HeadQuarters 42

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

42

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 December 2010 - P3A9029

CANADA

CONFERENCES BETWEEN PACIFIC AND ATLANTIC

ESAE & UIA DISCUSS MEMBERSHIP

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HQ IN 2011 HQ EMEA HEADQUARTERS

HAP HEADQUARTERS

HQ EMEA stands for Headquarters Europe Middle East Africa, the magazine for EMEA-based associations.

HAP stands for Headquarters Asia-Pacific, the magazine for Asia-Pacific-based associations.

PROFILE HQ EMEA

PROFILE HAP

Distribution + HQ Magazine is the EMEA magazine for international associations + Circulation: 5,000 copies + Published 5 times a year + Distribution in Europe, Middle East and Africa

Distribution + HAP is an Asian-Pacific magazine + Circulation: 2,500 copies + Published 4 times a year + 14 Asian-Pacific countries

Readership + International associations organizing international congresses in EMEA and other continents (94%) + Members of ESAE, the European Society of Association Executives (1%) + the EMEA meetings industry PCO’s, AMC’s, members of 1% 5% EFAPCO, IAPCO (5%)

94%

Readership The readers of HAP consists of 3 important groups: + the Asian-Pacific associations organising congresses in the region: 65% + the internationanl associations organizing international congresses: 30% 5% + the Asian-Pacifc meetings industry, international agencies (PCO’s, AMC’s, members of IAPCO): 5% 30% 65%

W

HeadQuarters magazine, The EMEA Magazine for Association Executives

PLANNING HQ EMEA Print Issue # Publication Booking Date deadline Topics HQ43 March 2011 7 Jan. Practical issues (insurance, visas, customs, exchanges, rates, etc.)

HQ44 April 2011 22 March Alternative types of events venues HQ45 June 2011 18 April Conference hotels Technology (social media, design, new software, etc.)

HQ46 Sept. 2011 22 June Sustainability HQ47

Nov. 2011

3 Oct.

Each issue includes a cover interview, a special feature and destination reports.

HEADQUARTERS magazine, The Asia-Pacific Magazine for Association Executives

PLANNING HAP

Additional Distribution EMIF GIBTM

Print Issue # HAP 5 HAP 6

Publication Date April 2011 July 2011

Booking deadline 25 Febr.

26 May

HAP 7

Oct. 2011

26 Aug.

HAP 8

Dec. 2011

28 Oct.

IMEX AIBTM ASAE Annual Meeting CIBTM IMEX America ESAE Annual Congress EIBTM

IT&CMA and CTW ITB Asia EIBTM

Each issue includes a cover interview, a special feature and destination reports.

Online HQ publishes a Global E-Zine, in which where can choose to promote your activities in one or several of the following sections: meetings professional, events and fairs, destinations, venues, hotels. HQ Global E-Zine is sent out to professional association planners.

RATES HQ EMEA

RATES HAP

Magazine Publicity Size 2/1 1/1 1/2

Magazine Publicity Size 2/1 1/1 1/2

Publicity 5,500€ 3,750€ 2,500€

Advertorial 6,250€ 4,000€ 2,750€

Covers include a surcharge of 15%

8 pages 12,500€* 14,500€

Publicity 4,500€ 2,950€ 1,750€

Advertorial 5,100€ 3,550€ 1,950€

Covers include a surcharge of 15%

12 pages 16,500€* 18,500€

16 pages 20,500€* 22,500€

*with cover picture of the destination

Online Small banner Big banner Preferred partners Emailing Your logo and URL in HQ E-Zine Special feature in HQ E-Zine

Cultural experiences for association delegates

Additional Distribution IMEX CIBTM

Alliances and partnerships of destinations, venues, etc.: how it is beneficial to associations

Online HQ publishes a Global E-Zine, in which where can choose to promote your activities in one or several of the following sections: meetings professional, events and fairs, destinations, venues, hotels. HQ Global E-Zine is sent out to professional association planners.

Destination reports Within the magazine Loose supplement

Topics Sustainability Alternative types of events venues The services of Convention Bureaus to associations

Destination reports 4 pages 6 pages 8 pages 12 pages 16 pages Within the magazine 7,000€* 8,500€* 10,000€* 13,000€* 16,000€* Loose supplement / / 12,000€ 14,000€ 18,000€ *with cover picture of the destination

400€ / month 600€ / month 350€ / month 3,500€ 650€ 1,600€

Online Small banner 300€ / month Big banner 500€ / month Preferred partners 250€ / month Emailing 2,500€ Your logo and URL in HQ E-Zine 450€ Special feature in HQ E-Zine 1,300€

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

5440

Want to know where to send your press releases? press@headquartersmagazine.com

DOWNLOAD THE TWO 2011 MEDIA KITS ON W W W. H E A D Q UA RT E R S M AGA Z I N E .CO M

m

Need more information? Contact sales@headquartersmagazine.com

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

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

HQ

> M A R C E L’ S PA G E

THE EUROPEAN MEETINGS INDUSTRY HAS NO VISION! Are there people in the meetings industry with a vision of Europe? That’s the question I’ve been asking myself for five years now, and I’ll tell you why.

For more than 40 years I’ve been active in Europe, as a student, employee, entrepreneur, employer, publicist and husband. And in all those roles I dealt with the European Union. During this period I watched it grow up to 27 member states. Now, when I want to go to Italy for example, I don’t have to stop three times at different borders and I don’t have to exchange money. These are some of the good things about Europe, and there are a lot of other examples out there.

MARCEL A.M. VISSERS Editor in Chief

My vision of the European meetings industry took shape in 2006, when I interviewed former European Commissioner Günter Verheugen (Industry and Entrepreneurship) for Brussels Meetings Week. Günter was responsible for the meetings industry too. He taught me the following: ‘An industry of whatever nature is well advised to speak with one voice. For the commission, it is always easier to deal with organizations that represent one sector, but we cannot create them. We can only encourage them.’

