Officer Rémi Dévé T: +32 (0)2 761 70 54 remi@headquartersmagazine.com Editor Igor Hendrickx Design UPSILON advertising, Gent T: +32 (0)9 267 39 40 info@upsilonadvertising.be Print Cartim - Destelbergen

MARCEL’S PAGE

3

CONTENTS

5

NEWS

7

AIPC CONGRESS REPORT

10

ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT: EWMA

12

MEETING TRENDS FEATURE INTRODUCTION

14

AN ANALYSIS OF UIA AND ICCA STATISTICS

15

SECOND ANNUAL INCON SURVEY

18

TECHNOLOGY: HYBRID DIALOGUE

20

ESAE: STRATEGY FOR ASSOCIATIONS

22

UIA: STRATEGY: PATHS FORWARD

30

COVER FEATURE

Supported by ESAE and UIA

EVER-SURPRISING MADRID

Address 59, rue René Declercq B - 1150 Brussels (Belgium) T: +32 (0)2 761 70 50 F: +32 (0)2 761 70 51 www.headquartersmagazine.com

32

DESTINATIONS

Responsible Publisher Meeting Media Company Marcel A.M. Vissers Mechelseplein 23, bus 1 B - 2000 Antwerpen (Belgium)

SCOTLAND: EICC

43

THE NETHERLANDS: NBTC IN GENEVA

45

SINGAPORE: SUNTEC INTERNATIONAL

49

CANADA: QUÉBEC

53

DESTINATION SUPPLEMENT

> SOUTH AFRICA

Cécile Caiati-Koch

HQ magazine sets great store by sustainable development and therefore chose environment-friendly FSC certified paper which comes from a controlled source.

More info: www.fsc.org ® FSC, A.C. FSC-SECR-0045

CANADA WORKSHOP DATE:

MONDAY 20/09/2010 18:00

It will offer you the possibility: + To meet Canadian destinations, hotels, congress centres, convention bureaus and other meetings industry partners. + To hear about successful corporate and association meetings that took place in Canada. + To discover the meeting and incentive possibilities of the Land of the Maple Leaf. + To enjoy Canadian specialities.

PLACE:

CHALET ROBINSON, BRUSSELS

5342

Rémi Dévé

GENUINELY INTERESTED? REGISTER ON WWW.HEADQUARTERSMAGAZINE.COM > EVENTS

#V VJKU XGT[ OQOGPV PGY KFGCU CTG ETGCVGF D[ FGNGICVGU 9JGP FQ [QW EQPUKFGT VJG 8KGPPGUG CODKCPEG QH PGVYQTMKPI! WWW.AUSTRIAN.COM WWW.MESSECONGRESS.AT WWW.VIENNA.CONVENTION.AT

HQ

> HEADQUARTERS NEWS

REYKJAVÍK CONFERENCE CENTRE OPENING IN MAY 2011 The official opening and opening concert by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at Harpa, Reykjavík’s new Concert Hall and Conference Centre, will take place on 4 May 2011. On 14 May 2011, Harpa will also stage a grand opening program featuring a diverse range of music events and many of Iceland’s most prominent musicians. The main concert hall, the largest of four in the centre, is capable of accommodating up to 1,800 people. A spacious entrance hall is located on both the first and second levels and is the ideal space for exhibitions, large banquets, and receptions. www.harpa.is

Reykjavík’s new Concert Hall and Conference Centre

MUTSCHLECHNER IS 2010 JMIC UNITY AWARD WINNER Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) President Leigh Harry has announced the winner of the 2010 JMIC Unity Award as Christian MutschChristian Mutschlechner lechner, Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau and past President of both ICCA and the European Federation of Conference Towns. The Unity Award is made annually to an individual who represents the spirit of JMIC, which is an organization devoted to creating stronger relationships and greater awareness of the Meetings Industry. The Award is made each year based on criteria which evaluate industry leadership and initiative. www.themeetingsindustry.org

ITB ASIA ANNOUNCES ASSOCIATION DAY

ITB Asia 2010 will hold an Association Day 20-21 October. The specialist day-and-a-half association event has been designed for destinations and travel professionals who want to attract,

and better service, association congresses and forums. Association Day will showcase best practices and analyse the latest trends in what is increasingly seen as a lucrative segment of the travel industry. Association Day will host best practice and practical tip sessions on, ‘What Global Meeting Planners Look For When Bringing Their Meetings to Asia’, ‘Future Trends: Asia & The Global Meetings Industry’, ‘How to Improve the Financial Outcomes of Your Meetings’, ‘Using Your Meetings to Promote the Growth of Your Association’, ‘In Conversation with Association CEOs’, and ‘Challenges and Opportunities for Associations in a Changing Business Environment’. www.itb-asia.com/associationsday

SECC UNDERLINES MEDICAL CONFERENCE CREDENTIALS The Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) is the venue of choice for leading national and European medical associations to host four major conferences in 2012 and 2014. The events are set to attract over 5,300 medical professionals to Glasgow. First will be the Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists Annual Professional Conference and Exhibition in October 2012. The Royal College of General Practitioners Annual Primary Care Conference follows suit. In 2014, the SECC will host 1,500 leading specialists at the European Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The Infection Prevention Society will meet in

September 2014, with 700 delegates. www.secc.co.uk

HKCEC HONOURED AS QUALITY BUILDING

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) was the recipient of the Grand Award in the non-residential category of Quality Building Award (QBA) 2010 for its second expansion.

A biennial award, QBA is co-organized by nine leading professional organisations in Hong Kong to acknowledge buildings with outstanding quality. Part of the judging criteria was on customer satisfaction, serviceability and performance outcome. Completed in April 2009, the second expansion has added almost 20,000 m2 of additional exhibition space to the Centre. www.hkcec.com

» SEND YOUR PRESS RELEASES TO PRESS@HEADQUARTERSMAGAZINE.COM

HEADQUARTERS 7

/ 8dgW^h$<Ziin >bV\Zh#

FWh_i" W mehbZ YbWii Z[ij_dWj_ed \eh Wbb oekh [l[dji

6gZ ndj dg\Vc^h^c\ V Xdc[ZgZcXZ! Zm]^W^i^dc dg ZkZci4 8]ddhZ Vc ZmigVdgY^cVgn kZcjZ Ä EVg^h! ^ciZgcVi^dcVa ]jW! YZX^h^dc"bV`^c\ XZcigZ! VcY XVe^iVa d[ XjaijgZ VcY aZ^hjgZ# IZc egZhi^\^djh h^iZh VlV^i ndj Vi i]Z ]ZVgi d[ i]Z ;gZcX] XVe^iVa/ FWh_i Fehj[ Z[ L[hiW_bb[i # FWh_i DehZ L_bb[f_dj[ # B[ FWbW_i Z[i 9ed]h i Z[ FWh_i # FWh_i B[ 8ekh][j # ;ifWY[ 9^Wcf[hh[j # 9d_j FWh_i BW : \[di[ # ;ifWY[ =hWdZ[ 7hY^[ # 9Whheki[b Zk Beklh[ # FWbW_i Z[i 9ed]h i Z[ L[hiW_bb[i # FWbW_i Z[i 9ed]h i ZÊ?iio ;dg V heZX^Vaan iV^adgZY lZaXdbZ! K^eVg^h VcY ^ih eVgicZgh d[[Zg i]Z LZaXdbZ EVX` ! V [gZZ! ijgc`Zn hdaji^dc egdk^YZY ^c V^gedgih! igV^c hiVi^dch VcY Vi djg h^iZh id lZaXdbZ ndjg eVgi^X^eVcih dc i]Z^g Vgg^kVa ^c EVg^h# >c eVgicZgh]^e l^i] hjW_ZXi id Za^\^W^a^in ^c VXXdgYVcXZ l^i] K^eVg^h iZgbh VcY XdcY^i^dch#

(( % & )% +- '' '' " hVgV]#Yjedch5k^eVg^h#Xdb

L;DK;I?DF7H?I$9EC

LZaXdb^c\ djihiVcY^c\ ZkZcih id EVg^h

HQ

> HEADQUARTERS NEWS

MEET MICHELE SARAN OF THE CTC Michele Saran was recently promoted to the position of Acting Executive Director, Meetings, Conventions and Incentive Travel at the Canadian Tourism CommisMichelle Saran sion. The mandate of the group is to position Canada to a global audience as the premier location for meetings travel. An incentive travel expert for ten years, Michele was instrumental in organizing the successful ‘Trailblazers’ annual event. She explains: ‘Canada is a mighty, very active country whose values can easily be translated into the meetings industry.

Nowhere else can you find such an array of meetings possibilities. And with the Winter Olympics, it’s on the map as never before.’ www.meetings.canada.travel

VALENCIA CONFERENCE CENTRE WINS APEX AWARD The Board of Directors of the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) has announced the Valencia Conference Centre as the winner of the 2010 Apex Award for ‘World’s Best Convention Centre’. The AIPC Apex Award is based on an extensive analysis of customer input under the auspices of the Faculty of Science, Politics and Economics from the University of Brussels, and reflects an unbiased picture of centre performance through the eyes of its customers. The analysis covers a range of areas including such topics as congress facilities, project management, customer relations, catering and technology. www.aipc.org

EU VAT RULE CHANGES TO IMPACT MEETINGS BUSINESSES The EU VAT system is constantly changing, presenting a major headache for all businesses - but particularly those that trade cross-border.

2010 saw the introduction of the first of a series

NEW CONVENTION CENTRE IN ST. PETERSBURG ExpoForum International Convention & Exhibition Centre in St Petersburg is a new venue for meetings, conventions and events. Upon its opening in 2013, the Centre will be the most modern and sophisticated convention complex in Russia, and will offer 100,000 m2 of space and be able to welcome up to 10,000 delegates in total. In three years, the city will become an attractive and fashionable destination for international congresses. www.expoforum.ru

of fundamental changes to the EU VAT rules that will be brought into effect over the course of the next five years. While the 2010 changes impacted almost all businesses, to a greater or lesser extent, the next change that will come into force in January 2011 will specifically affect businesses that organise conferences, meetings and events. More news on that to follow.

LONDON’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE (ICC) OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED

Thursday 24th June marked the start of a new era in business tourism for London. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, officially launched the Capital’s first International Convention Centre at ExCeL London with ADNEC Chairman, His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan.

The new facility encompasses London’s largest banqueting space ICC Capital Hall, the 5,000 tiered seater, ICC Auditorium, and a conference suite, ICC Capital Suite, comprising 17 individual meeting rooms for 50 to 2,500 delegates. www.excel-london.co.uk

JOINING FORCES IN QUÉBEC CITY The Québec City Convention Centre is joining forces with ExpoCité to offer clients turnkey

2010 MEETINGS INDUSTRY FAIRS WORLDWIDE: MAKE YOUR CHOICE! CIBTM - Beijing // 31 August - 2 September 2010 // www.cibtm.com Access 2010 - Hofburg Vienna // 4-5 October 2010 // www.access-austria.at IT&CMA AND CTW ASIA-PACIFIC - Bangkok // 5-7 October 2010 // www.itcma.com.sg EIBTM - Barcelona // 30 November - 2 December 2010 // www.eibtm.com

exhibition and meeting solutions. The 19,000sqm exhibition space provides a capacity of up to 6,500 delegates with an 850-stand exhibition and of 18,500 delegates without exhibitions.

Both venues now work closely together to offer a facilitating approach to meetings and exhibitions. www.convention.qc.ca

WORLD PCO ALLIANCE SPREADS ITS WINGS IN AFRICA, EUROPE AND THE AMERICAS

WPCOA at IMEX 2010

The World PCO Alliance, launched last year at IMEX 2009 with seven Asian members, announced that it recently expanded to comprise 15 Professional Conference Organisers (PCOs) during IMEX2010 in Frankfurt. This cohesive group was formed by motivated PCOs to capitalize on the efficiency of consolidating regional conference and event services within one network and has now spread its wings to include new members from Africa, Europe and the Americas. The World PCO Alliance’s 15 members have set out to exchange best practice, improve service quality and streamline operations and sales in order to maximise outcomes for clients and member PCOs. www.worldpco.org

» VISIT WWW.HEADQUARTERSMAGAZINE.COM FOR MORE NEWS

HEADQUARTERS 9

HQ

> AIPC CONGRESS

Will Hutton

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE 2010 AIPC CONGRES IN LIVERPOOL THE GOAL THE ORGANIZERS OF AIPC HAD SET FOR THE 2010 CONGRESS WAS ‘TO BRING A VERY UNIQUE AND TARGETED PROGRAM FOR SENIOR CENTRE EXECUTIVES’. DID THEY DELIVER? AND WHAT DID INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS LEARN FROM THIS CONGRESS? REPORT CÉCILE CAIATI-KOCH

Liverpool - let’s be honest, not the easiest destination to get to for a lot of attendees – organized the whole thing flawlessly. As genuine hosts for their worldwide peers, Jacquie Rogers, ACC Liverpool General Manager, and her staff managed the event with a flamboyant flair. A perfect example of English excellence in hosting prestigious conferences.

But what about the congress itself? The ambitious programme, themed ‘A Multidimensional Look at the Critical Processes of Growth and Development’, attracted some 150 senior attendees from all over the world.

A variety of speakers presented their ideas according to their field of expertise: architecture, finance, economy and of course the meetings industry.

HEADQUARTERS 10

What did we learn? That we are going through difficult times and it is not over yet. Thanks to some banks, some of us are in deep trouble and we will see shifts from Europe to other continents. So far nothing new...

Interesting to notice was that some speakers’ ideas did not always coincide: one said that China would be playing a leading role soon, while another argued India or even the USA would be leading the world for the next 2 to 3 generations and that other BRIC countries may encounter difficulties in different fields, such as population growth or politics.

But it was a bit of a pity that the presentation of the results of an interesting survey held among AIPC members missed a dynamic

approach: the presentation came down to reading the results! The subject was highly appealing but missed depth. We concluded in the end that a slight majority of congress centres are still rather optimistic although it remains clearly a buyers’ market.

The real highlight of the congress was the presentation the maverick Englishman Will Hutton who developed a totally new idea for the meetings industry. A great speaker on top of that who really brought the audience to life.

He argued that not just tourism should be the focus of the meetings industry but the knowledge industry should be the main field of interest for collaboration (and with that he meant not just the clinical knowledge, but all kinds of knowledge). He said: ‘Join forces with clusters of excellence, like universities, hospitals, etc., explore all kinds of knowledge industries in your area because those people will always meet all over the world’. As we are entering the knowledge era this will only grow in future.

Did I learn something there? Yes I did!

Global Meetings & Events Exhibition Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain

30 November â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 December 2010 www.eibtm.com

Where The World Meets Best for Business, Education and Networking

Register now at www.eibtm.com/hq

HQ

> ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT

EWMA 2010, Geneva

THE EUROPEAN WOUND MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (EWMA) A talk with Teresa Krausmann, Congress Director FOUNDED IN 1991, THE EUROPEAN WOUND MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (EWMA) AIMS TO PROMOTE THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH INTO NATIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY, PATHOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF WOUNDS OF ALL AETIOLOGIES. TERESA KRAUSMANN, CONGRESS DIRECTOR, EXPLAINS HOW THE ASSOCIATION WORKS, ORGANIZES MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES AND WHAT CHALLENGES IT’S HAD TO FACE OVER THE YEARS.

HQ: Could you explain what EWMA is about?