My first question is: who is the representative of our industry? ESAE, EFAPCO, ECM? I call them the ‘E’s. Some of these professional associations already tried to talk to the European Commission in Brussels directly. That proved to be a hopeless task. First, there should be a consultation between all associations with ‘European’ in their name, so that they can draft a blueprint together. Second question: what are we going to tell the commission? And who are we going to talk to? What do we want and where do we want to go? In my opinion, there is still tremendous progress to be made.

An industry of whatever nature is well advised to speak with one voice.

For the commission, it is always easier to deal with organizations that represent one sector

In 2007, I invited a couple of key people to Brussels to talk about this issue, at my own initiative. They were interested, but ‘protectionism’ still prevailed. In 2008, HQ organized an Academic Session in cooperation with UIA, to show the industry how we could interact with Europe. The presentation was praised, but real support for our ideas wasn’t really given. Afterwards, following the example of Singapore Convention Bureau, I closely worked with Brussels Convention Bureau to find a party that could fund and sponsor the project. Singapore does this for the Asia-Pacific. They want to be the ‘Association Capital’, like for example Washington is.

A few months ago I was positively astonished when I heard the E’s were talking again. Brussels Convention Bureau took the lead in these talks. As an advocate for the topic from the beginning, I’m closely following these developments.

And don’t be afraid of the media. There’s an ‘E’ on our cover as well!

» READ MORE OF MARCEL’S STORIES ON WWW.MARCELSBLOG.TYPEPAD.COM!

HQ

> MEETINGS FOREST

someone to come and be inspired by the natural beauty of the Caledonian Forest and by their own and other’s positive actions to restore the wilderness of the Highlands. Visit www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.ww.html for more dates and booking information or to sponsor a volunteer.

NEW TREES FOR THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY IN 2011 Recently, Headquarters and MIM Magazines offered their readers about a hundred new trees to be planted in 2011. For example, all the winners of the Dress To Impress Awards at the ICCA congress gala evening in Hyderabad received a tree and a certification telling them the following message: ‘This is to certify that a tree will be planted in the HQ and MIM magazine MEETINGS FOREST on behalf of ‘name of the winner’, as part of Trees for Life’s work to restore the Caledonian Forest in the Highlands of Scotland.’

THE MEETINGS FOREST IS ASLEEP NATURE ALWAYS TAKES ITS TIME, IT’S NEVER IN A HURRY. THE TREES THAT WERE PLANTED IN OUR MEETINGS FOREST LAST SPRING HAVE STARTED THEIR WINTER SLEEP. JANE BEATON, OF TREES FOR LIFE, TOLD US IT’S GETTING COLD IN THE CALEDONIAN FOREST. SHE’S EXPECTING US TO PLANT MORE TREES IN THE SPRING OF 2011. THE NUMBER OF TREES IN OUR MEETINGS FOREST IS STEADILY RISING. TEXT MARCEL A.M. VISSERS

Jane Beaton put it like this: ‘It’s a bit late to visit the Meetings Forest this year, as we already have snow on the ground and only have daylight from 9am until 3pm. Most of our work stops during the winter months.

Because of the difficult weather conditions, there is no tree planting or conservation activity in the Caledonian Forest during these months. We will start our activities again in the springtime. We would love to have one of your team or readers come and visit us here during that period. I think the best option might be for them to come on one of our conservation holiday weeks in the Spring of 2011. If you look at our information brochure, you will see there are eight weeks based here between March and June - so they could pick any of those dates.’

CONSERVATION HOLIDAYS IN 2011 The Trees For Life Conservation Holidays are voted one of the Top 10 Conservation

HEADQUARTERS 6

Holidays in the world. The 2011 program begins in March and runs through the spring and autumn at many beautiful locations throughout the Highlands in Scotland. If you are unable to come on a week yourself, why not consider sponsoring a volunteer? It costs Trees for Life £300 per participant to run each week, though Trees for Life offers volunteers places for a subsidized rate of £63 - £130. Sponsoring a volunteer directly benefits the environment and enables

And the winners are: + 1st Prize: Lynda Cadieux, Tourisme Montréal + 2nd Prize: the ICCA Boys, Nigel, Dennis and Mathijs + 3rd Prize: Jean- Philippe Favre, Geneva Convention Bureau + Public Award: Hamish Reid, GM of the Jersey Conference Bureau, and Jorge Franz of Houston Convention & Visitor’s Bureau + Consolation Prize: Jeremy Hurter, acting CEO, ICC Durban

More info + www.headquartersmagazine.com > meetings forest + www.treesforlife.org.uk

A TREE COST JUST £5 AND YOU CAN BUY / DONATE IT ON WWW.HEADQUARTERSMAGAZINE.COM

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 Managing Editor Rémi Dévé T: +32 (0)2 761 70 58 remi@headquartersmagazine.com Editors Igor Hendrickx Jonathan Ramael Design UPSILON advertising, Kortrijk T: +32 (0)56 24 94 44 info@upsilonadvertising.be Print Cartim - Destelbergen Supported by ESAE and UIA 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 Responsible Publisher Meeting Media Company Marcel A.M. Vissers Mechelseplein 23, bus 1 B - 2000 Antwerpen (Belgium)

Cécile Caiati-Koch

Rémi Dévé

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

NEWS AIPC MEMBERS SPEAK

Cover HQ42: Bordering both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, Canada offers a great alternative as an association conference destination.

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EMIF

11

ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT: SPIE

12

COLLOQUIUM

17

ESAE & UIA ON MEMBERSHIP

20

CONFERENCE HOTELS

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COVER FEATURE CANADA

28

DESTINATIONS JAPAN

38

ESTORIL

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ICCA IN INDIA

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DESTINATION SUPPLEMENT

> AUSTRALIA

HQ

> HEADQUARTERS NEWS Cancun, Mexico

Switzerland

50 LARGE PROJECTS IN SWITZERLAND TO IMPROVE MEETINGS INFRASTRUCTURE

A dramatic expansion of meeting space together with the hosting of several high profile meetings has propelled Mexico forward this year with considerable growth in the meetings industry. In September 2010, the Cancun Messe Convention centre was inaugurated, with a new Queretaro conven-

At least 50 large projects are now underway for the construction, renovation and extension of conference facilities and accommodation in Switzerland. Between 2008 and 2014, more than 30 projects for the refurbishment or extension of existing conference facilities and business hotels will be completed in Switzerland. During the same period, 21 new hotels, meeting facilities and exhibition spaces are due to open for business. www.myswitzerland.com

tion centre opening in November 2010 and another facility planned for Puebla in 2011.

In addition to Mexico’s main beach resorts and greater Mexico City metropolitan area, there are several emerging destinations such as Zacatecas, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Tampico and Puebla, which have invested in new facilities with state-of-the-art technology and modern architectural solutions. www.visitmexico.com

ARNALDO NARDONE ELECTED AS NEW ICCA PRESIDENT During the ICCA General Assembly, that took place in conjunction Arnaldo Nardone with the 49th ICCA Congress in Hyderabad, India, Arnaldo Nardone was elected as the new ICCA President for a 2 year term. For the first time in 8 years, two candidates ran for the ICCA Presidency.

The presidential elections were the highlight of ICCA General Assembly, after an impressive election campaign by presidential candidates Arnaldo Nardone (Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza Hotel) and Jurriaen Sleijster of MCI (Incon Group). www.iccaworld.com Anna Hedrzak

IN MEXICO, THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY IS A GROWING INDUSTRY

MCI APPOINTS EXTERNAL RELATIONS MANAGER FOR THE ASSOCIATION MARKET MCI Brussels Office has appointed Anna Hedrzak, as External Relations Manager, in charge of developing Association Management and Consulting (AM&C) services. Anna has over 12 years of professional experience in the areas of sales, marketing and management. Prior to joining MCI, she worked as a Head of Membership, Sales and Marketing Unit at the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), one of the largest European trade associations. www.mci-group.com

HQ

> HEADQUARTERS NEWS

FRANCESCA MANZANI ELECTED FIRST ITALIAN REPRESENTATIVE AT ICCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Francesca Manzani, Marketing & Sales Manager of Newtours, has been elected in the ICCA Board of Directors, the International Congress Francesca Manzani & Convention Association which counts more than 950 members all over the world. Italy, one of the founding fathers of ICCA, had never had a representative in the Board before. Francesca has a wide experience in different business sectors, has been actively working in the meetings industry since 1995 and has been involved in ICCA since 2004. www.newtours.it

UIA’S CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS Last November, the Union of International Associations celebrated its Centenary at full blast in Brussels. Business sessions included an association panel with Gerlinde M. Jahn, of the International Union of Immunological Societies and Panos Tzivanidis, of SWIFT, who explained the challenges their associations have faced in the past years and how they organize events. Sustainability was extensively discussed during a roundtable facilitated by Marc Bontemps (Ecolife), Anna Hedrzak (MCI) and Thomas Reiser (Interel).

With more than 100 participants altogether, networking sessions proved to be quite successful at the Gala Dinner and during the wonderful closing cocktail in Brussels Town Hall. www.uia.org

HOLLAND LAUNCHES GREEN MEETINGS CAMPAIGN During EIBTM 2010, the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) launched their newest sustainable network. This new digital platform at www.holland.com is intended to inform, assist and inspire international meeting planners about the possibilities Holland has to offer as a destination for green meetings.

To celebrate this festive occasion, the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions invited the press to come to the south entrance of the Fira on Wednesday the 1st of December at 9:30 AM to see a typically Dutch arrival. They practiced what they preach: all 60 Dutchies present at the Holland Meeting Point arrived at the Fira on their orange bikes.

GREEN MEETING INDUSTRY COUNCIL: THE DUTCH CHAPTER After arriving at the Fira, Eric Bakermans (Marketing Manager for Meetings & Conventions at the NBTC) and Babs Nijdam (President of GMIC-NL) held a press presentation, which gave an inside scoop

on this campaign and the launch of GMIC-NL, one of Europe’s first chapters of the Green Meetings Industry Council.

But the ‘Our sustainable network’ campaign was not the sole subject covered during this event. The Netherlands also informed the international meeting planners about everything they need to know for their next sustainable meeting in Holland at the Holland Meeting Point (J310).

The campaign is web based and can be viewed at www.holland.com/greenmeetings

2011 MEETINGS INDUSTRY FAIRS WORLDWIDE: MAKE YOUR CHOICE! AIME // 15 & 16 February 2011, Melbourne // www.aime.com.au GIBTM // 28-30 March 2011, Abu Dhabi // www.gibtm.com IMEX // 24-26 May 2011, Frankfurt // www.imex-frankfurt.com AIBTM // 21-23 June 2011, Baltimore // www.aibtm.com IT&CMA // 4-6 October 2011, Bangkok // www.itcma.com.sg IMEX America // 11-13 October 2011, Las Vegas // www.imexamerica.com ITB Asia // 19-21 October 2011, Singapore // sme-itb-asia.com EIBTM // 29 November-1 December // www.eibtm.com

BERLIN WELCOMES BUILDING OF NEW CONVENTION HALL ‘The decision provides the planning certainty we need for the Berlin convention business’, says Burkhard Kieker, CEO of visitBerlin.