Teresa Krausmann: EWMA is an umbrella organisation linking 47 wound management associations in 35 European countries.

Thereby EWMA currently represents 23,000+ members of multidisciplinary groups interested in wound management.

An important task for a European association is to develop and maintain a strong liaison to national associations in order to keep a good level of information about national legislation, organisations and activities. EWMA also works to reach its objectives by being an

HEADQUARTERS 12

educational resource, organising conferences, contributing to international projects, actively supporting the implementation of existing knowledge and providing information on all aspects of wound management.

HQ: What kind of challenges has the association overcome in recent years?

Teresa Krausmann: In recent years EWMA has grown immensely. The annual EWMA conferences are attracting an increasing number of participants and scientific abstracts and EWMA has in previous years successfully initiated and completed a number of projects within research and education.

One of the challenges is naturally to keep track of the objectives in the growth period.

Over the years, we’ve also had to move from industry sponsorships to industry cooperation, which implies a focus on the benefits for the association as well as the industry. Another challenge has been to integrate continued medical education within the scope of the conference.

HQ: What kind of events do you organize?

Teresa Krausmann: EWMA organises its annual conference in one of the bigger European cities in May each year. Last May, we went to Geneva - it was held in cooperation with the Swiss Association for Wound Care (SAfW), the Swiss German Section and the Swiss French Section - and the next EWMA conference will take place in Brussels.

In autumn next year an additional EWMA Education Seminar (Master Class) will also take place for the first time.

HQ: How has it evolved since the first edition?

Teresa Krausmann: The conference has in the last 10 years grown from 500/700 participants, primarily from the UK, to more than 2,500 participants from 70 different countries in Europe and the rest of the world.

> ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT

organisational, political and demographic factors. As a next step, the selected cities and venues are short-listed and asked to forward a bid, developed in cooperation with the EWMA Secretariat.

The cost of the venue, hotels and other suppliers are naturally important, but EWMA also pays specific attention to what the city can offer with regards to: 1. Reaching the objectives of the association - in relation to the actual European agenda and the agenda of the host country.

2. Establishing good working conditions based on the collaboration with local vendors. Partnerships are of paramount importance!

3. Assistance in negotiating clear, favourable accommodation agreements.

4. Favourable public transport agreements (free, if possible).

5. Subventions (if part of the package) and marketing of the conference in public areas.

In 2010 the conference offered a total of 604 scientific presentations, compared to only 100-150 presentations 10 years ago.

HQ: What is the association’s decision process concerning the organization of a conference?

How do you decide where to go?

Teresa Krausmann: The EWMA council and the EWMA Secretariat evaluates and selects a number of countries based on scientific,

HQ: What kind of venues do you need and what criteria must they satisfy?

Teresa Krausmann: EWMA is always looking for venues with ‘atmosphere’. But as the conference has grown rapidly in terms of participants, number of parallel sessions and, in particular, exhibition space needed, we do most often end up sacrificing ‘atmosphere’ for functionality. But we are still dreaming of finding the perfect combination of the two aspects.

EWMA’S PAST CONFERENCES Year 2010 2009

City/Country Geneva, Switzerland Helsinki, Finland

2008

Lisbon, Portugal

2007 2006 2005

Glasgow, UK Prague, Czech Republic Stuttgart, Germany

2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Paris, France Pisa, Italy Grenada, Spain Dublin, Ireland Stockholm, Sweden

Theme Get the Timing Right HELP in Helsinki -Healing, Educating, Learning and Preventing in wound care Wound Management: Wound Healing - Responsibility and Actions Evidence, Consensus and Driving the Agenda forward Innovation, Education, Implementation From the Laboratory to the Patient: Future Organisation and Care of Problem Wounds WUWHS 2004, co-hosted by EWMA Team-work in Wound Care – The Art of Healing Chronic Wounds and Quality of Life Back to the Future Advances in Wound Management

In today’s world, criteria such as space, distance to an international airport, number of hotel rooms, etc., are still important. But a factor such as ‘sustainability’, offering the opportunity to have a ‘green meeting’ is becoming increasingly important. However, when that is said, one of the most important success criteria is the cooperation with the project managers at the venues and other suppliers, and their willingness to adapt in hectic situations.

Association conferences are met with higher demands for an active exchange and implementation of knowledge. Certified education and active networking are becoming increasingly important.

HQ: How would you summarize new trends in the association congress world?

Teresa Krausmann: Association conferences are met with higher demands for an active exchange and implementation of knowledge.

Certified education and active networking are becoming increasingly important.

Sponsors do no longer just want to be sponsors. They wish to enter a partnership with the associations. The focus on ‘return of investment’ or ‘return of objectives’ for all stakeholders has led to more professionally arranged meetings.

Social media and the ‘before and after life’ of the conferences have to be integrated and we have to learn how to use properly the new opportunities offered by technology in order to maintain an active association which will also be appealing for the next generations.

www.ewma.org

HEADQUARTERS 13

HQ THE VALUE OF > MEETING TRENDS

STATISTICS

EVERY YEAR, DURING THE SUMMERTIME, THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY GETS SOMEWHAT HEATED BY THE STATISTICS OF UIA AND ICCA. I THINK THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO SOURCES IS BY NOW SETTLED. BUT THIS SAYS NOTHING ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE PUBLISHED MATERIAL, EVEN TOUGH SOME INSIDERS STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. TEXT MARCEL A.M. VISSERS

is heading the same way, if they’re not going to start working on more and better means of promotion.

WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THE NUMBERS WE GET To say the meetings industry excels in diversified research material would be an exaggeration. At best, we can fall back on four sources, one maybe more valid than another.

UIA is backed by a long scientific tradition (they started a computerized data storage system in 1983). ICCA collects data based on member input (the more work is done by the members, the better the results will be).

Some convention bureaus build up their own statistics (which means the basis for comparison is lacking). JMIC, the Joint Meetings Industry Council, initiated its own research. A first study, about the economic impact of the Canadian meetings industry, was published last year. It was a very good start, but it’s hard to compare it with other existing sources.

I have a clear opinion about the value of statistics: you have to be able to verify and

HEADQUARTERS 14

check their value in the long term. That’s why I still prefer UIA, ICCA and JMIC. But let’s focus on UIA for now.

UIA IS FISHING IN A BIG POND Where does UIA get its data? If you open the report called International Meetings Statistics for the year 2009, you can read that ‘The data in this Report are drawn from our International Congress Calendar, the meeting database of UIA. The total number of meetings in the UIA database in 2009 was 342,500.’ That’s quite a lot.

Let’s assume UIA’s congress department works very hard to translate this data into comprehensible numbers. Remarkable for the stats of 2009 (and also for those of 2007 and 2008) is that new players are seeing the light of day. Singapore was the number one meetings hotspot for the first time in 2008.

London has permanently lost its leading role (for over ten years already), and Paris

Brussels holds the second place in the list. It is not hard to understand why they immediately sent a press release to tell the world how successful they have been. Singapore made it big news when they left everyone far behind for the second time (618 type A meetings in Singapore, compared to 388 in Brussels, 287 in Vienna and 246 in Paris).

Who will ever catch up with them? It will prove to be a very hard thing to do. And do you know why? Because Singapore is working with a ten-year plan and has a much broader view on the meetings industry than any other country. It also invests much more in congress facilities than anyone else. Does Brussels deserve its second place? Some insiders are doubtful. The answer to this question comes from UIA itself.

UIA statistics are a goldmine, though they are not well known (enough) by the meetings industry people. If I were a member of their research team - and a decent talker - I would roam the world to explain these numbers, not only quantitatively but also qualitatively, and I would take a good look at the future. But for now, I’ll stay with what I do best and be a publisher.

> MEETING TRENDS

ICCA - THE ASSOCIATION MEETING MARKET 2009 THE ICCA RANKINGS COVER MEETINGS ORGANISED BY INTERNATIONAL

NUMBER OF MEETINGS PER COUNTRY

ASSOCIATIONS WHICH TAKE PLACE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND WHICH ROTATE BETWEEN A MINIMUM OF THREE COUNTRIES, WITH AT LEAST 50 PARTICIPANTS. THE DATA REPRESENTS A ‘SNAPSHOT’ OF QUALIFYING EVENTS IN THE ICCA ASSOCIATION DATABASE AS SAMPLED ON 11 MAY 2010. ICCA’S ASSOCIATION DATABASE IS DESIGNED AS A SALES AND MARKETING RESOURCE FOR ITS MEMBERS TO TARGET FUTURE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, WHICH IS WHY IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ONE-OFF EVENTS OR THOSE WHICH DO NOT MOVE BETWEEN LOCATIONS.

This year the ICCA Data researchers have identified 8,294 events which took place in 2009, 800 events more than were identified last year. Partly this reflects the strength of the association meetings market despite the economic downturn; partly it is thanks to a record number of ICCA members sending their calendar information to help identify new events.

highest number of meetings per region, the percentage of meetings organised in Europe has dropped since last year continuing the trend of decreasing their market share (from 55.4% to 54.4%). Africa is no longer the smallest region in number of meetings organised; since Africa’s market share increased, whilst Oceania’s market share dropped.

This year the ICCA Data researchers have identified 8,294 events which took place in 2009, 800 events more than were identified last year ROTATION AND CONTINENTS 47% of the meetings in the ICCA Association Database rotated worldwide in 2009, which is a decrease of 3% points compared to 2008. 30% of the meetings rotated in Europe, 5.6% in Asia/Pacific, 3.6% in Latin America and 3.4% in Asia. The most remarkable relative increase occurred in Africa’s market share, which grew over 1% point compared to last year. This is partly due to a project carried out by ICCA Data to investigate the continent’s potential.

Even though Europe remained the most popular region attracting the

Latin America gained about 1% point with a market share of 10.4%. Asia’s and North America’s market shares remained relatively stable at respectively 18% and 11%.

COUNTRIES AND CITIES As has been the case since 2004, USA and Germany are the number one and two countries respectively measured by the number of international meetings organised in 2009. The USA is widening its gap with Germany with 32 events, compared to the 2008 figures.

Spain remains third. Italy jumps from 6th to 4th place with an increase of 54 events compared to 2008, and the

Ranking Country 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 31 32 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 43 44 45 46 47 48 50

# Meetings

U.S.A. Germany Spain Italy United Kingdom France Brazil Japan China-P.R. Austria Netherlands Switzerland Canada Sweden Republic of Korea Australia Portugal Denmark Argentina Belgium Greece Finland Norway Singapore Turkey Hungary Mexico Czech Republic Poland Thailand Malaysia Chinese Taipei India South Africa Ireland Chile Colombia Hong Kong, China-P.R. Russia Estonia Slovenia Uruguay Peru Croatia United Arab Emirates Lithuania Romania Egypt Iceland Indonesia

595 458 360 350 345 341 293 257 245 236 236 214 213 184 176 169 168 151 145 130 128 124 120 119 118 112 107 104 103 103 96 91 91 90 77 74 71 67 48 46 42 42 41 38 37 35 33 32 32 31

51 Philippines Serbia 53 Morocco New Zealand 55 Vietnam 56 Ecuador 57 Malta 58 Israel 59 Cyprus 60 Kenya Slovak Republic 62 Latvia 63 Macao, China-P.R. 64 Panama 65 Costa Rica Cuba Nigeria Puerto Rico Venezuela 70 Bulgaria Guatemala Luxembourg Tunisia 74 Ghana Senegal Uganda 77 Paraguay Tanzania 79 Monaco 80 Bolivia Honduras Qatar 83 Ukraine 84 Bahrain Dominican Republic Sri Lanka 87 Cameroon El Salvador Form.Yugosl.Rep. Macedonia Kazakhstan Pakistan Trinidad & Tobago, W.I. 93 Algeria Barbados Burkina Faso Ivory Coast Lebanon Rwanda Other

TOTAL

30 30 28 28 27 26 25 23 21 19 19 18 17 16 15 15 15 15 15 14 14 14 14 12 12 12 11 11 10 9 9 9 8 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 128

8,294

United Kingdom remains 5th. China-P.R. and Austria (which shares 10th place with The Netherlands) are newcomers in the top 10.

HEADQUARTERS 15

> MEETING TRENDS NUMBER OF MEETINGS PER CITY Ranking City 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 32 33 34 35 36

39 40 41 42 43 44 46 47 49 51

Vienna Barcelona Paris Berlin Singapore Copenhagen Stockholm Amsterdam Lisbon Beijing Buenos Aires Seoul Budapest Madrid Prague London Istanbul Sao Paulo Bangkok Athens Brussels Kuala Lumpur Rome Hong Kong Taipei Rio de Janeiro Sydney, NSW Shanghai Tokyo Montreal, QC Zurich Helsinki Dublin Oslo Cape Town Edinburgh Munich Vancouver, BC Milan Santiago de Chile Geneva Kyoto Toronto, ON Boston, MA Tallinn Lima Göteborg Mexico City Glasgow Warsaw Hamburg Washington, DC

# Meetings 160 135 131 129 119 103 102 98 98 96 90 90 87 87 86 83 80 79 76 75 73 72 69 67 64 62 61 58 58 57 57 56 51 50 49 46 46 46 43 41 39 37 36 35 35 34 33 33 32 32 31 31

53 Cracow Melbourne, VIC Valencia Vilnius 57 Montevideo Porto Reykjavik 60 Cartagena Jeju New York City, NY 63 San Francisco, Ca 64 Brisbane, QLD Florence Ljubljana New Delhi 68 Belgrade Dresden Dubai Nice Yokohama 73 Graz 74 Antalya Rotterdam 76 Chicago, IL Lyon St. Petersburg 79 Basel Bogota Bordeaux Cairo Cologne Manchester 85 Miami, FL Trondheim 87 Bergen Dubrovnik Moscow Québec City 91 Bali Bucharest Frankfurt Hanoi Los Angeles, CA Manila Torino Venice 99 Gent

Maastricht Macao Quito Riga Sevilla The Hague Other TOTAL

30 30 30 30 29 29 29 28 28 28 27 26 26 26 26 25 25 25 25 25 24 23 23 22 22 22 21 21 21 21 21 21 20 20 19 19 19 19 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 17

17 17 17 17 17 17 1,628 8,315

UNION OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS (UIA) INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 2009 FOR THE PAST 61 YEARS, THE UNION OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS HAS UNDERTAKEN, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ITS MEMBERS, STATISTICAL STUDIES ON THE PRECEDING YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS. AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE REPORT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC FOLLOWING A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS EXCLUSIVE USE

BY UIA ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. THE STATISTICS ARE BASED ON INFORMATION SYSTEMATICALLY COLLECTED BY THE UIA CONGRESS DEPARTMENT AND SELECTED ACCORDING TO STRICT CRITERIA MAINTAINED OVER THE YEARS, THUS ENABLING MEANINGFUL COMPARISON FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

Meetings taken into consideration include those organized and/ or sponsored by the international organizations which appear in the Yearbook of International Organizations and in the International Congress Calendar, i.e.: the sittings of their principal organs, congresses, conventions, symposia, regional sessions grouping several countries, as well as some national meetings with international participation organized by national branches of international associations.

Not included are purely national meetings as well as those of an exclusively religious, didactic, political, commercial, or sporting nature, and corporate and incentive meetings, the survey of these specific markets not being within the scope of activities of the UIA.