‘After the reconstruction of the congress and exhibition hall to be followed by the refurbishment of the ICC, the German capital will almost double its capacities. In this way we will be able to continue to play in the top five league of international convention cities.’

The Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin, in charge of the acquisition of meetings and conventions, is now again able to offer customers throughout the world planning certainty. www.gcb.de

HANEDA AIRPORT IN JAPAN OPENS UP TO LONG HAUL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS The Japanese capital opened a new international gateway, Tokyo International Airport, conveniently located in the city limits. Known as Haneda Airport, it became a domesticoriented service airport after Narita Airport’s opening in 1978. This new opening is the expansion of Haneda’s capacity and function to long-haul international flights during low-traffic hours in early morning and late night. The airport is located within Tokyo, and it only takes 19 minutes by train to get on the Yamanote Line, Tokyo’s main loop. seejapan.co.uk

» VISIT WWW.HEADQUARTERSMAGAZINE.COM FOR MORE NEWS

HEADQUARTERS 9

HQ

> AIPC MEMBERS SPEAK

MEETINGS TECHNOLOGY An Opportunity and a Challenge

FOR AS LONG AS MODERN MEETINGS HAVE EXISTED, THERE HAS BEEN A DEBATE AROUND WHETHER OR NOT FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS WOULD BE ELIMINATED BY EVOLVING COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY. ON THE ONE HAND, CRITICS POINTED TO THE COST SAVINGS AND TRAVEL INCONVENIENCE THAT COULD BE ACHIEVED BY HAVING PARTICIPANTS ON EITHER END OF A PHONE OR A VIDEO LINK; ON THE OTHER WERE THOSE WHO SAID SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT COULD NEVER REPLICATE THE BENEFITS OF ACTUAL PERSONAL INTERACTION. TEXT EDGAR HIRT, PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONGRESS CENTRES (AIPC) AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CCH, CONGRESS CENTER HAMBURG

The debate raged on year after year, punctuated by rising levels of panic every time an economic recession or travel challenges captured everyone’s attention. In the end, it seemed, the personal element won out and the conclusion was that for the vast majority of people, nothing could replicate the benefits of ‘face-to-face’ interactions.

But throughout this period, two things were quietly happening - and together, they may be shifting the odds in a new direction.

First, the technology was getting better. Tiny, fuzzy images with startling lag times gave way to crisper, larger ones with real time interaction, leading to a much greater sense or reality. Costs became more manageable with web-based options replacing the more costly dedicated links and specialized equipment that characterized earlier versions. And the fact is, this trend will only continue. Most observers feel that communications technology is poised on the brink of quantum leaps forward.

Secondly, concerns around sustainability intensified - and in particular, the carbon impacts of the long distance travel required of delegates to actually attend their meetings. This issue has gone to the point of creating calls by many governments, NGO’s and international organizations for new limits on business travel. And while industry suppliers have made huge efforts to reduce the impacts of the meetings themselves, there’s not much they or anyone else can do on the travel side.

In practice, it is the combination of several factors that poses the greatest risk. The syn-

HEADQUARTERS 10

What to do? I think we have to look at three areas.

First, we need to actually document the benefits we have been claiming for faceto-face meetings rather than relying on old adages which are getting tired in the face of new technical advances. It won’t be easy, but anything that is real - as we claim the benefits of personal interactions to be - lends itself to some form of measurement and it’s just a matter of figuring out how this can best be done.

Edgar Hirt

We need to make sure that we are doing our best to incorporate the new technologies into existing meeting formats to make them even more effective than they would otherwise be ergy amongst corporations and governments eager to achieve cost savings and the ability of the same groups to reference environmental responsibility as the reasoning behind their decisions is irresistible. At the same time, there are many well-placed influencers in the technology areas that would benefit from a move toward remote meetings who will inevitably be only too happy to encourage a move in this direction.

Secondly, we need to organize our counter arguments about why collective meetings are more efficient - things like the alternative they offer to many more individual meetings, for example, or how the advances they precipitate in the end have much greater overall value than any sustainability costs they may incur. Again, we have taken all this for granted for so long that little work has been done to actually identify the positive points, and this isn’t enough at a time when we will need much more persuasive arguments.

Finally, we need to make sure that we are doing our best to incorporate the new technologies into existing meeting formats to make them even more effective than they would otherwise be. The new technologies aren’t going away - the challenge is to make them work for us instead of seeing them as a threat.

AIPC CONTACT DETAILS marianne.de.raay@aipc.org or www.aipc.org

HQ > EMIF

will also hold its Annual Congress right during the fair. Its main theme - ‘Maximizing your association performance: The tools to shaping your organisation’s future’ - is sure to attract top association planners and will serve as the base for EMIF’s 2011 association programme.

EMIF, THE MEETING POINT DURING THE BRUSSELS MEETINGS WEEK.

EMIF is more than just an exhibition; it’s a meeting point and networking platform for the whole industry across Belgium and Europe.

The EMIF programme includes a range of VIP events as well as well-established seminars for international associations.

EMIF is the European fair in Europe’s capital, aimed at corporate buyers and national & international association executives. And where better to meet than in Brussels which recently topped the Union of International Associations’ league of congress cities in Europe, coming second in the world after Singapore?

EMIF’s latest initiative to bring together the Presidents of different industry associations in order to find possible synergies also reflects this ‘meeting point’ spirit and the potential for closer future co-operation in this fragmented industry. For the very first time, ESAE, the European Society of Association Executives,

THE 10TH EDITION OF EMIF, THE EUROPEAN MEETINGS INDUSTRY FAIR, WILL TAKE PLACE IN BRUSSELS, ON 15-16 MARCH AT THE TOUR & TAXIS EXHIBITION CENTRE,

Last but not least, the 2011 budget has been increased to welcome high-quality hosted buyers, thanks to several fruitful collaborations with domestic & international organisations.

New software is to be implemented to allow buyers to book set appointments with EMIF exhibitors.

Now is the ideal time to participate in a fair that may be the only truly European one around. Just take our word for it.

Want more information? emif@artexis.com Register online! www.emif.com

INSPIRATIONAL IDEAS FOR YOUR MEETINGS & EVENTS European Meetings Industry Fair

At the very heart of Europe, EMIF is an ideal source of inspiration and information for Corporate

Buyers & Association Executives responsible for Official Partner

congresses, conferences, incentives, exhibitions & events ...

www.emif.com

15 & 16 MARCH 2011 TOUR & TAXIS BRUSSELS

HQ

> ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT

SPIE A talk with Karin Burger

SPIE Europe 2010, Plenary Session at SQUARE, Brussels

Could you briefly present SPIE? SPIE is an international society advancing an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light. It annually organizes and sponsors approximately 25 major technical forums, exhibitions, and education programmes in North America, Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific.

SPIE IS THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR OPTICS AND PHOTONICS FOUNDED IN 1955 TO ADVANCE LIGHT-BASED TECHNOLOGIES. SERVING MORE THAN 180,000 CONSTITUENTS FROM 168 COUNTRIES, THE SOCIETY ADVANCES EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY INFORMATION EXCHANGE, CONTINUING EDUCATION, PUBLICATIONS, PATENT Karin Burger

PRECEDENT, AND CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH.

KARIN BURGER, SPIE EUROPE MANAGER, EXPLAINS WHAT CHALLENGES THE ASSOCIATION HAD TO OVERCOME OVER THE YEARS AND WHERE IT STANDS REGARDING EVENTS. INTERVIEW RÉMI DÉVÉ

HEADQUARTERS 12

In 2009, the Society provided more than $2 million in support of scholarships, grants, and other education programmes around the world.

SPIE also publishes the SPIE Digital Library, containing more than 296,000 research papers from the Proceedings of SPIE and the Society’s 9 scholarly journals with around 18,000 new papers added each year, and more than 120 eBooks from the SPIE Press catalog. The SPIE Press publishes print monographs, tutorial texts, Field Guides, and reference books. SPIE also publishes a wide variety of open access content.

> ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT

SPIE Europe 2010 at SQUARE Brussels Meeting Centre - Student Lunch

A SELECTION OF SPIE’S UPCOMING EVENTS

An ongoing challenge are the rising event costs as opposed to the inability to raise attendee prices to the same scale as cost for services and venues have risen Membership includes Fellows and Senior Member programmes. The Society has named more than 840 SPIE members as Fellows since 1955, and implemented its Senior Member programme in 2008. SPIE’s awards programme serves to recognize outstanding contributions from individuals throughout the scientific community regardless of membership status.

SPIE has had a European office since 1985, in various guises. Today’s SPIE Europe office was founded in August 2001 and is based in Cardiff, Wales, UK.

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

As a scientific society, printing the publications from our events was always part of the business model. One of the biggest challenges that we have tackled and are continuously tackling is the conversion from print volumes to digital/online display. We have successfully introduced our online library, the SPIE Digital Library which now houses all publications since 1990. We are also constantly working on keeping our events and the promotion thereof up to date using the latest technological advances and online media.

Also an ongoing challenge are the rising event costs as opposed to the inability to raise attendee prices to the same scale as cost for services and venues have risen.

Another challenge - which in a way is of course a nice problem to have - is that events grow and sometimes outgrow venues where

established work patterns have been running for many years. Moving events to new venues and trying to work out price structures commensurate with the budget of the event is always a major job.

What kind of events do you organize?

We organize scientific events, specializing on optics and photonics research. Photonics is the science of light, and the results and tools obtained from the research and later application reach the broadest audience possible - the entire world population. Be it in the CD player which operates a laser to play music which is stored in optical storage, or in the endoscope which carries a camera invented by the field, be it solar cells which have been produced using optical ‘ingredients’, or body scanning techniques improving the safety checks at an airport, all of these techniques and products would not be available without the photonics - the science that teaches you what light can achieve.

The events can consist of conferences only, or a combination of conference with exhibition, or (mostly in the US), conference, exhibition, and short courses. We run a two-legged model - volunteers construct the conference, i.e. the technical content, and SPIE staff runs the logistics such as where to place meetings, collect abstracts and prepare the programme in cooperation with the chairs, collect manuscripts for publication and run the meeting onsite. SPIE headquarters has a staff of 140, the European office has a staff of 5, and HQ provides backup in issues such as design, marketing, and promo-

+ 22-27 January 2011: SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, USA + 12-17 February 2011: SPIE Medical Imaging Lake Buena Vista (Orlando), USA + 28-31 March 2011: SPIE Eco-Photonics, Strasbourg, France + 18-20 April 2011: SPIE Microtechnologies, Prague, Czech Republic + 22-26 May 2011: European Conferences on Biomedical Optics, Munich, Germany + 24-26 May 2011: ISPDI 2011, Beijing, China

tion, as well as, at the end, publication of the proceedings/digital library.

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

We have a set field, i.e. photonics, in which we organize events. In each field there will be hot topics, and they dictate the topics of our conferences. Once the topics have been determined with specialists in the field who take on the symposium chairmanship, SPIE takes the final decision on the location. For SPIE Photonics Europe, we chose Brussels, as the meeting that was to be placed there has strong links with research promoted by the European Union, and SQUARE was the only venue that fulfilled our room requirements in Brussels.