ADDITIONS TO THIS YEAR’S REPORT For the fifth year in a row, Vienna is the most popular city with an increase of 21 meetings over 2008. Barcelona jumped from 3rd to 2nd place and Paris, who shared 1st place with Vienna last year, is now 3rd. The only newcomer in the top 20 is Madrid, at 13th place. www.iccaworld.com

HEADQUARTERS 16

This year, more prominence has been given to presenting data which, due to the passage of time, can be considered to have stabilized. The editors emphasize that the number of meetings for the current reporting year (2009) is expected to be around 80 percent of that extracted from the database five years hence.

> MEETING TRENDS TOP INTERNATIONAL MEETING COUNTRIES IN 2009 Ranking

Country

# of meetings

TOP INTERNATIONAL MEETING CITIES IN 2009

Percentage of all meetings

Ranking

9.4

1

Singapore

689

City

# of meetings

Percentage of all meetings

1

USA

1085

2

Singapore

689

6

2

Brussels

395

3.4

3

France

632

5.5

3

Paris

316

2.8

4

Germany

555

4.8

4

Vienna

311

2.7

5

Japan

538

4.7

5

Geneva

183

1.6

The worldwide breakdown (market share) for meetings in 2009 by continent is:

6

6

Belgium

470

4.1

6

Berlin

171

1.5

7

Netherlands

458

4

7

Prague

170

1.5

8

Austria

421

3.7

8

Stockholm

159

1.4

9

Italy

391

3.4

9

Seoul

151

1.3

10

Spain

365

3.2

10

Barcelona

148

1.3

11

Korea Rep

347

3

11

Tokyo

134

1.2

UK

347

3

12

Copenhagen

127

1.1

12

Switzerland

336

2.9

13

Amsterdam

126

1.1

13

Sweden

246

2.1

14

London

125

1.1

14

Canada

229

2

15

Lisbon

115

1

15

Australia

227

2

16

Budapest

108

0.9

16

Czech Rep

199

1.7

17

Rome

104

0.9

17

Portugal

194

1.7

18

New York

95

0.8

18

China

173

1.5

19

Maastricht

88

0.8

19

Finland

166

1.4

20

Washington DC

83

0.7

20

Denmark

162

1.4

4.9%

2,4%

15.7% 54.1% 23.1%

AUSTRALASIA / PACIFIC

AFRICA

AMERICA (NORTH & SOUTH)

ASIA

Since the 2008 edition of this report (published in 2009), the UIA meetings database has been enriched by connecting it more closely to its sister database on international organizations, the source of the Yearbook of International Organizations. This enhances

boost to the numbers presented as of the report for 2008 (published in 2009).

CRITERIA UIA divides meetings in 3 categories : meetings of international organizations, 3-day

Since the 2008 edition of this report (published in 2009), the UIA meetings database has been enriched by connecting it more closely to its sister database on international organizations, the source of the Yearbook of International Organizations the data available across the time scale and in particular enables historical surveys of international organization meeting activity as far back as 1850. It has also affected the rate of change in data, giving an exceptional

other international meetings and 2-day other international meetings.

Meetings of international organizations are organized or sponsored by ‘international

EUROPE

organizations’ included in the UIA’s Yearbook of International Organizations, with at least 50 participants. 3-day other international meetings are not organized or sponsored by ‘international organizations’ but nonetheless of significant international character, with at least 40% of participants who are from countries other than the host country, with at least 5 different nationalities, lasting at least 3 days, with either a concurrent exhibition or at least 300 participants.

2-day other international meetings are not organized or sponsored by ‘international organizations’ but nonetheless of significant international character, with at least 40% of participants who are from countries other than the host country, with at least 5 different nationalities, lasting at least 2 days, with either a concurrent exhibition or at least 250 participants.

www.uia.org

HEADQUARTERS 17

> MEETING TRENDS

SECOND ANNUAL INCON SURVEY OF THE GLOBAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE MARKET FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, INCON, THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP OF SOME OF THE WORLD’S LEADING CONFERENCE, MEETING AND EVENT ORGANIZERS, PUBLISHED AN OVERVIEW OF THE GLOBAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE MARKET IN 2010.

THE SURVEY PROVIDES A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT ITS PARTNERS ARE EXPERIENCING, HOW THEY ARE DEALING WITH IT, AS MUCH AS IT LOOKS AHEAD PROJECTING HOPEFUL PREDICTIONS FOR 2011. HERE ARE ITS RESULTS CONCERNING THE NEW TRENDS IN THE ASSOCIATION MARKET.

2009 EMERGING TRENDS IN ASSOCIATION BUSINESS

+ PROCUREMENT Clients are demanding more value, visibility and control over any profit made An overwhelming majority of partners (97%) stated that clients are demanding more visibility across all cost elements in a conference and/or event. Of the partners questioned, 83% responded that clients are also demanding more transparency across all cost elements.

A very strong 83% majority of partners stated that clients are increasingly aware of the value of their conference and/ or event and now seek to leverage this fully.

An overwhelming 90% majority responded that they agreed that clients want to know, limit and control the profit made by a PCO on their conference and/or event. And of the INCON partners questioned, 73% stated that clients expect to share in any uplift of profit experienced by a PCO.

Analysis of the 2009 INCON survey highlighted Procurement, Marketing, CSR and Green Concerns as major emerging trends in the associations conference market in 2009/2010 (see table 1). Partners were asked their opinions on these trends and whether they were in fact key trends this year.

+ MARKETING PCOs are providing an increasing amount of marcom services and digital marcom services are rapidly on the increase Marketing trends are moving to change

HEADQUARTERS 18

with market need and client demand. A majority (83%) of partners agreed that PCOs are providing an increasing amount of marcom services in 2010 than previously.

77% disagreed that the use of traditional marketing services - print collateral creation etc. - is on the increase. A unanimous 100% of respondents agreed that social media is being harnessed to enhance the marketing of events and conferences.

Increasing importance of CSR/green concerns and a strong green policy CSR and green concerns are hot topics. A majority of 53% of partners answering the survey stated that they gave preference to venues, hotels and suppliers that have detailed environmental policies in place to reduce waste generation and recycle waste materials. Green modes of transport for delegate transfers between hotels and exhibition halls are promoted by a 77% majority of partners where possible, such as walking or using public transport. A 67% majority of partners favour exhibitors who minimise packing materials and use recyclable or reusable products.

An 83% majority of partners agree that a concerted effort is being made to keep marketing collateral online and avoid printing the conference abstract books, handouts etc. by

> MEETING TRENDS

What are the top new trends in the association market for 2009/2010 in rank order?

1

2

3

4

5

What in your opinion is the top new trend in the association market for 2010/2011?

(1 as most important, 5 as least)

3% 60%

10%

20%

10%

Procurement

7%

PERCEPTION OF VALUE

30%

30%

20%

20% BUDGETING

Marketing

10%

37%

MARKETING

20%

20%

40%

20%

CSR

PROCUREMENT

13%

IT&TECHNOLOGY

10% IT & Technologie

60%

10%

20%

CSR

10%

OTHER

20% Health and Safety 20%

30%

30%

50%

30%

IMPACT OF REGULATIONS (PHARMA CODES)

20%

17%

3%

Security

issuing delegates with USB sticks, CD Roms or making data accessible online. A majority of 63% of events organisers recognise that large scale events do not have to have huge

COP15 guidelines were a fantastic tool to create and manage major green events and that they raise awareness and give visibility to green causes. Several partners however

Analysis of the 2009 INCON survey highlighted Procurement, Marketing, CSR and Green Concerns as major emerging trends in the associations conference market in 2009/2010

The survey indicates that the major new trends in the associations conference market in 2010/2011 are: 1. Perception of Value (37%) 2. Budgeting (17%) 3. IT & Technology (13%) 4. Procurement and CSR (both 10%) 5. The Impact of Regulations (Pharma Codes) and Marketing (both 3%) Health and Safety, Security and a move away from luxury in destination selection were surprisingly not cited as key trends (all gaining null responses) and one other trend that partners cited as being influential was leveraging conference content.

For the complete survey, visit www.incon-pco.com climate impact and are making efforts to become low carbon or even carbon-neutral. Of those questioned, 53% of partners now also give the client the opportunity to support a charity of their choice.

Surprisingly, a 63% majority disagreed that the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol from COP15 has significant implications for the PCO industry. When asked to elaborate, they responded that they felt the

indicated that implementing COP15 would prove challenging to the PCO in that it would have to convince the client of the benefit of investing money in the initiatives.

PERCEPTION OF VALUE AND BUDGETING IDENTIFIED AS KEY NEW TRENDS FOR 2010/2011

INCON is an international partnership of the world’s leading conference, meeting and event organisers.

INCON Partners operate locally, nationally, regionally and globally from 32 countries. INCON Partners operate from 75 destinations in 36 countries employing 2,000 staff, annually organising 6,600 projects, serving 650,000 delegates, procuring 2,850,000 hotel bed nights and managing budgets in excess of half a billion euro.

Partners were asked to identify what new trends they thought would be of key importance in the 2010/2011 association market.

HEADQUARTERS 19

> MEETING TRENDS GOOGLE ALERTS AND GOOGLE READER

POSTEROUS

Ustream Livestream Watchitoo

BEAMME

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

FOURSQUA RE

How hybrid dialogue can lead to real life connections WHICH OF THE BELOW HAVE YOU FOUND TO BE TRUE IF YOU THINK OF THE MEETINGS YOU’VE RECENTLY HAD IN YOUR CAREER AS AN ASSOCIATIONS PROFESSIONAL? A) ‘TERRIFIC TO FINALLY MEET YOU IN PERSON!’ B) ‘I JUST DON’T SEEM THE HAVE THE TIME TO GET MYSELF CONNECTED’ C) ‘HOW DO Ruud Janssen

YOU MANAGE TO BE SO ACTIVE IN YOUR ONLINE CONTACTS?’

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF YOU ARE STUCK IN CATEGORY B) AND WONDERING WHAT THE

and trying new options. New media allow us to experiment with geolocation, peer-topeer chat, write to a global audience and comment on topics that are of interest to us on blogs and microblog posts. Hierarchy is no longer relevant, insight and interest are.

Traditional communication pyramids are tumbling down under the speed and relevance of online dialogue and conversation.

FUSS IS ALL ABOUT, THIS ARTICLE IS FOR YOU. I WILL CITE MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND SHARE 7 TOOLS I USE IN MY ORGANISATION THAT HAVE TRANSFORMED THE WAY I WORK, COMMUNICATE AND FUNCTION IN A CONNECTED HYBRID PLAYING FIELD. TEXT RUUD JANSSEN ©TNOC - THE NEW OBJECTIVE COLLECTIVE

HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? I have always expressed my views and experiences online and, by doing so, it seems I have captured the interest of an audience I never connected with before in real life but who wanted to be connected with me virtually.

I then developed in-depth online conversations with some of them and even got to meet them for real. It was no chance meeting of course as it was prepared by online connections on events, interest groups, trippit travel, Dopplr destination profiles, Foursquare and Gowalla location based tracking and networking systems.

But what I had never realised is that the quality and intensity of the trust built up through

HEADQUARTERS 20

our online discussions actually allowed for both parties to build up a level of trust in real life almost instantly. By preparing the meetings online with people that are of interest to you and that you value dialogue with, you save valuable time.

Simply put, by personally being open to continuous learning, by reading, researching and writing (micro)blogs, articles, videos and images and teaching students about our meeting industry, it occurred to me that we are in the midst of the communication [r]evolution.

We are all learning to read, write and speak a newly developing language: the language of connectivity, thanks to the developments of a new technology. We are exploring, discovering

I would now like to point out the developments that I’ve found most useful in post event dialogue for membership-based organisations. I will name, like in my previous HQ article, 7 randomly selected tools that I use on a daily basis in my organisation ©TNOC | The New Objective Collective to stay in touch effectively.

POSTEROUS - so you know a blog can be beneficial to drive traffic to your organisation. You’ve written an article from time to time, but just can’t get into the rhythm of writing periodically? Just what I felt when I started. As a matter of fact, Posterous is the first ever free tool I’ve encountered where you don’t need to create a user account. Just send a mail to post@posterous.com and your blog has started. Easily configurable, goodlooking and used by the pros that do not care to spend lots of time in crafting a Wordpress, Bloger or Typepad stylesheet based blog.

> MEETING TRENDS SOCIAL MENTION

TWUBS

DIGITAL DASHBOARD

TNOC

HOOTSUITE

GOWALLA GOOGLE ALERTS AND GOOGLE READER a place to setup your social filters and let Google readers do the work for you. Type in the tags and word combinations you want to monitor and the information is filtered for you.

BEAMME, GOWALLA, FOURSQUARE - Let people know where you are and when you are there.

Make meetings happen and prepare your encounters when you do have the time. Using Apps like Gowalla and Foursquare, (any device will do using a browser or resident Apps on iPhone) you can be found and you can find others. Certainly at large events and tradeshows this can be very useful to meet up with your hybrid dialogue counterparts.

BeamMe is a location based tool that looks for links in contacts that could match your profile in your direct vicinity based on your geolocation and Linkedin profile. Both Foursquare and Gowalla were succesfully launched at an interactive Conference, Music and Film festival in Texas called South by Southwest (SXSW) and are now growing quickly globally. They are more pure location based systems to track and share photos and details, tips of where you currently are.

Watch out for these technologies and how your audience uses them. They may just become as popular as Twitter!

HOOTSUITE - the professional backoffice for any serious new media user. Hootsuite has just revamped their service in HTML 5 and allows you to post status updates, tweets to profiles in just about any social media feed including Twitter, Facebook (pages, groups and personal

pages), Linkedin. It also allows you to track specific Twitter #hashtags which are used a group discussion topics or to communicate to large groups of followers during an event (for instance #worldcup or #g20) Hootsuite also has a way of tracking links and providing statistics through Google Analytics to backtrack who, where and through what channel is engaging in discussions with you or amplifying your message through their networks.

Hootsuite now also provides ways for teams to service multiple accounts and have a division of tasks and responsibilities to service comments and requests for your organisation.

USTREAM, LIVESTREAM AND WATCHITOO - picture a broadcasting studio right in your browser. This is now commonly available and I advise you to experiment in viewing (and later streaming) your own broadcasts or event stream in a click of a button. Try it, it’s fascinating and very easy. A number of these solutions allows you to craft bespoke channels for your organisation and even mix signals from past video recording, stills and live streams.

TWUBS - Hashtags made useful. Originally developed for church volunteer communities in the United States but now modified and adapted to make hashtags useful for (live) events.

This tool is particularly helpful if you want to combine existing twitter audiences used to the semantics of the Twitter Haiku and those who do not have a clue how Twitter works.

Imagine a twub to be a hub for all the digital dialogue around your event all wrapped into one online place. The multimedia, tweets, photos, conversations automatically translated into

English, are presented in a bespoke browser window. Also you can extract a moderated backchannel from the twub to be presented on a screen in your breakout area or beside the main stage. Twubs broadcast screens can be moderated for speed, content and styled to reflect the look and feel of your branding.

SOCIAL MENTION - get a sense of the sentiment around your brand, organisation or congress. What are people saying in their online communication? Is it positive, negative or neutral? How many ‘friends’ do you have and where can you find/reach them? try it on www.socialmention.com it simple and its free. No login required!