There are several criteria, and events should fulfill at least two, better more. The ideal situation has us placing a meeting in an area that is technically relevant, such as our Astronomy event which tends to be held in areas that have aerospace-related research laboratories and companies locally.

Another criteria is obviously the space that is required. We tend to use a number of conference rooms in the 50-120 theatre range, and those can be hard to come by especially in Europe; those venues that do offer these medium-sized rooms often have them distributed throughout the building so that networking is made more difficult for the attendees. There is no point in going to a larger format as the room will look empty, thus suggesting that presentations may not be relevant.

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Some events have an accompanying exhibition of up to 100 companies. Ideally, that should be placed in the middle of the conference room area to give exhibitors maximum exposure to attendees. Maybe the biggest criterion the venue selection is influenced by is cost. In this day and age, venues must absolutely be prepared to negotiate - we’re a nonprofit association and the budget is certainly not endless!

Also, with the recession hitting over the last two years, we have come away from venues that could be considered holiday locations as we find that attendees don’t get funding from their universities/companies. The venues itself vary from universities (sometimes) to conference centres (mostly) and hotels (rarely).

Do you work with a PCO or a DMC? Why? No, we don’t tend to work with a PCO or a DMC, other than for the hotel reservation process, as we have inhouse departments to deal with the meeting logistics and promotion. In the European office, there is only one exception when that could be the case, and that is when we know we will only go to a country very rarely and that country offers an option to run a congress through a local agency who will then deal with the VAT return to the authorities.

We will use an agency that can run the hotel reservation process for our attendees, as we do not get involved in that, other than asking for the blocks to be on hold up to a specified date.

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

I have just attended an event on renewable energy scenarios, and when you talk to that group, it becomes very clear that a lot more needs to be done to make events carbon zero. I think associations should probably put some more pressure on venues to provide better recycling facilities, video conferencing at reasonable rates and other options that will enable events to have less impact on the environment. Some venues are already working on that, but it needs to become much more broadly applied. I can’t see that in the future there will be only events on the

SPIE Europe 2010 at SQUARE Brussels Meeting Centre - Exhibition

SPIE Europe 2010, at the Comic Strip Museum, Brussels

Overall, the internet offers threats and opportunities and rather than condemming it, associations should be aware to use its full potential in social media to promote their meetings internet, the human contact factor and the networking from that is too important.

Overall, the internet offers threats and opportunities and rather than condemming it, associations should be aware to use its full potential in social media to promote their meetings as well as e.g. allowing attendees to find their own hotel rooms - most of the offers out there will be better than what is on offer through the official process.

Specifically for Europe, the VAT question is becoming intolerable. There are varying regulations on VAT across Europe, each country pretty much deals with that as they like, and we have experienced that one country quite happily retains the VAT they owe us for 5 or more years, unless we provide a bank guarantee for the same period. Further that same country holds in escrow a deposit of several thousands of dollars that we had to put down before we went there in order to be able to run the meeting. I won’t say which country it is, but I think I can safely say that we won’t go back there. The amount of labour that goes into corresponding with the authorities there is costly, and every time you ask a question you get a different answer, which causes you to double check and instigate more labour.

The situation overall is outrageous.

In the current economic downturn and uncertain funding for congress attendees, we find

that attendees are waiting later and later to commit to attending and to making their hotel reservations. In the US this can be quite disturbing where we have to guarantee hotel rooms for attendees in the city and we have cut-off dates for negotiated hotel rates that will revert to rack rates at that time. When attendees don’t book until last minute there is the constant worry of not making your hotel block guarantee.

Another trend is attendees’ increasing use of internet booking (web specials) for hotel rooms instead of booking in association blocked hotel rooms. The association has to guarantee the hotel rooms they block and if attendees don’t choose to book there, then the association is on the line for those liabilities.

We think more and more that attendees are seeking customization of everything.

When it comes to congresses they want more freedom to choose the ‘package’ of services they want. More and more attendees want and need demonstrated value for the time out of the office and money spent. We certainly work to deliver that value but the value proposition is getting harder to identify for each individual attendee and deliver it in a cost-effective way.

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> COLLOQUIUM

USING TECHNOLOGY TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP PARTICIPATION COLLOQUIUM, THE MAJOR PLAYER IN

sharing and collaboration. The solution was to develop a tool allowing this medical community to share clinical cases with colleagues within a secure application which limited access to certified members; an open-minded approach that brought great interest from the membership and made the online community more attractive.

THE ORGANISATION OF CONGRESSES, CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA IN FRANCE AND ABROAD, DESCRIBES HOW NEW TECHNOLOGY PERMITS TO GATHER COMMUNITIES IN A MORE IMPACTFUL WAY.

Increased influence is one of the most important challenges faced by associations which, after all, are large, qualified communities.

For them to be as performing as they possibly can, they have to fulfill two criteria. First, they have to shift to digital and long-term solutions for dissemination of knowledge and access to relevant information anytime, anywhere. Second, they have to offer attractive services to members and nourish the community to help it grow. Both concepts rely heavily on tools and the role of the internet is no longer a question: the challenge is how to manage it.

BUILDING TRUST IN AN ONLINE COMMUNITY The traditional methods of networking and connecting with colleagues are being complimented by efficient virtual methods. Online communities offer up-to-date information, connecting with diverse groups of people despite geographical distances, and the opportunity for members to contribute to the learning of the whole.

While it is relatively easy to control a physical environment, fears often arise when sharing of digital information: who will see that information? Can someone use the information without prior consent? The need to build a circle of trust and focus on quality management of online communities is prevalent.

Tools have to be well designed and controls

Nicola Rossetti, Colloquium Business Services Director

As is the case for a congress, the value for an association is the content. The added value is what you do with it must be put in place to protect information and individuals.