DIGITAL DASHBOARD - After you start seeing the benefits of crafting a strategy for your digital footprint, you are ready to develop messaging and dialogue strategy. Whether you are developing this competency in house by trial and error (big time investment) or by collaborating with a specialised service provider that knows your industry, make sure you have your measuring stick ready to benchmark where you start and how your footprint grows. TNOC has developed a customised New Media Dash Board which integrates the boundless statistics which can be found into one practical overview. Details can be found at www.tnoc.ch.

Ruud Janssen is a veteran international conference organiser, marketing coach, award winning e-marketeer, association volunteer leader, Board member on the International Board of Directors of MPI, emerging technologies speaker and entrepreneur at ©TNOC | The New Objective Collective.

HEADQUARTERS 21

ATTRACTING ASSOCIATIONS STRATEGICALLY: THE POWER OF AMBASSADORS THIS COLUMN WILL BE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT FROM THE USUAL ONES. INDEED, IT CONCERNS A RATHER PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF THOSE WHO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE ASSOCIATION SECTOR. TEXT LUC MAENE PRESIDENT OF ESAE AND DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL FERTILIZER ASSOCIATION

Like many association executives, I have been involved in the organization of scores of events over the years. Since my association has global membership, I have witnessed firsthand a variety of conditions in many countries where we have held conferences.

When the destination of choice had a professional and efficiently operated convention bureau, it was a pleasure to stage the event, knowing that we could count on objective and sound advice. However, when that was not the case, I have not hesitated to insist that I would not deal with a bureau that was not up to the required standard.

This year, my association organized its annual event on home ground in Paris. The Paris Convention Bureau was very much involved and instrumental in bringing the conference to the city. On the occasion of the departure of Elodie Coudre, who accompanied us in this venture, from the bureau, I would like to pay tribute to all convention bureau staff members who diligently cooperated to ensure the success of our events.

The Paris Convention Bureau’s special task force for associations is a relatively recent venture. Being based in Paris, I was able to

HEADQUARTERS 22

observe how Elodie strategically developed this special team by: + Listening to the needs of the clients; + Convincing the key decision-makers of the importance of association events for the city; + Negotiating with venues to ensure that the association concerned would receive the best service possible; + Travelling tirelessly to promote Paris and confidently presenting the many assets of this beautiful city; + Securing the necessary conditions for the team to operate professionally (e.g. appropriate software); + Campaigning for almost two years until stakeholders in the city agreed on a code of conduct for association events.

Her accomplishments are all the more impressive because they come at the very start of what, no doubt, is going to be a brilliant career.

Like many other convention bureaus, Paris now has an ambassador’s programme, thanks to Elodie. It is precisely this initiative which drove me to write this column: I and many of my association colleagues have been named ambassadors of selected destinations, but

Elodie Coudre

in reality Elodie and people like her are the true ambassadors of the destination they represent. I would like to pay tribute to all the people who promote their cities passionately while providing sound advice to association executives like me so that our events are successful.

www.esae.org

STRATEGIC PLANNING: A STREAMLINED APPROACH FOR ASSOCIATIONS FOLLOWING IS AN OUTLINE OF A TALK PRESENTED BY GINGER NICHOLS, CAE, OF GINCOMMGROUP AND MICHELLE MCKENNA, CAE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CONSULTING ENGINEERS COUNCIL OF OREGON, ON HOW ASSOCIATIONS CAN STREAMLINE THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS TO OBTAIN THE RESULTS THAT ARE MOST CRITICAL.

WHY BOTHER WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING? Strategic Planning requires time and resources - two things in short supply in most associations. Here’s why strategic planning is worth the trouble: + It gives your association the best chance for a successful future + It provides consistent organizational focus and direction + It offers a rational basis for resource allocation + It builds teamwork among Board and staff

A SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIC PLAN IS... + + + + + +

Results-focused Information-based Written and worked Ongoing and flexible Driver of operations Measurable

WHY STRATEGIC PLANS FAIL We’ve all seen it: the strategic plan buried in a desk drawer or collecting dust on the shelf.

Here are four common reasons: + Lack of ownership by leaders and / or staff + Poor information led to faulty conclusions + No meaningful performance measures + No connection between the plan and the real-world activities of the association

+ values + benefits or services + resource allocation Now let’s have a look at what should be taken into account when designing a strategy.

Mission - An organization’s reason for existence. It establishes what the association does and for whom.

Values - The philosophy or principles that guide an organization’s behavior and operations.

Vision - A description of what the organization wants to be in the future as it successfully fulfills its mission.

Goal - The end or desired result toward which effort is directed. A goal is a general statement of what the organization must achieve to attain its vision.

Strategy - The general approach that will be employed to attain a goal.

Stakeholder - Key individuals, groups or other organizations who are affected by or can affect the future of your association.

Objective - Specific, measurable activities that help accomplish a goal.

ROLE OF FACILITATOR + + + +

Process protector, not content critic Skeptic, not advocate Coach, not referee Enabler, sometimes enforcer

BUT FIRST... PLAN TO PLAN + Determine who should participate on the planning team + Develop your planning schedule + Determine the resources needed.

KEY DEFINITIONS There’s a lot of jargon in Strategic Planning.

Experts seem to use the same words to mean different things. Here is the definition the GinCommGroup uses: a systematic way to define what your association wants to achieve in the future and how, including: + who you will serve + mission or goals

HEADQUARTERS 23

GROUND RULES Most meetings benefit from clear ground rules. This is particularly true for strategic planning sessions. While the ground rules should be tailored for each group, here are some general ones we usually use: + Be specific; define key words + Clarify before reacting + Share the airtime + Stay focused + Discuss the “undiscussable” + Be honest + Honor confidentiality

IS YOUR ASSOCIATION’S STRATEGY STILL RELEVANT OR IS IT TIME FOR A REVIEW? THE IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGISING FOR AN ASSOCIATION IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE AND BOARD IS ACQUAINTED WITH. THE REAL QUESTION IS: IS SETTING A STRATEGY ENOUGH? TO CUT TO THE CHASE, THE ANSWER IS NO. A STRATEGY IS ONLY GOOD AS LONG AS IT IS RELEVANT. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT AN ASSOCIATION ONLY DECIDES TO LOOK AT ITS STRATEGY

PROCESS OVERVIEW

WHEN THERE IS A CRISIS. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT ANY ASSOCIATION SHOULD ASSESS THE RELEVANCE OF ITS STRATEGY ON A PERIODIC BASIS. THIS ARTICLE WILL DRAW ON A CASE STUDY TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT AN ASSOCIA-

There’s a lot of jargon in Strategic Planning.

Experts seem to use the same words to mean different things.

Here is one definition: a systematic way to define what your association wants to achieve in the future and how.

+ Define or re-evaluate your mission, values, vision + Examine the external forces affecting your industry or profession and the association + Conduct a membership needs assessment + Review you association’s internal capabilities + Develop long-range goals + Define specific objectives & action plans + Evaluate current activities + Create annual plan & budget + Monitor, evaluate, revise

www.gincomm.com

HEADQUARTERS 24

TION LEADERSHIP NEEDS TO DO TO ASSESS ITS STRATEGY AND TO ADAPT IT SO THAT IT REMAINS RELEVANT. TEXT SIADA EL RAMLY, MANAGER, KELLEN EUROPE

EXTERNAL INFLUENCERS For a strategy to be assessed, the leadership of an association needs to look at the landscape in which the association operates and to see whether this has changed. Some key areas to look at are: + The legislative arena: has this changed (in size, in terms of influencers, etc.)? + The status of the industry e.g. is it still as strong as it was when the strategy was created, has the market consolidated or splintered into niche areas? + Political pressure on the association: has this intensified, have expectations heightened/lowered or remained the same?

INTERNAL INFLUENCERS As well as the external influencers there are strong internal indicators or influencers to determine whether it is time to work on your strategy. These can often have a clearer shortterm result for an association if not dealt with in a timely manner. The association leadership needs to look at the following factors: + Risks of sticking to the strategy as it should be assessed + The membership: has this changed? How? + Is there a change of leadership of the association foreseen?

SO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE? If when assessing the external and internal influencing factors you realize that your strategy as it stands does no longer fit into the changed environment in which it operates - then it is time for a strategy review.

As an association management company, Kellen often supports associations and professional societies in their strategy review. In order to bring to life what this actually means I would like to refer to a particular strategy review that we carried out. So, the next steps after you have realized your strategy is no longer relevant is to take action - but what action?

The first part of developing a new strategy is to assess expectations: + of your association + of your sector/industry or profession

+ from within your association + from external parties This assessment can be done by polling perceptions, either using personal communications or possibly online questioning. Depending on the association you may want to resort to using both methods. In fact, to refer to the case study, we actually started out by collecting quantitative data by means of an online questionnaire to the internal and external audiences. This was followed by a series of interviews. Some of which revolved around the association, the perception thereof and the day-to-day activities of the association.

Others were focused on an audience of top level executives to give insight into their longterm forecasts for the sector.

The next step is to translate the feedback into a strategy, including your overarching vision, your mission and then finally your objectives.

Naturally, each one of these parts of the strategy plays a particular role in setting the stage for the association. The vision is the longest term and highest level statement of them all.

The mission statement narrows this down to action a shorter term - we usually recommend an 18-month term and a list of focus areas.

Last but definitely not least is the objective setting. These objectives should be set for a 12-18 month time period and be purely activity driven. Normally our recommendation is that a finer programming document such as a blue print for action feeds into these objectives. Referring back to the case study, once we had the feedback from the information gathering phase of the strategy review, we assessed the feedback and then went back to the association and its steering group to discuss the next steps. We did this through two facilitated sessions where we supported the created of the strategic documents.

At the end of this process we created a report presenting the findings of the informationgathering, the conclusions of the discussion sessions and a set of recommendations on what needed to be implemented to address all the expectations and the tools needed to do this.

Siada El Ramly

The objectives of the strategy should be set for a 12-18 month time period and be purely activity driven. Normally our recommendation is that a finer programming document such as a blue print for action feeds into these objectives.

Once an association has reached this stage of the review what is left to do is the implementation of the strategy: this includes fostering an implementation mindset, making any governance or organizational changes that are needed to accommodate the new strategic direction, and creating or putting in place the tools needed to achieve this.

Whereas the strategy review process seems quite self-evident, it is astounding to see how few associations take the needed time and allocate the necessary resources to carry out this essential part of ensuring their association’s success. Especially in this ever-changing and transforming world and with the additional financial strain that associations are facing today, you have to make sure your association does what is needed to remain relevant.

HEADQUARTERS 25

10 TIME-TESTED MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT MAILING TIPS

MARKETERS TODAY HAVE A BROAD ARRAY OF OPTIONS TO USE FOR MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT. THESE OPTIONS RANGE FROM COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS WITH FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES TO THE USE OF E-MAIL, SPACE ADVERTISEMENTS, AND TELEMARKETING. HOWEVER, THE WORKHORSE OF MEMBERSHIP ACQUISITION MARKETING REMAINS DIRECT MAIL SOLICITATIONS. IN FACT, WHEN INTEGRATED WITH THE WEB TO PROVIDE THE PROSPECTIVE MEMBER WITH A SOURCE OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WITH AN INSTANT RESPONSE VEHICLE, DIRECT MAIL HAS BECOME EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE. TEXT TONY ROSSELL

When taking a look at rapidly growing associations, there are 10 common practices that these associations have successfully employed and tested over the years that serve as an excellent guide when it comes to planning and implementing a successful direct mail membership acquisition effort.

Many of these lessons have been learned at great expense. Others have produced great profit. All 10 of them are worth considering before you start your next promotion.

1.

Begin each and every mailing by thinking creatively and asking ‘who might be interested in joining?’. Then search out mailing lists that contain these potential members. Not taking the time to research and test lists is the single biggest mistake in direct mail membership recruitment. In any

HEADQUARTERS 26

given mailing the results from one mailing list to the next can vary by 1,000%. Even if you primarily mail to an in-house prospect list, try some direct response rental lists and compare results. You may be very surprised at the results. Some of the best outside lists to test are members of similar associations, subscribers to industry magazines, and buyers of books related to your association. Tip: Ask current members what other professional literature that they read and test these lists first.

2.

Once you have found the best mailing lists, carefully develop a strong Unique Selling Proposition (USP) to drive the positioning and copy of your direct mail promotion. The USP answers the prospect’s question of ‘Why this association?’. The USP is the big benefit that your association can deliver compared to any other group. Tip: Ask someone who is not familiar with your

Carefully develop a strong Unique Selling Proposition (USP) to drive the positioning and copy of your direct mail promotion. The USP answers the prospect’s question of ‘Why this association?’ organization to read your copy and define the USP in one sentence. If they can’t, go back to the drawing board.

3.

Develop a special offer to answer your prospect’s question: ‘Why join now?’.

After many tests, one of the best offers continues to be a limited-time, introduc-

tory dues discount. Ideally, this discount will bring the dues down to a psychological price point - a dues amount that ends with an amount of a 7 or 9. For example, an acquisition price of €139 will typically generate more revenue and members than a price of €150.

piece to direct prospects to a special section of the association’s Web page where they can get more information and where they can instantly sign up and enjoy immediate access to members-only web information. The integrated use of the web and direct mail is a powerful tool.

4.

Build your mailing around a metaphor - something a prospect will recognize and know what to do with.

Try using an invitation, survey, certificate, or temporary membership card format. People process information by putting it into mental boxes. They make a split-second decision on whether a piece of mail is important or not, so you need to get their attention. An invitation, for example, typically requests a response and goes in the mental box that says ‘I need to RSVP’.

5.

After you have found your lists and selected a format, the time has finally come to write. As you write your direct mail promotion, think of a conversation between a salesperson and a prospective member. (Tip: Sometimes it is helpful to dictate or ‘talk through’ the first rough draft of the letter on a tape recorder.) Ask and answer the questions any prospective member would ask. And be sure to deal directly with typical sales objections (e.g. ‘It seems to expensive’ or ‘I’m not sure it will be useful to me’) As you write, also be sure to include specific proof. Support your USP by answering the prospect’s question, ‘How do I know I can believe you?’ with real examples, numbers, product data, and testimonials.

6.

As you create the response piece in your package, make it as easy as possible for your prospect who is ready to buy and says: ‘I don’t want to wait for snail mail.’ This is where today’s technology comes into play. Direct mail is a powerful ‘push’ marketing tool. However, it is not instant or interactive. Use your mailing

Direct mail is a powerful ‘push’ marketing tool.

However, it is not instant or interactive. Use your mailing piece to direct prospects to a special section of the association’s Web page where they can get more information

7.

Now it is time to produce the mailing.

Make the investment in a computerpersonalized format (i.e., lasering the name and address on the letter and reply).

In membership recruitment, personalization will out pull a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter by as much as 30% while the cost of producing the package will typically increase less than 10%.

8.

To offset the increased costs of personalization, you may be able to save money on your mailing by removing one or more components from your promotion. Believe it or not, many associations have found that including a membership brochure in the mailing can actually

hurt response. A brochure makes your mailing look like a sales effort instead of professional correspondence with a colleague.

Test a portion of your next mailing without a brochure and see if returns increase.

9.

As you near completion of your direct mail package, don’t give in to the desire to put a ‘cute’ phrase or ‘teaser’ on the envelope. With few exceptions, a teaser will not increase response for a membership recruitment piece. Instead, maintain the personal business correspondence look of the promotion.

10.