‘As is the case for a congress, the value for an association is the content. The added value is what you do with it. Tomorrow, a congress of 3,000 participants will turn into 3,000 different congresses’, says Nicola Rossetti, Business Services Director. ‘With complex multi-dataflow-entries, web-services and other technical innovations coming up every day, it is sometimes difficult to filter through all the information and build a simple, efficient system with a relevant application. The KISS* approach has never been so indispensable.’

The event industry is facing a shift from traditional physical meetings to increased technology and dissemination of information.

These trends won’t stop here, the innovation cycle is faster than ever and our challenge is to stay up to date with new technologies and how they can be of benefit to our clients. *KISS stands for “Keep It Simple and Straightforward’

PROVIDE RELEVANT CONTENT AND QUALITY SERVICES In a discussion with one of Colloquium’s clients it became clear that the online strategy of the association needed to be revamped. The chairman wanted to further develop the online tools and create a stronger virtual community. The members were not active with the current tools, mostly due to a lack of attractiveness and usability of the members’ portal. But the association showed great interest in terms of knowledge

CONTACTS Sophie Roux, Communication Manager communication@clq-group.com Philippe Brégaint, Sales Director: p.bregaint@clq-group.com More info on Colloquium www.colloquium-group.com

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MEMBERSHIP, THE ETERNAL PROBLEM OF ASSOCIATIONS ASSOCIATIONS CAN ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY TRULY REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITY. I REPRESENT A GLOBAL TRADE ASSOCIATION, AND I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO INHERIT A STRONG MEMBERSHIP WHEN I ARRIVED. HOWEVER, CONSOLIDATION AND RESTRUCTURING TOOK THEIR TOLL. THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN TO ENSURE THAT THE NEW PLAYERS IN THE MARKET WOULD SUPPORT THE ASSOCIATION. TEXT LUC MAENE, PRESIDENT OF ESAE AND DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL FERTILIZER ASSOCIATION (IFA)

that see these opportunities will be rewarded.

Membership will always be a critical factor in associations. Nevertheless, I am convinced that adding value to the community a association represents is the key to success.

www.esae.org One reason I got involved in the association world was the conviction that the time when trade associations were considered to be clubs had passed. Instead, provision of goods and services for the benefit of the members had become all-important. Indeed, why would a company join a trade association if there were no added value?

portals on our website. It all comes down to value for money. But even beyond the trade sector, an association will only be successful if it provides quality service to its members.

We are currently experiencing an information and communications explosion that is challenging the raison d’être

Consolidation in the industry has made it necessary to be innovative and recruit in areas where membership is limited. If today we are well represented in countries such as Russia and China, it is because we have customized our services Consolidation in the industry has made it necessary to be innovative and recruit in areas where membership is limited. If today we are well represented in countries such as Russia and China, it is because we have customized our services, including the language

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of associations.

However, with every challenge come opportunities. Those associations

Luc Maene

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FROM THE GROUND UP OVER THE YEARS, JUST ABOUT EVERY MEMBERSHIP MARKETING PROGRAM HAS BEEN INFLUENCED

BY TRADITION, INTERNAL POLITICS, OR DATABASE LIMITATIONS. SO IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN I MET THE OTHER DAY WITH A TALENTED MARKETER WHO JOINED A GROUP THAT PRESENTED HIM WITH A CLEAN SLATE FOR MEMBERSHIP MARKETING. SINCE ALMOST NOTHING WAS IN PLACE, HE HAD TO BUILD THE MEMBERSHIP MARKETING PROGRAM FROM THE GROUND UP. IT GOT ME TO THINKING, WHAT IF I WAS IN THE SAME PLACE? WHAT IF MY ONLY MANDATE WAS TO GROW MEMBERSHIP BASED ON SOUND MARKETING PRINCIPLES? WHAT WOULD MY MEMBERSHIP MARKETING PROGRAM LOOK LIKE? TEXT TONY ROSSELL

Here is my take on the programs that I would put in place to get membership moving.

1.

Luc ene

BUILD AWARENESS - My first action would be to harness the web. Awareness is the first step to any purchase.

And the leading source for information for most people has become the Web. So membership development begins with using search engine optimization, search engine advertising, ad networks, and social media to help people who are seeking solutions provided by an association to find me. Tracking traffic sources and the effectiveness of keywords will help me identify the people and the value that my prospects are looking to find.

Anyone coming to my web site would be encouraged to register for a free association newsletter. This allows me to add the prospect to my database.

2.

RECRUIT NEW MEMBERS The fastest growing membership associations still rely on test-driven membership acquisition campaigns as the workhorse for gaining new members. Ineffective membership recruitment is the single biggest marketing reason for declining or stagnant memberships. So my second step would be to establish regular mail and email promotions to both house and outside lists, And because these promotions will typically be the largest outreaches that the association will do, they statistically lend themselves to head-to-head market tests. Testing will tell me the best lists, offers, messages, and packages to use going forward.

3.

ENGAGE NEW MEMBERS - Once a new member joins my association, he or she becomes the most likely member not to renew. Almost all associations

show first year members as the lowest renewing cohort. The first year is therefore referred to as the conversion year for new members.

The fastest growing membership associations still rely on test-driven membership acquisition campaigns as the workhorse for gaining new members So once I get a flow on new members coming to the association, I would establish a conversion program. This type of effort is a multiple step orientation that helps the member to become engaged in the association. A sound

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conversion program certainly orients the member to the products, services, and opportunities provided by an association.

It also should generate a second interaction with the member. This might be as simple as having the members complete a survey, but it optimally leads to a second purchase by the member of a product or attendance at a meeting. For example, sending new members some kind of voucher for their first purchase can help them engage the organization as both a member and a customer.

A member who makes a second purchase from an association before it is time for the first renewal is much more likely to renew than the non-buying member.