Finally, before you mail your promotion, be sure to set up a system to accurately track responses. Accurate tracking and analysis remains one of the most underdeveloped areas in association marketing. Yet it is the key to validating all of the work that has gone into creating a promotion. If computer personalization is used in the mailing, then assigning a specific key code to be added to each reply form is simple. A separate code needs to be used for each list and for each test segment (i.e.,copy test, offer test). Then, as responses come back, these codes need to be recorded. Ideally this is done in the member record, but if necessary this can be accomplished by keeping a manual tally of responding codes. The ultimate goal of tracking and analysis is to determine what lists, copy, packages, and offers produce the best return on investment.

Tony Rossell is senior vice president with Marketing General, Inc., in Alexandria, Virginia. He specializes in developing integrated marketing solutions for associations.

HEADQUARTERS 27

TRADE GROUPS FACE ‘PARADIGM SHIFT’ IN EU POLICYMAKING BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS ARE FACING INCREASED COMPETITION FROM INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES IN INFLUENCING THE EU POLICYMAKING PROCESS, INDUSTRY BOSSES HEARD LAST APRIL. THE CHALLENGE FACING INDUSTRY FEDERATIONS IS THAT THEY MUST ADAPT THEIR WORK TO THE LONG-TERM AGENDA OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IF THEY ARE TO INFLUENCE ITS POLICIES, PARTICIPANTS IN THE TENTH ANNUAL EUROCONFERENCE - HOSTED BY KELLEN EUROPE - WERE TOLD.

‘Associations will always be a privileged partner for the Commission, but we see them as defenders of existing interests,’ said Kurt Vandenberghe, head of cabinet for Environment Commissioner Janez Potoˇcnik, describing a ‘paradigm shift’ in the EU policymaking arena.

COMMISSION ‘WON’T WAIT’ FOR ASSOCIATIONS ‘We’re looking for actors who will create the interests of the future,’ Vandenberghe said.

‘Companies are much more prepared for this than associations. The Commission will be ready to proceed with individual companies that are receptive to its agenda. It won’t wait for associations.’

His comments were echoed by Ruth Rawling, vice-president for corporate affairs at Cargill Europe and a member of the management board at the European Centre for Public Affairs (ECPA): ‘The speed of change in companies is rarely matched by the ability of interest representation to adapt. It’s up to members to help associations to change,’ she said, calling for more reflection on where European federations can provide services that national business associations cannot.

HEADQUARTERS 28

‘Many associations cannot change quickly enough to provide what their members need,’ the PA boss said, citing this as a reason for the recent growth of in-house public affairs within Europe’s major companies.

Rawling criticised some industry federations’ failure to anticipate the growing influence of think-tanks and NGOs in the EU policymaking arena, and stressed the importance of developing close links with civil society organisations rather than focusing exclusively on the European institutions.

Some business representatives thought differently. ‘Criticism that associations don’t react quickly enough is interesting, but awareness of some issues like climate change is definitely growing,’ insisted Philippe de Buck, director-general of BusinessEurope, which represents Europe’s biggest businesses.

COMPANIES STRONGER TOGETHER ‘Companies are asking for movement because they want predictability. Their interests will often converge, but individual firms won’t realise this by themselves, and they won’t be able to convince the Commission or the

Parliament to act if they work on their own,’ de Buck said, making the case for membership of associations.

Other business leaders questioned whether it was ethical for the Commission to seek the advice of companies in drawing up draft legislation. Adrian Harris, secretary-general of Orgalime, the European Engineering Industry Association, warned the European Commission against communicating directly with firms rather than associations: ‘How does the Commission know whether someone is pushing to protect the interests of one particular company for commercial reasons, rather than representing the sector as a whole?’

Commissioner Potoˇcnik’s head of cabinet insisted that the EU executive was aware of this risk. ‘It’s not like we just take one company’s opinion and run,’ Vandenberghe said, but ‘leading companies can have a major influence on agenda-setting’.

The EU institutions are increasingly relying on impact assessments to make sure new legislation is effective, said the Commission official, which is leading to a ‘frantic’ search for accurate and relevant data within the EU executive. Indeed, the Commission’s evergrowing need for reliable information gives the businesses that provide it ‘a key role in influencing EU policy,’ Vandenberghe admitted.

‘We must work with economic operators to create the markets of the future,’ the Commission official explained, declaring that business must be ‘at the forefront’ of creating a

‘National electoral cycles are getting shorter and shorter,’ he said, adding that he expected to see ‘new activism’ from a European Parliament that wants change all the time because MEPs need visibility if they are to be re-elected. ‘The convergence between different Commission cabinets and services, as well as the European Parliament, is getting better but more needs to be done. Companies and associations can help the EU institutions to achieve this coherence,’ the Commission official explained, adding ‘alliances with the Commission are important but many actors like the Council and the Parliament will intervene and change draft legislation’. new, innovative Europe. ‘Expect to see more public-private partnerships,’ he said.

LOBBY REGISTER UNDER FIRE Meanwhile, some participants questioned the usefulness of the voluntary lobby register launched by the European Commission in 2008.

‘I’ve never checked whether or not anyone is in the register before meeting them, but in my office I’ll give you a card inviting you to sign up,’ Vandenberghe said. ‘I give more credibility to organisations if I know who they actually represent, which means having been here for a while.’

BusinessEurope’s director-general, meanwhile, questioned the quality of the data it contains. ‘Some companies are overestimating their expenditure [on lobbying the EU institutions] to show that they are active, while others are under-estimating it,’ he said.

De Buck urged the European Commission to clarify what the lobby register and the information it contains is actually being used for.

‘Not being invited to events or to take part in consultations unless you are registered would have been an idea, but that’s not in the rules of the game. The instrument as such is questionable,’ he said.

POSITIONS ‘The European policymaking system is complex, so you’ll always have to struggle with the differences between interests at

national and EU level. There’ll never be a clear-cut divide between national and EUlevel interests, because they contradict one another,’ Philippe de Buck, director-general of BusinessEurope, told the conference.

‘We need to look at how to simplify lobbying activities, because decision-makers are overwhelmed with information. We lobby to produce

‘Trade associations need to become more professional in communicating,’ said Ruth Rawling, vice-president for corporate affairs at Cargill Europe and a member of the management board at the European Centre for Public Affairs (ECPA). ‘Associations are gearing up for much more work with the Parliament, but the Commission is the important long-term

The challenge facing industry federations is that they must adapt their work to the long-term agenda of the European Commission if they are to influence its policies policy, not to boost trade. We want a global climate accord, for example,’ De Buck said.

The business chief called on the European Commission to work harder with the European Parliament to find compromises before presenting draft legislation. ‘I’ve never seen a system that produces as many amendments as MEPs are producing at the moment,’ he said, also stressing the continued importance of national governments: ‘The weak link these days is often the Council, which struggles to get a unified position quickly.’

Insisting that the European Commission is ‘very much aware’ of the need to provide business with long-term predictability in EU policymaking, Kurt Vandenberghe said ‘if we at the Commission don’t provide it, then who will?’

player. It’s essential to make yourself heard way before the paper hits the desk, because after that there are too many voices.’

‘Talking to the Commission to make sure that legislation is right in the first place is critical.

If industry is ahead of the game by following voluntary guidelines, then very often the legislation will follow those guidelines, because no-one has time to start again,’ she said.

EurActiv brings together the skills of professionals with experience in EU affairs, journalism, information and communication as well as Internet technology.

For its content, EurActiv relies not only on its own editorial team but also on numerous content partnerships, as well as links to the national press and the EU institutions. This article was provided by EurActiv from euractiv.com/en/pa/trade-groups-faceparadigm-shift-eu-policymaking-news-492036

HEADQUARTERS 29

UIA ı UNION OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

STRATEGY: PATHS FORWARD BOTH NON-PROFIT ASSOCIATIONS AND BUSINESSES NEED TO BE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE IF THEY ARE TO SUCCEED. ALTHOUGH THE PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH THEY ARE FORMED DIFFER FUNDAMENTALLY, THE METHODS BY WHICH THEY FUNCTION HAVE MANY SIMILAR FEATURES. TEXT JUDY WICKENS, VOLUNTEER AT THE UIA, RETIRED SECRETARY GENERAL OF T.I.C. (TANB.ORG)

The purpose of an association is for members to pursue an agreed aim in which they all have an interest, but without making a financial profit. The ultimate objective of a commercial company is to generate a profit, by means of fabricating a product or supplying a service which can be sold to customers, so that the profit can be distributed to the partners or shareholders. Non-profit or not-for-profit associations are thus distinguished from the commercial sector, and also from organisations in the public sector, which are funded by governmental authorities.

An association’s objective is stated in its foundation statutes or charter. A non-profit association must never be a disguise for a commercial enterprise. The purpose can be encapsulated in a mission statement, which may be broadly aspirational - ‘Save the world’ or ‘develop our industry’ - or more specific - ‘dig 100 wells in the desert’.

The extraordinary range of international associations is amply demonstrated by the thousands documented by the Union of International Associations in its Yearbook.

HEADQUARTERS 30

The next question which naturally follows is ‘how do we achieve this?’, and a response has to be sought in the form of a future plan or strategy, by deciding how the objectives are to be pursued in practice.

The leader of an association will certainly have an impression of the capacities of the staff and impact of the activities undertaken, but setting aside a specific time for detailed analysis of all the various

aspects in turn and noting the results will be enlightening. Using some of the techniques of business management is a valid approach, tailoring and adjusting them to the scale of the association.

Financial limitations will probably prevent the engagement of commercially oriented management consultants, but association managers can learn from books, by trawling

the internet, and by attending seminars and networking sessions in order to select systems and ideas best suited to their own situation, which is unique and individual to their organisation.

A basic analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) will bring into focus the methods the association is using and the personnel available. Enlarging the analysis to cover political, environmental or social considerations will probably prove unnecessary, as these will either have

a free-for-all brainstorming session, for the development of activities which will lead the association towards its goals. As a plan emerges, steps which can be taken concurrently can be identified and distinguished from those which have to be constructed in stages.

It will usually be the responsibility of the association leader or manager to propose the draft plan to the board; board members worth their salt should examine it with open minds, adjusting and appraising it in the

By their nature, associations usually have limited resources, so a strategic programme is a very useful way to move forward and to recognise effective progress. The plan should not be totally rigid or become an obsession, it is meant to be a helpful and encouraging guide.

appeared as initial objectives or be scarcely relevant to the operation. Assessment of resources and activities should then open the door to the elaboration of a plan for the near future, with an effort to make a reasonable fit between the available and the aspirational, as a gross mismatch will lead to frustration.

Engaging one or two new members of staff or finding volunteers with particular qualifications, perhaps sending a staff member for training in a new skill, may be a practical possibility, whereas doubling the number of staff is not a realistic proposition. Planning around currently available resources is more likely to lead to success than an ambitious but unrealistic scheme. In order to increase the potential scope of the future programme, all means of generating ideas are valuable, from calm reflection to

light of their own experience so that a final version can receive general approval.

Once all concerned have settled on the strategic plan, it should be adopted for a suitable period, such as three years, maybe five. A twenty-year term is too long, engendering no sense of urgency and leaving too much opportunity for distraction away from the main purpose. The plan should then be reviewed each year, and although it should be kept in mind it should not become an obsession. A well-outlined plan should not be subject to constant modification of its details: as developments occur, they can be fitted into the plan or set aside for consideration during the annual review.

means of assessment and a definition of criteria to be included in the plan ready for use. Once again the scale should be proportionate to the resources at the disposition of the organisation: stages which can be reached with a certain effort are more likely to stimulate and to be achieved than overwhelming tasks which only serve to discourage.

If the aim is to dig wells, the wells can be counted, but if the avowed goal is to save the world, how are results to be measured? If the group’s object is to support an industry, markers can be set out so that staff know that progress is being made and they can set their sights on the next. It is satisfying to see that events are offering the required degree of interest to attract participants or a publication is increasing in circulation. And what if the goal has been totally achieved? In this case, the association has to make a firm, if difficult, decision to disband or to re-constitute with new objectives.

By their nature, associations usually have limited resources, so a strategic programme is a very useful way to move forward and to recognise effective progress. The plan should not be totally rigid or become an obsession, it is meant to be a helpful and encouraging guide.

www.uia.org

For the past 61 years, the Union of International Associations has undertaken, for the benefit of its members, statistical studies on the preceding year’s international meetings. An analysis of these 2009 statistics, that were published last June, is available on page 15, as part of our ‘Meeting Trend’ feature.

An essential consequence of designing and following such a programme is that progress needs to be measured, so it is useful for a

HEADQUARTERS 31

HQ > MADRID

EVER-SURPRISING MADRID IT’S WEIRD HOW PEOPLE USUALLY DON’T HAVE A PRE-CONCEIVED IDEA OF MADRID. EVEN IF THEY’VE NEVER BEEN TO PARIS, LONDON OR BERLIN, THEY KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE CITIES, THANKS TO WELLMANAGED MARKETING CAMPAIGNS OR AN EVENT-FILLED HISTORY. MADRID IS THE CAPITAL OF SPAIN BUT THE PERCEPTION THAT PEOPLE HAVE OF IT MAY BE A BIT BLURRY. WHICH IS NOT REALLY FAIR, CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT, BETWEEN 2003 AND 2008, THE CITY HAS DOUBLED THE FIGURES OF TOURISTS VISITING MADRID (NO OTHER METROPOLIS IN THE WORLD HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO SO), AND OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS THEY HAVE BROKEN ALL TIME RECORDS IN VISITORS COMING TO MADRID (DESPITE BEING A CRISIS YEAR…). I, FOR ONE, WAS AMAZED BY THE DYNAMISM OF THE CITY AND THE WIDE ARRAY OF MEETING INFRASTRUCTURES ON DISPLAY. THANKS TO THE EFFORT AND WONDERFUL INITIATIVES OF MADRID CONVENTION BUREAU, MADRID IS ON THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS MAP AS NEVER BEFORE. REPORT RÉMI DÉVÉ

Barajas Airport, Terminal

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

MADRID, A CITY TO ENJOY! There are many reasons why Madrid is a unique destination for business tourism and international associations. With its wide service and infrastructure network, its exceptional climate and the great Miguel Ángel variety of cultural and Villanueva entertainment options the capital has to offer, Madrid is a city where professionals in the congress sector will find everything necessary to ensure the success of their event.

Aside from hosting major international fairs and being one of the preferred venues by associations and organisations to hold their meetings, Madrid features unique facilities and equipment. These factors undoubtedly place the Spanish capital amidst the most competitive European capitals in the world.

Amongst its many appeals, Madrid’s facilities include the Municipal Congress Centre, the IFEMA Convention Centre, Madrid Barajas Airport - with capacity for 70m passengers, and a wide range of accommodation which offers an excellent value for money. All of these services are complemented with incomparable cultural heritage, as well as gastronomy, shopping and entertainment.

Madrid City Council is committed to the improvement and growth of these great values thanks to which Madrid is proud to welcome over seven million visitors every year and position itself amongst the top destinations for business tourism. Madrid is not only the perfect place for doing business, but also a city to enjoy while hosting your congress.

Miguel Ángel Villanueva Head of the Municipal Department or Economic Affairs, Employment and Citizen Participation, Madrid City Council President of the Madrid Convention Bureau

HEADQUARTERS 32

> MADRID Juan Carlos I Park

3 QUESTIONS TO LAURA PENA ALBERDI, DIRECTOR OF THE SPANISH TOURIST OFFICE IN BRUSSELS HQ: What is so great about Madrid as a congress destination?

ALL EYES ON MADRID At the time of writing this report, the ICCA stats for 2009 had just been published. If Madrid was only 22nd in 2008, it had moved up 9 spots in 2009 to reach the 13th position. It indeed seems like more and more organizations are choosing Madrid as their event destination. But for the association planner, the Spanish capital seems really to have it all: cutting edge facilities, devoted professionals and a modern infrastructure, in addition to a booming culture, a thriving lifestyle, warm people and of course blue skies all year round!

greenest capitals in Europe, Madrid boasts two green lungs, two huge, green parks right in the city centre. And don’t get me started on the nightlife and the entertainment: it’s so vibrant that it’s almost tangible.

But what is of interest to this report is that Madrid is a leading city when it comes to staging trade fairs and conferences.

David Pérez Noack, Deputy Director of Madrid Convention Bureau, puts it this way: ‘Thanks to its know-how, expertise and

Laura Pena Alberdi: Madrid offers basically everything so that your event is a unique experience to be remembered forever. It has the best infrastructures: two conference centres, soon three, two trade fair venues, and a easily accessible airport with around 200 direct flights. Furthermore, Madrid has a range of high quality hotels, which are either very close or have the best connections to convention and exhibition centres.

But above all, Madrid has a booming culture, with 135 museums and over 5,000 restaurants, as well as huge possibilities for shopping and entertainment.

HQ: In what way does Madrid differentiate itself from the rest of Spain?

Laura Pena Alberdi: The range and scope of Madrid’s infrastructures, communications and hotels make it unique. Dynamic and modern, it also boasts a cosmopolitan character. Madrid is a city where just to look at the people passing by is entertaining. It is difficult to be bored in Madrid, even impossible. Another thing that is unique to Madrid is its surroundings, being the only city in the world that has 6 World heritages sites within an hour drive, Toledo, Segovia just to name two.

HQ: How can you help association planners get the most of Madrid?

Thanks to its know-how, expertise and versatile infrastructure, Madrid delivers one-of-kind experiences. Besides, it offers everything that delegates can dream about when coming to an event: service, fun, history and culture.

HISTORY, CULTURE AND CONFERENCES Of course history and culture are everywhere to be found in Madrid. Over 80 museums and more than 2,000 monuments - both historical and artistic - contribute to the city’s richness. It seems like everywhere I turned there was a beautiful building to look at or a special venue to visit. Wandering around Madrid is like walking through painting, sculpture and architecture. Nature is also very present: maybe one of the

versatile infrastructure, Madrid delivers one-of-a-kind experiences. Besides, it offers everything that delegates can dream about when coming to an event: service, fun, history and culture.’

Every year 4,000 conventions and meetings are staged in the city attracting over 700,000 visitors. This capacity will be increased with the city’s third convention centre which will add the seating space of its auditoriums and halls to those in the

HEADQUARTERS 33

Laura Pena Alberdi: Together with the MCB we can help with anything they might need. We can provide information on the city, organize and support inspection visits to show planners what the city offers, facilitate contacts with Madrid Tourist organizations and with the most suitable providers, among other things.

Madrid Metro

> MADRID

MADRID CONGRESS EXPERIENCE Last June, at the initiative of Madrid Convention Bureau, 15 association executives were invited to Madrid to discover the wonders of the Spanish capital. A first for the convention bureau and participants alike, the idea was to show association planners and decision-makers the extent of the local meetings infrastructure the time of an exclusive journey. Visits to establishments with large capacities, museums or other renowned institutions were tailor-made according to the profile of the association visitor. Other highlights and Spanish flavours that guests could take a taste of included a visit to Santiago Bernabéu Football Stadium, a private city tour and a discovery of Green Madrid or the famous Art Walk.

Needless to say this very first Madrid Congress Experience was a sheer success.

Municipal Conference Centre in the Campo de las Naciones and the Convention Centre in the Paseo de la Castellana, as well as the IFEMA Convention Centre and the different venues that are located around the city and stage this type of events.

recent years the city has increased the number of beds by 40% giving special prominence to designer venues with personality. What is more, accommodation in Madrid is cheaper than in Vienna or Copenhagen. Going out to restaurants or for

What is more, accommodation in Madrid is cheaper than in Vienna or Copenhagen. Going out to restaurants or for a drink or buying a metro ticket are equally reasonable In terms of accessibility, Madrid has nothing to blush about. The city has 3 airports and Madrid-Barajas Airport is the most important air hub in Spain and the fourth in Europe. A new, beautiful terminal opened in 2006, Terminal 4 (see our cover picture: doesn’t it say it all?), setting the airport’s capacity to 70 million passengers. A close 12 kms to the city centre, Madrid-Barajas Airport is easy to reach by bus or taxi. But the best way is to take the Metro and it will only cost you 2€ coming from downtown (a single metro ticket for one hour only costs 1€!)! All in all, public transport is simply excellent, with brand-new metro lines and stations.

I was personally impressed by the cleanliness and the efficiency of the whole thing!

VALUE FOR MONEY That leads us to Madrid offering, indeed, excellent value for money, especially when it comes to accommodation. Among the over 300 hotels there are in Madrid, association visitors will undoubtedly find the accommodation best suited to their needs, depending on their budget of course. In

a drink or buying a metro ticket are equally reasonable if you compare the Spanish capital to other European capitals.

And if you’re a bit lost at first by the array of things to see or anxious to organize your event the best way possible, don’t you worry. Madrid Convention Bureau is here to help, as it places itself at the disposal of association planners to ensure that any sort of event staged in the city will be carried out smoothly and efficiently. How can you ask for anything more?

CONTACT Madrid Convention Bureau Tel. +34 91.758.55.28 info.mcb@esmadrid.com www.esmadrid.com/mcb

Plaza Mayor

HEADQUARTERS 34

> MADRID

CONFERENCE FACILITIES: THE CHOICE IS YOURS MADRID BEING THE CAPITAL OF SPAIN, IT IS ONLY NORMAL YOU FIND MORE THAN ONE CONGRESS CENTRE CAPABLE OF HOSTING LARGE EVENTS OF ANY KIND. ALL OFFER STATE-OF-THE-ART INFRASTRUCTURES AND SERVICES AND ARE CLEARLY CLIENT-MINDED. THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT IMPRESSED ME THE MOST WHEN I TOOK A TOUR OF THOSE VENUES: THE SENSE OF DEDICATION IN GENERAL SEEMED UNBEATABLE.

1. MUNICIPAL CONFERENCE CENTRE OF MADRID

where else can you build a venue like this?), it’s just five minutes from Barajas Airport and fully integrated in the financial complex of Campo de las Naciones, which hosts the headquarters of important national and international companies, top quality hotels, a golf course, a 160 hectare park, a shopping centre and the complementary services necessary for hosting events of any kind. So in case you’re a bit tired after a hard day’s work

Madrid being the capital of Spain, it is only normal you find more than one congress centre capable of hosting large events of any kind.

Part of Madrid Espacios y Congresos, S.A., which manages more than 200,000 m2 of meeting space all over Madrid, this Municipal Conference Centre is all about space, brightness, and light. Imposing by its size, amazing by its configuration, outstanding by the number of its breakout rooms, it really stands as the flagship when choosing Madrid as a large conference destination.

When I asked Beatriz Liquete Sànchez, Director of Operations, about the main asset of the facility, she immediately answered, without a shadow of a doubt, ‘its high flexibility, especially in the exhibition area’. So for the international associations in need of large exhibition space, you now know where to go!

For those who like numbers, it could go something like this: the Municipal Conference Centre of Madrid boasts two auditoria - with 1,900 and 900 seats - a multi-purpose space with an area of 2,200 m2, and 30 meeting rooms - for 15 to 350 people - as well as large exhibition areas, restaurant, cafeteria, VIP zone, press room and car park. No wonder then that large national and international events, congresses, conventions, shareholders’ meetings, television galas, concerts, professional salons and company meetings, can all be accommodated there since it’s very functional and versatile.

And the good news is that, although it’s located a bit on the outskirts of the city (but

and don’t have any courage to go downtown, no need to worry: everything you need is at walking distance!

One last thing about the Municipal Conference Centre of Madrid. I was told the teams working there are used to organizing three main events annually: Madrid Fusión, Salón Capital Humano (Human Capital Fair) and ExpoManagement, huge events requiring expertise in terms of everything basically. They also got the NATO summit a few years ago.

This gives you an idea of what the Centre is capable of. In other words, don’t be shy and trust them with your conference. They know what they’re talking about and will ensure it’s a success.

HEADQUARTERS 35

rooms for meetings, presentations, conventions, conferences and dining services.

2. IFEMA Also quite impressive by its size, the Feria de Madrid is located right next to the Municipal Conference Centre, in the north of the city. In addition to hosting over 70 fairs every year, including some of the most important trade shows in Europe, and ten exhibition halls covering over 150,000 m2 of exhibition space, it boasts conference facilities suiting the need of any demanding association planner. Anything is possible there: international or national con-

gresses with or without exhibition, from simple meetings to very special gala dinners.

A favourite among congress organizers on the IFEMA ground is definitely the aptly named IFEMA Convention Centre, with its solid focus on innovation and service excellence.

Divided into the North Convention Centre, the South one and the recently inaugurated East Convention Centre, it offers a wide variety of

The North Convention Centre has a surface area of 10,000 m2, in which there is a total of 20 rooms, for groups of 70 to almost 2,000 people. The South Convention Centre boasts an auditorium with a capacity for 600 people.

Another 19 rooms distributed on three floors complete the offering and host meetings of up to 192 delegates. The new East Convention Centre has eleven rooms with capacities of between 20 and 45 people and a multipurpose room with a maximum occupancy of 668 for larger events. In other terms, it’s hard to know where to turn: the offer is almost to varied…

3. CITY OF MADRID INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE Expected to be ready by 2014, the future International Convention Centre will be located in the new financial and business area in the north of Madrid, spread out over 70,000 m2, and with a 15,000 m2 exhibition. The project will provide Madrid with the largest and most

avant-garde convention centre in Spain and also be an architectural landmark: designed by architects Tuñón and Mansilla, it will look like a large rising sun emerging among the four new skyscrapers on the Paseo de la Castellana. Located over the former Real Madrid Sport City, the venue is indeed named ‘Madrid, donde no se pone el sol’ (‘Madrid, where

the sun never sets’): a large bright structure with different floors and a circular layout will be oriented towards the East and the West, where the sun rises and sets. According to

All offer state-of-theart infrastructures and services and are clearly client-minded the designers, it’s a ‘rising sun, halted by the optimism of knowing that Madrid is a city that lives, works and has fun at all hours of the day and night, a city where the sun never sets.’ Three auditoria will accommodate up to 6,500 pax.

Meeting in a one-of-a-kind brand-new building: who could ask for more?

HEADQUARTERS 36

> MADRID

CASE STUDY ICOGRADA DESIGN WEEK FROM 21ST TO 25TH JUNE 2010 MADRID HOSTED THE ICOGRADA DESIGN WEEK AND ITS MORE THAN 700 DELEGATES. THE GLOBAL EVENT INCLUDED THE INTERNATIONAL ICOGRADA CONFERENCE, AS WELL AS THE ASSOCIATION’S REGIONAL MEETING, ALONGSIDE AN EXHIBITION OF EUROPEAN DESIGN. RIGHT BEFORE THE ACTUAL EVENT TOOK PLACE, MICHAL J. STECKIW, ICOGRADA PROJECTS MANAGER, EXPLAINED WHY THEY CHOSE MADRID AS THEIR CONFERENCE DESTINATION.

HQ: Could you briefly present Icograda Design Week?

Michal J. Steckiw: Icograda Design Week in Madrid - Straight to Business 2010 will be a meeting point for designers, government officials and company executives. The programme will cover advances, case studies and actual experiences about strategy and design, communication, brand and image management.

The week will be the opportunity to learn from international case studies fostering partnerships between design and business, and an exceptional networking opportunity for international companies and design professionals from Spain and across Europe.

HQ: What do you think are Madrid’s assets as an event destination?

Michal J. Steckiw: Easy! I would list the following: + Well connected with the rest of Europe - airport, railway connection. + Important cultural links with Latin America. + Great infrastructure, variety of venues to choose from: hotels, conference centres, restaurants, exhibition venues. + Large local market both for delegates promotion and sponsorship. + Interesting tourism destination which is always important in attracting international delegates.

HQ: Could you describe the decision process that led to Madrid being chosen as your event destination?

Michal J. Steckiw: Madrid was chosen as a destination based on a project proposal from DDI - a member organisation of Icograda.

Pedro da Silva Costa, DDI Secretary General, highlighted all assets of the city and Spain as a destination for the upcoming Icograda Design Week. The proposal was accepted by the Icograda Executive Board with enthusiasm.

HQ: How closely have you worked with Madrid Convention Bureau?

Michal J. Steckiw: Madrid Convention Bureau offered tremendous assistance both at the planning stage and during the execution of the event. They were very flexible with available support, including information, promotional materials, on-site assistance and welcoming our VIP guests. Comparing to other destination worldwide, we are definitely pleased with the level and standard of sup-

Michal J. Steckiw

port. They are definitely a model role for other convention bureaus.

HQ: How high are your expectations concerning the event? And Madrid?

Michal J. Steckiw: We are expecting interest from our international members with programming for the upcoming design week and Madrid as a destination. Spain is one of the world’s most popular tourism destination and the city of Madrid is its essence. At this point our major concern are flight disruption*, that have affected both the travel and conference industry tremendously in the past few months. I believe, however, that Madrid and Spain are significant market itself to attract number of delegates who would be able to join us. I am confident that our delegates will enjoy both the conference and the numerous attractions that the city has to offer to its visitors. www.icogradadesignweekmadrid.org *Madrid was amongst the few European airports that was not affected by the volcano eruption.

HEADQUARTERS 37

> MADRID

Teatro Circo Price

Casino de Madrid

SPECIAL VENUES: CHIC, HISTORIC OR SPORTY WHAT’S REALLY GOOD ABOUT MADRID IS THAT, BEING THE CAPITAL OF SPAIN, IT’S FILLED WITH HISTORY, CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, AND SPORTS. SO WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIAL VENUES, POSSIBILITIES TO HOLD A GALA DINNER IN A VERY PRIVATE CLUB, TO ORGANIZE A CONFERENCE IN A PRESTIGIOUS SPORTING VENUE OR TO GATHER IN A HISTORICAL MUSEUM ARE ENDLESS. YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE YOUR PICK, BUT THE ARRAY OF CHOICE WILL MAKE YOU DIZZY! BELOW ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS CLEARLY WORTH CONSIDERING.

CASINO DE MADRID The Casino de Madrid was established in 1836 by a group of young romantics, who were tired of the agitated political atmosphere of their times and longed for a tranquil place to meet. Now it has lived up to the new times and the progress of society, proudly sustaining the principles of tolerance, comradeship and harmony its founders championed. Part of Madrid’s national heritage, the Casino is a deeply exclusive venue for very exclusive events.

Its nine versatile rooms can be hired for any kind of events, and are all more beautiful than one another. All in all, they can accommodate up to 1,200 people.

TEATRO CIRCO PRICE Maybe one of the most unusual venues in Madrid - and the only permanent circus in Spain I was told -, Teatro Circo Price offers the most suitable spaces for celebrations

HEADQUARTERS 38

after a hard day’s work. Because it’s circusshaped and used to holding all kinds of events, from concerts to acrobatic shows, its coliseum has a unique versatility in the sense it can be used either as a circular space or as a traditional auditorium.

Depending on your needs, it hosts events between 1,500 and 2,200 people. And if you’re looking for something a bit smaller, the foyers can also be used. In this case, between 100 and 150 can fit in.

CIRCULO DE BELLAS ARTES The Círculo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Society, CBA by its Spanish initials) of Madrid is a private non-profit cultural organisation declared a ‘Centre for Protection of the Fine Arts and of Public Utility’. Ever since it was set up in 1880, it has played a major role of international scope in the field of cultural creation and diffusion. With one of the most active cultural programmes in Madrid, it

houses exhibition rooms, two theatres, concert halls, lecture halls, artists’ workshops, a library, a cafeteria, a shop and even a private pool room! It is an emblematic building whose biggest room accommodates up to 1,200 cocktail style and from its rooftop you can enjoy some of the best views of Spain’s capital city. Needless to say it’s the perfect location for an open-air reception!

MAGIC BOX (MADRID CAJA MÁGICA) A multifunctional sport complex renowned for holding Madrid Masters, a prestigious tennis championship, Madrid Magic Box was designed by famed architect Dominique Perrault. It’s located in the Manzanares Park, spread out on 17 hectares of land. The good news for meeting planners is that the design and distribution of the space allows the house of all kind of events, with a highly flexible space of 5,000 m2. The most innovative

Magic Box Círculo de Bellas Artes

feature is the mobile roofing which means the three arenas - for 12,000, 5,000 and 3,000 spectators respectively (and why not delegates?) - can host simultaneous play in all weathers. It will host the 2010 MTV Music Awards in November.

MUSEO DEL PRADO Except if you have lived on another planet over the last 50 years, you must have heard of the most famous museum in Spain, housing, among numerous other things, masterpieces of Velazquez and Goya. It offers associations the opportunity to turn their events into first-class

Prado Museum

THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA MUSEUM Probably the most famous museum in Madrid after the Prado, the ThyssenBornemisza Museum, housed in a palace re-modelled by the architect Rafael Moneo, was the previously missing element whose arrival completed the city’s ‘art triangle’ and boasts the most important art collection in the world. Simply put: name any painter in history and the museum will have at least one of his works! So, after visiting the permanent collection or the temporary exhibition, working sessions can be held in the Lecture Hall, small meetings

When it comes to special venues, possibilities to hold a gala dinner in a very private club, to organize a conference in a prestigious sporting venue are endless in Madrid cultural successes. There is indeed a possibility for you to enjoy the museum’s many collections in a tailor-made way after closing time, depending on the number of participants. In addition, after the visit, you can offer your guests a cocktail in one of the outstanding halls. The auditorium is also available for lectures or conferences.

According to your needs, up to 500 people are most welcome.

in the Press Room, receptions in the Mirador (room with a view), cocktail parties in the garden or large banquets in the Central Hall. Its maximum capacity is about 800 people. Being a member of the MCB the museum staff is well prepared and used to dealing and managing requests coming from the MICE industry and international associations sector.

HEADQUARTERS 39

Puerta de Alcala Thyssen Bornemisza Museum

TO EAT AND TO GET ENTERTAINED Two quick ideas if, one night, you’re not sure where to go and have dinner at. Alboroque is a recently completely refurbished place, housing several restaurants (and meeting rooms by the way!). Its refined cuisine will satisfy the most demanding palates, as the chefs like to talk about ‘gastronomic projects’ when evoking the way they cook. If you’re more into traditional gastronomy, I would strongly suggest Corral de la Moreira, listed in the book ‘1,000 places to see before you die’, edited by Times Magazine. There you can enjoy great food and a fascinating flamenco show, renowned the world over.

Not one of those cheap, touristy things you can find at other places.

Corral de la Morería flamenco show

Eurostars Madrid Tower - Lobby

A FLAVOUR OF MADRID’S HOTELS BECAUSE NOT ALL ASSOCIATIONS HOLD THEIR CONGRESSES IN CONVENTION CENTRES, A GOOD GLIMPSE OF WHAT MADRID CAN OFFER IN TERMS OF CONFERENCE HOTELS IS WORTHWHILE. WITH OVER 60,000 HOTEL BEDS IN ALL CATEGORIES - AND MORE TO COME OF COURSE - THE SPANISH CAPITAL’S ACCOMMODATION RANGE IS IMPRESSIVE, FROM WORLD-FAMOUS FIVE-STARS TO MODERN BUDGET THREE-STARS. OF COURSE Intercontinental Madrid

I COULD NOT SEE ALL OF THEM DURING MY STAY, BUT HERE’S A FINE SELECTION OF THEM, IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

AUDITORIUM MADRID

Ayre Gran Hotel Colón © Sol Meliá, S.A.

Melia Castilla

Maybe the ultimate congress hotel, Auditorium Madrid is the perfect place for those wishing to organize residential conferences.

Self-sufficient, it almost could be called a ‘conference city’ by itself as it’s definitely possible to stay there and not see anything of Madrid, which is of course not what you want to do. I was personally impressed by the size of the whole thing: there seemed to be meeting rooms everywhere, right, left, back, front, and, above all, a huge auditorium (hence the name of the hotel) sits about 2,200 people - I think it’s the biggest auditorium I have ever seen in a hotel in my short career as a meetings journalist.

AYRE GRAN HOTEL COLÓN

NH Eurobuilding

Completely renovated, it’s the hotel I was lucky enough to say at. Located in the surroundings of the Art Walk, the Retiro Park and Goya Street, where you can shop until you drop, it enjoys excellent connections to the airport, IFEMA and public transport.

What amazed me particularly was its fantastic stained-glass windows and frescos decorating the meeting rooms, which were created by Manuel Ortega, whose work can also be found in La Almudena Cathedral. In terms of accommodation and meetings space, Ayre

HEADQUARTERS 40

Gran Hotel Colón provides 361 guest rooms and 18 meeting rooms, my favorite space being of course the terrace on top of the building for 250 persons maximum.

EUROSTARS MADRID TOWER With 32 floors and an impressive 230-metre height, the five-star Eurostars Madrid Tower is located in one of the most dynamic areas of major economic development in Madrid, built on the site of the former Real Madrid sports club. A few steps away from the future Madrid International Convention Centre, it is the ideal place for delegates wishing to ‘rise above’: all the guestrooms are full of natural light and have spectacular panoramic views of Madrid! Once you’re inside, it’s actually like you’ve entered another world, where everything is airy and spacious. And with 29 meeting rooms - the biggest one accommodates up to 1,300 persons cocktail style -, breakout sessions are definitely not a problem.

HILTON MADRID AIRPORT Recently opened, with an avantgarde design and the most advanced multimedia technology, Hilton Madrid Airport is definitely not the basic personality-less airport hotel. On the contrary, it boasts many elements that any design hotels would long for: a strong

> MADRID

NH Eurobuilding

identity, great design ideas (all the tables in the restaurants have different sizes), wonderful perspectives (the look-through feel is just amazing) and the comfort of any five-star palaces. Located just five minutes from Madrid Barajas Airport and ten minutes from the IFEMA trade fair venue, it has 284 rooms and suites. And with more than 1,700 m2 of meeting space distributed in 15 flexible meeting rooms, a lobby, a multifunctional area and a plenary meeting room, it’s sure to make any residential conference a success.

INTERCONTINENTAL MADRID Historically speaking, Intercontinental Madrid may be the most impressive hotel in the Spanish capital. An 18th century palace full of fine marble, golden sculptures and refined friezes, it’s a place that used to be cherished by people like Zsa Zsa Gabor, Sophia Loren Gina Lollobrígida, Robert Mitchum and Gary Cooper. Moreover, politicians like it as well: when I was there, a high-class political meeting was in progress and there were bodyguards everywhere! Located in the cultural and business area of one of the most popular streets in the city, it’s close to the Prado, Reina Sofia, and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums and boasts 302 rooms. All of the 17 meeting rooms of the hotel have natural daylight. Worth noting: the Albéniz Ballroom has the highest ceiling in all of Madrid’s hotels and is very convenient for banquets or special gala dinners.

MELIÁ CASTILLA Like the Auditorium mentioned above, one of Meliá Castilla’s main assets is definitely its vast amphitheatre, sitting up to 511 people. But of course Meliá Castilla is more than just an auditorium: located beside the Paseo de la Castellana and a stroll from the Palace of Congresses and Exhibitions or the Real Madrid’s football Stadium, it offers 915 comfortable rooms, while an Executive Floor

Hilton Madrid Airport

provides the most exclusive accommodation.

If you want to treat yourself with a Royal Service, Meliá Castilla is the place to be, as it offers all the advantages of an exclusive hotel and the services expected of a truly grand hotel. In addition to the auditorium, 22 function rooms make it possible to organize any kind of event. I was told it could accommodate groups of up to 1,000 persons.

NH EUROBUILDING

Eurostars Madrid Tower

Located in the neuralgic centre of Madrid, by the Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones and Paseo de la Castellana, NH Eurobuilding is surrounded by some of the city’s most emblematic business buildings, as well as the Santiago Bernabéu Football Stadium.

Its 430 fully-equipped rooms are decorated in the NH style, combining innovation, cosmopolitan airs, comfort and functionality.

With 24 meeting rooms, from 32 m2 to 578 m2, in addition to a varied technological and gastronomic offer, it combines functionality and versatility to host conferences, congresses, and meetings of any kind. And you can rest assured that the staff there know the place inside out and what they’re talking about: most of them have been working in the hotel for more than 20 years.

Such a low turnover in the accommodation sector deserves to be mentioned!

Auditorium Madrid

Ayre Gran Hotel Colón

SILKEN PUERTA DE AMÉRICA Design, innovation, technology, and luxury are the keys to discover a unique hotel in the world, complete with 315 rooms, 16 magnificent meeting rooms (5 of them are designed

by John Pawson and 5 other warm meeting rooms by Victorio & Lucchino), restaurants, bars, a terrace, a gym, an indoor pool, and a beauty saloon. Each of the hotel’s corners has their own author’s mark. Opened in September of 2005, the hotel Silken Puerta América is located in the Avenida de América, and constitutes one of the most innovative bets in the international hotel scene.

HEADQUARTERS 41

Silke Suite Presidencial

HQ > EICC

ANYTIME IS SHOW TIME AT THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE

the new staging of the Pentland Auditorium

THE EICC WOW FACTOR To complement the new modular staging the EICC has also made further investments in to its already remarkable projection system.

Upgrading the Barco Encore Controller SC to the latest High-Definition version means that the EICC can offer its clients the highest specification in-house video projection capability of any UK congress venue.

‘Every investment in new kit is significant, but unless you realise a return for your clients in terms of successful and sustainable events then you are missing the point,’ explains Kenneth Boak, head of technical production at the EICC. ‘Great staging and rich images in High Definition will pay back quickly for our clients’.

EICC

PURPOSE BUILT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCES, CUTTING-EDGE SHOW STOPPING TECHNOLOGY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AT THE HEART OF THE EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE (EICC).

Take the Pentland Suite - revolving auditoria that can transform a space of 1,200 seats to three smaller, fully serviced suites in under four minutes. It’s an engineering solution as elegant as it is simple. And with speaker support, simultaneous interpretation, and even pyrotechnics all on hand from a production team dedicated to their stagecraft, the EICC is purpose-built to make your event one to remember.

INVESTING IN EXCELLENCE Guaranteeing the highest quality presentation requires continuous investment. So far in 2010 the EICC has already spent £150,000 on new modular aluminium staging and has introduced HD cameras to its TV resources.

A significant figure, certainly, but something the EICC feels can only benefit customers in value, quality and innovation.

The high cost of one-time use stage carpentry has been eliminated with the introduction of modular aluminium staging that can create an impressive performance or display space in a fraction of the conventional buildtime. And with modules as compact as 1 sqm combined with circular staging options, no design concept is off limits in any part of the venue. Finally for the finishing touch, staging surfaces can be fitted with branding panels featuring client corporate branding, or coated with a printed film for a high gloss studio appearance.

The EICC’s technical wizardry is tested and enhanced every year, when the venue hosts some of the best dance, comedy and musical performances on during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This August the venue welcomed back the 35th Media Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival as well as dance performances from New York, theatre from London’s West End and headline comedy including the Amnesty International, ‘Stand Up for Freedom’ event.

‘Whatever the subject matter, from Antarctica to Zoology, we can make your event the most enjoyable ever for you and your audience,’ explains Kenneth.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Edinburgh International Conference Centre The Exchange Edinburgh EH3 8EE +44 (0) 131 300 3333 sales@eicc.co.uk www.eicc.co.uk

HEADQUARTERS 43

HQ > G E N E VA

LASTING THREE DAYS, THE WORLD CONGRESS AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY BRINGS TOGETHER INTERNATIONAL ACTORS OF CIVIL SOCIETY, POLITICIANS, JURISTS, AND WIDE PUBLIC SUPPORT. THE 4TH ONE TOOK PLACE IN GENEVA LAST FEBRUARY. RAPHAËL CHENUIL-HAZAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ENSEMBLE CONTRE LA PEINE DE MORT (ECPM), EXPLAINS WHAT IT IS ABOUT.

HQ: Could you briefly present the World Congress against the Death Penalty?

Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan: Over the past forty years, the planet has experienced a marked progression in favor of abolition with the percentage of abolitionist countries passing from 20% to 70% in the world. The trend has gathered momentum especially during the last two decades thanks to the emergence and development of a huge international abolitionist movement. Since 2001, the World Congress Against the Death Penalty organized by Ensemble contre la peine de mort (ECPM) has established itself as a major gathering of abolitionists worldwide.

In 2010, 1,500 people participated in the Geneva congress to develop abolitionist strategies for years to come, at local, national and international levels, but also to UN Headquarters

reinforce the universal message: abolishing the death penalty is an urgent precondition to a world dedicated to progress and justice.

HQ: Why did you choose Geneva for your event?

© Genève Tourisme

Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan: Geneva hosted the 4th World Congress Against the Death Penalty at the invitation of Mrs Calmy-Rey, Federal Councilor, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland, under the patronage of the Swiss Confederation and with the participation of José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, President of the Council of the European Union at the time.

Geneva is the capital city of human rights, where international governance was born.

We have chosen this destination because our main goal for this edition was, on one hand, to develop links between civil society and intergovernmental organizations (IGO), and, on the other, to increase political impact on retentionist states as well as encourage more states to abolish the death penalty and/or ratify international treaties. Geneva was the perfect place to do so.

HQ: What are Geneva’s main assets as a congress destination?

place to organize a big event like ours, in terms of accommodation, congress infrastructure (the CICG was perfect!), theaters and halls for our rich cultural program. For instance, the opening ceremony took place in the beautiful Human Rights Room at the Palais des Nations. I’m sure delegates will remember that for a long time.

The Geneva Convention Bureau was a very important partner in the preparation of the congress : they were instrumental in logistics and finding the right kind of accommodation. Moerever, the GCB offered us 1,000 brochures, so we could hand them out to the participants. Last but not least, the team’s efficiency and professionalism was a great help to the congress’ success. Our collaboration was fluid, easy and smooth.

CONTACT Aline Christen, Project Coordinator Association Meetings Geneva Tourism & Conventions Tel: +41 (0) 22 909 70 64 christen@geneve-tourisme.ch www.genevaconventionbureau.ch

Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan: Geneva is the ideal

HEADQUARTERS 45

© cicg

THE WORLD CONGRESS AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY IN GENEVA

Impressive service quality, state-of-the-art technologies, amazing compact facilities, remarkable eco-friendly solutions, reduced operational costs, all this gathered in one idyllic spot…

Why would anyone choose the Grimaldi Forum Monaco after all?

Challenging your imagination C

®

10 years

For more than ten years the most prestigious companies in the world have relied on our extraordinary resources: 3 auditoriums (1800, 800, 400 seats), 22 conference rooms, 10 000m² of exhibition space and 3 restaurants. Only a short walk from the hotels and less than 20mins from Nice international airport (with nearly 90 direct-flight connections), the Grimaldi Forum Monaco is the optimal solution tailored to your needs that will surprise you with its excellent value for money. Our commitment: to constantly reinvent ways to contribute to the success of your business events ! www.grimaldiforum.mc

®

HQ > HOLLAND

HOLLAND IN ACTION IN SWITZERLAND BUSINESS IS DONE WITH COMPANIES. WITH ASSOCIATIONS, YOU DON’T DO BUSINESS BUT YOU BUILD UP RELATIONS. AFTER A WHILE YOU TRY TO COME TO AN EXCHANGE OF

Boudewijn J. van Eenennaam and Erik Bakermans

SERVICES THAT LATER - SOMETIMES MUCH LATER - WILL LEAD TO A BIG BUDGET FOR A DESTINATION. THIS IS THE ATTITUDE THAT ERIC BAKERMANS, NETHERLANDS BOARD OF TOURISM & CONVENTIONS (NBTC) MARKETING MANAGER, AND HIS EMPLOYEES SHOW WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS PROMOTION. THIS WAS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED AT AN INFORMAL LUNCH FOR SWITZERLAND-BASED ASSOCIATIONS AT THE DUTCH AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE IN COPPET LAST JUNE. REPORT MARCEL A.M. VISSERS

There are thousands of associations that all organize congresses somewhere in the world.

The key point is: where will they do this?

This is the permanent concern of Convention Bureaus who want to be known by the decision makers of these congresses. The aim is of course to encourage them to have their event at a precise location.

For Eric Bakermans, that location is the Netherlands. He and his team are constantly searching for the right marketing formulas.

A formula where the NBTC is very strong is the organization of informal lunches for association executives at Dutch ambassadors’ residences abroad. This already happened quite successfully in Brussels, Paris and London. Now it was Geneva’s turn, and for good reasons.

For more than a year, the NBTC has had a permanent representative in Switzerland to put Holland on the map as an ideal location for the organization of international congresses. Rosmarijn Fens managed in putting 30 high-level people around a well-dressed table at the lake of Geneva in Coppet, where the residence of the Dutch

THE DUTCH DELEGATION IN GENEVA CONSISTED OF: + NBTC - Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions + Groningen Convention Bureau + Hotel Okura Amsterdam + The Hague Convention Bureau + Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Board

Ambassador Boudewijn J. van Eenenaam is located.

But this time things were different. Rosmarijn Fens said: ‘In Geneva and Lausanne, a lot of headquarters of international and worldwide associations are based. I’ve tried to visit them all to present the Netherlands as a possible congress destination. Around 15 association executives agreed to my proposal of visiting the embassy lunch. During these meetings we exchanged views and asked about their expectations, but we left a lot of room for networking with association colleagues too.’

Witness reports are also very important.

That’s why I asked Grégoire Pavillon, EASL Executive Director (European Association for the Study of the Liver), to explain the reasons why he chose the Netherlands as the location for their next annual meeting in 2013.

He said: ‘Amsterdam has been a destination that we wanted to add to our “venue collection” for a long time - since our creation actually. It has a great value in the “wish list destinations” of our participants and

supporters. Amsterdam - and Holland in general - is a destination were you’re sure to find top professional service and detailed attention to all your needs. The first time you meet representatives either from the RAI or the Convention Bureau you immediately feel a great unity between them, which is really helpful to achieve your expectations. Worth mentioning is the fact that Amsterdam can provide delegates with a free travel card definitely an important saving in the budget of our annual meeting which brings up to 8,000 participants! We already had the pleasure to host smaller meetings in Amsterdam in hotels and we do hope to bring more events not only to Amsterdam but also to other parts of Holland.’

CONTACT Rosmarijn Fens - Business Development International non-corporate Convention Market Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions rferns@holland.com +33 643 19 69 14 www.holland.com / www.nbtc.nl

HEADQUARTERS 47

HQ

> SUNTEC SINGAPORE

SUNTEC SINGAPORE A talk with CEO Pieter Idenburg THE SUNTEC BRAND HAS GONE ABROAD. THE NEWLY-CREATED ‘SUNTEC INTERNATIONAL’ WILL EXPAND THE SUNTEC BRAND AND SERVICES BEYOND SINGAPORE TO THE GLOBAL PLATFORM. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY OFFERS FRANCHISING AND BRAND TRANSFER OPPORTUNITIES. SUNTEC SINGAPORE CEO PIETER IDENBURG TELLS US MORE SUNTEC INTERNATIONAL AND WHAT HIS VENUE IS REALLY ABOUT.

HQ: What does Suntec International stand for exactly?

Pieter Idenburg: Suntec International provides a wide ranging portfolio of services that include sales and marketing representation, venue management, consultancy services, with a key focus on highly customized solutions to clients. As a pioneer in Asia’s meetings industry, we are delighted that the strategy we have put in place some years back is now coming to fruition with the formation of Suntec International. Many venues have previously requested our skill in managing their centres and providing consultancy services. We are now ready to accomplish this through Suntec International.

HQ: To what extent has Suntec Singapore been a major player in the meetings industry over the past years?

Pieter Idenburg: Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre has been a major pillar of Singapore’s meetings industry since its opening in 1995. To date, it has hosted more than 15,000 events including several iconic events of diverse nature within its premier exhibition and convention facility. Having just hosted APEC 2009,

we are now gearing up to host the Youth Olympic Games 2010 in August. The venue will host 6 ground sports and will serve as the proud official convention centre partner.

A versatile and flexible space spanning over 100,000 square metres, the venue has received copious accolades and awards and has been recognized as one of the leading convention centres globally.

HQ: We also know you’ve established some great partnerships so your influence is all the more tangible…

Pieter Idenburg: Suntec Singapore has an exclusive partnership with Resorts World Sentosa that will have the two properties crosssell each other to create real business opportunities for both venues while growing the international meetings business for Singapore as a whole. There is also an agreement with MCI, under whose terms Suntec Singapore will be the preferred partner and venue provider of MCI Group for conference placement.

Pieter Idenburg

we hosted 1,408 events and welcomed 6.7 million visitors to its venue - an increase of approximately 5% more visitors to its venue over 2008. 2010 has the hallmarks of being yet another busy year: many international associations have already chosen us for their conference. Just to name a few, we’re going to host the World Congress of Biomechanics and the Asia Pacific Congress of Allerology and Clinical Immunology.

www.suntecsingapore.com www.suntecinternational.com

HQ: So the future is definitely bright for you…

Pieter Idenburg: Even brighter than ever. In 2009, despite the global economic climate,

HEADQUARTERS 49

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HQ ASIA-PACIFIC - HAP PROFILE Distribution + HAP is an Asian-Pacific magazine + Circulation: 2,500 copies + 14 Asian-Pacific countries

5% 21% 74%

Readership The readers of HAP consists of 3 important groups: + the Asian-Pacific associations organising congresses in the region: 74% + the internationanl associations organizing international congresses: 21% + the Asian-Pacifc meetings industry, international agencies (PCO’s, AMC’s, members of IAPCO): 5%

36%

Analysis of the association readership Professional agencies: the senior level of management of the PCO’s and DMC’s + Secretaries general: 22% + Presidents: 36% + Directors: 25% + Coordinators: 17%

2010 RATES Magazine Publicity Size 2/1 1/1 1/2

Advertisement 4,500€ 2,950€ 1,750€

Destination report Within the magazine Loose supplement

Advertorial 5,100€ 3,992€ 1,012€

4 pages 7,000€ /

Covers +15% surcharge of 1/1 page publicity

6 pages 8,500€ /

8 pages 10,000€* 12,000€

12 pages 13,000€* 14,000€

16 pages 16,000€* 18,000€

*with cover picture of the destination

Online Small banner Large banner Preferred partners Emailing Your logo in the HQ monthly newsletter

300€ /month 500€ /month 250€ /month 2,500€ 550€

Info: Contact us for tailor-made proposals at sales@headquartersmagazine.com For support in the organisation of workshops or special events: events@headquartersmagazine.com 5270

25%

22%

Note: Agency commission to be added. Prices do not include VAT.

HEADQUARTERS magazine, The Asia-Pacific Magazine for Association Executives

www.headquartersmagazine.com

m

17%

WHAT IF NATURE IS PLANNING A

MAJOR EVENT THE SAME DAY AS YOU?

5270

Hiscox have been experts at providing specialist event insurance for over thirty years. If your event is affected by unforeseen circumstances, our cancellation cover could protect your financial investment in the event.

Event Insurance 0845 213 8440 hiscox.co.uk/events/press

Policies are underwritten by Hiscox Underwriting Ltd on behalf of certain syndicates at Lloydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (managed by Hiscox Syndicates Ltd).

Hiscox Underwriting Ltd and Hiscox Syndicates Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. 7956 07/10

Hosting the Worlds Great Events

www.meetings.canada.travel

HQ > QUÉBEC

QUÉBEC

A unique combination of old and new ©sccq

INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE AND CULTURE-DRIVEN, QUÉBEC IS AN IRRESISTIBLE MIX

Old Québec

COMBINING TRADITIONAL CHARM AND SOPHISTICATED VIBES. THE PROVINCE HAS ALSO BEEN A CROSSROADS FOR TRADE, BUSINESS AND FINANCE OVER THE CENTURIES AND IS RECOGNISED WORLDWIDE FOR ITS CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. QUÉBEC IS DEFINITELY SPECIAL. NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE PREDOMINANTLY FRENCH-SPEAKING POPULATION OR ITS STATUS AS THE LARGEST CANADIAN PROVINCE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE ITS TWO MAIN CITIES HAVE ESTABLISHED A SOLID REPUTATION

Québec City Convention Centre

AS CONGRESS DESTINATIONS.

QUÉBEC CITY European charm, history, culture, and adventure await you in this four-century-old but ever-so-exciting city! In Québec City you have the freedom to do and try practically everything. The city is home to a world-class tourism infrastructure providing a full range of visitor amenities and comforts.

Conventions, conferences, seminars, workshops on every scale are a natural for Québec City, with its 17,250 room lodging capacity. Whether you’re looking for a luxury hotel, a boutique hotel with its own special character, or a resort hotel right near downtown, Québec City combines North American comfort and efficiency with European charm.

Meeting rooms in the major hotels have convention facilities that can easily host several hundred participants in comfortable and welcoming surroundings. And for major events, the Québec City Convention Center and ExpoCité Exhibition Center are just what you need.

Québec City is a thriving business centre well served by an international airport, rail links, and an efficient highway network. Train and plane connections are very convenient, with dozens of daily flights to and from Jean Lesage International Airport just 16 km from downtown.

Québec City is proud of its 400-year history. The only walled city north of Mexico, it

proudly displays a history where French and British influences mingle and interweave.

From the fortifications encircling the Old City to the Citadel standing guard over the St. Lawrence, the Martello towers, and the Parliament Building where Québec’s political life plays out, the city is home to a myriad of treasures that will delight history buffs.

Included on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites, the historic fortified section of the city evokes the charm of the old country with its narrow, winding streets and profusion of shops, museums, and other attractions.

MONTRÉAL Montréal ranked first in North America for

HEADQUARTERS 53

© Just for Laughs Festival

7 GOOD REASONS FOR CHOOSING QUÉBEC

© Tourisme Montréal

> QUÉBEC

1. Accommodation and first-rate facilities.

Québec City and Montréal are the perfect venues for conferences of all sizes. Both cities’ hotel and service network enjoy an enviable reputation worldwide.

2. Authentic charm. The area’s European appeal and North American lifestyle, complete with a storied history, thriving arts scene, and vibrant French-speaking culture, make it truly one of a kind.

3. Easy to get to. The region can be easily accessed by highway, train and air.

4. Nature on your doorstep. Parks, wildlife reserves, and scenic attractions are minutes away, with a host of outdoor activities available all year round.

5. Arts and entertainment. The cultural agenda of Montréal and Québec City are literally action-packed.

6. A once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nowhere else in the world will you experience dazzling colors, vibrant lifestyle, and everything in between!

7. Dining at its finest. Often called the gourmet capital of North America, the region is also tops for casual food, not to mention sidewalk cafés, bistros, and wine and cheese!

Québec City

international meetings in 2009, according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), a testament to the city’s expertise and service, and ability to accommodate any group size. The Palais des Congrès (Convention Centre) offers the latest in technology and services in the revitalised Quartier international, between downtown and the Old Port. Other facilities are within walking distance of hotels that include American and international chains, as well as recent boutique-style buildings. Of the 26,500 room total, 15,000 are downtown and 4,000 connect directly with the Convention Centre via the Underground Pedestrian Network walkways.

No matter where you turn, it seems that this city’s raison d’être is to celebrate life. The term ‘block party’ takes on a new meaning here, as thousands converge on traffic-free streets to enjoy the colourful summer line-up of performances. Formula 1 fans get their fill of speed

HEADQUARTERS 54

Just for Laughs Festival

© Bob Fisher Palais des congrès de Montréal

Montréal

Palais des Congrès de Montréal

and high-performance engines in June; jazz lovers keep time to the music of their favourite artists at the 11-day Jazz Fest, and comedy buffs can indulge in a full month of gut-busting good times with the Just for Laugh’s hilarious line-up. This city is where art meets festival fun - 24/7. Films, beer, food and sports are also on the star-studded events calendar.

Montréal has a cosmopolitan reputation other cities yearn for. Undeniably, its 360 years of history are at the root; the city has been in turn a French settlement and a British stronghold. Today, the confluence of cultures from around the globe continues to leave its mark on Montréal’s multifaceted and spirited character.

For a meeting with the city’s past, stroll the cobblestone streets of Old Montréal and admire its architecture; the area is now home to boutique hotels and award-winning addresses that bring luxury to new heights. Its

galleries, churches, squares and quiet spaces make it only one of many fascinating neighbourhoods worth exploring on foot.

CONTACT + In North America: Susan Frei, Director, International meetings and incentives Canadian Tourism Commission Tel +1 703 825 1134 Frei.Susan@ctc-cct.ca www.meetings.canada.travel + In Europe: Roger Bradley, Axis Travel Marketing Ltd Tel +44 (0) 208 686 2300 roger@axistravelmarketing.com

HOUSE Come on in, we’ve got plenty of room for all of you

val

Feel free to bring your next convention to Copenhagen – the capital of sustainable meetings. Feel free to be inspired by Denmark’s wide open spaces – indoors and outdoors.

Denmark – where restrictions don’t apply.

For Copenhagen enquiries: +45 3325 7400 kongres@woco.dk meetincopenhagen.com

For the rest of Denmark: +45 3288 9937 conferencesales@visitdenmark.com visitdenmark.com

44° 03’ 02.47 N 12° 34’ 01.06 E

New coordinates for success.

www.riminipalacongressi.it