4.

UPGRADE MEMBERS - Ideally, association membership should not be a static product. Just as car companies have introductory models, family models, and luxury models to fit the changing needs and desires of buyers, an association is wise to offer members different service packages. So I would put in place an upgrade (or up-sell) program to move members from one membership tier or product package to the next higher one.

It might be as simple as moving student members to a professional membership, adding additional periodicals to the membership package, or including newly published books as a part of the membership.

5.

RENEW MEMBERS - The days of the three-part mailed renewal series has come to an end.

Instead, effective renewal systems are now built on multi-media contacts using a combination of mail, email, phone, and fax integrated with a Web renewal tool.

One of the reasons that I would put an integrated program in place is because survey research reveals the startling reality of why most members fail to renew - they simply forgot! It’s not because members have become more forgetful. It is because the competition for their attention has increased. The use of multiple media

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and higher frequency of contact helps to break through the clutter that prevents the renewal message from getting through.

6.

REINSTATE MEMBERS - The most likely member to come back to an association is the one who most recently left. So a reinstatement or ‘win back’ program is also a key practice that I would put in place. Win back lends itself to an integrated media approach.

Since there is an established business relationship with the former member that hopefully includes an email opt in, mail, phone, and email are all acceptable channels to use in communicating with a former member. The messages to lapsed members will highlight the outstanding content that the member has missed in the last few issues of the magazine and upcoming networking opportunities that he or she might want to take advantage of with a renewed membership.

GROWING REVENUE THROUGH MEMBERSHIP PACKAGING LET’S LOOK AT AN INNOVATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL TECHNIQUE THAT ASSOCIATIONS CAN EMPLOY IN ORDER TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE FROM MEMBERS. THE TECHNIQUE IS RIGHT OUT OF THE MARKETING 101 TEXTBOOK; IT IS CALLED PRODUCT LINE EXTENSION.

The win back program provides an important secondary benefit. A portion of members will leave an association each year, but a well run win back program serves as a report card on the effectiveness of the renewal system. A successful program highlights a leaky renewal system.

An unsuccessful win back program announces that your renewal program has captured all the members who still had a desire to stay with the association.

As you can see, my focus for all the steps that I would put in place is primarily results driven. My goal in building a membership program from the ground up would be to initiate a relationship and work to retain it. Clearly there are product, services and value issues with every association that need to be addressed.

These are important, but beyond the scope of what I am trying to address here.

However, I find that in many cases associations provide great value. They enjoy a loyal and continuing membership.

Marketing is the missing ingredient to membership success.

TEXT TONY ROSSELL

Product line extension is defined by The Marketing Dictionary as ‘adding depth to an existing product line by introducing new products in the same product category; product line extensions give customers greater choice and help to protect the firm from a flanking attack by a competitor’.

Associations are using this concept and delivering added value, growing revenue, and improving member retention by extending their membership product through a tiered membership structure.

The ideal tiered membership allows members to choose the value proposition that best satisfies their particular needs, professional designation, or budget. For example, an association might add a membership category that includes books as part of the membership. As soon as the association publishes a new book it is sent out to these higher dues paying ‘book members’.

P

When groups add this product to membership, they tend to find that the books supplied to members become the best selling books for the association because the member books have seeded the influencers in the field who recommend the book to others. Another example of a bundled membership would be to automatically include optional items like periodicals, newsletters, or professional development into a premier membership category.

Tiered membership, however, is NOT à la carte membership. I believe that this is not a good direction for associations.

A completely customized membership would increase servicing costs and perhaps lower overall product sales.

There are always members who want to buy the Cadillac of your association’s membership offerings. This approach of bundled membership packages that allow the member to select the membership tier that best satisfies his or her needs has been executed effectively by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

+ Basic Membership - $49: online services plus subscriptions to the monthly periodical and newsletter + Comprehensive Membership - $89: basic benefits plus 5 association books shipped as they are published + Premium Membership - $219: all of the above plus an additional newsletter, four additional books and a $100 professional development voucher + Institutional Membership - $899: a package that includes one Premium membership and 10 Basic memberships Another association that has looked at adopting this model is the Water Environment Federation (WEF). Jack Benson, Deputy Executive Director of WEF, says: ‘As I look at different ways of extending our membership product line, I am coming to the conclusion that in a changing and evolving marketplace, giving members a choice of what will best serve their needs makes sense. Providing members with a variety of options and packages for them to choose between allows our members to have a level of customization to meet their specific career and information needs.’

In addition to generating a higher level of revenue for an association, a tiered structure pays some additional dividends; tiered membership increases the perceived value of membership and typically improves member retention because members get the specific products that they desire.

And the costs of offering a tiered membership are often low. The benefits that make up the bundles can be drawn from existing programs and services, so the cost to service the higher tiers is limited to the incremental cost of shipping the items.

Furthermore, the association saves marketing dollars because the products do not need to be separately sold to members.

Tony Rossell serves as the senior vice president of Marketing General, Inc., in Alexandria, Virginia.

A frequent writer and speaker on marketing topics, he is a contributing author to two books, Membership Marketing (ASAE 2000) and Membership Essentials (ASAE 2008).

As presented on their website, their membership structure offers: + Express Membership - $29: online only services

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HOW TO LAUNCH A MEMBERSHIP SITE YOUR MEMBERSHIP SITE IS CHUGGING ALONG WITH THE FIRST GROUP OF MEMBERS, SO YOUR ATTENTION MOVES FROM A FOCUS ON MARKETING DURING THE LAUNCH PHASES TO SERVING THE EXISTING MEMBERS. WHILE YOU WON’T CEASE MARKETING ALTOGETHER, IT’S NOT LIKELY THAT YOU WILL EVER PUSH AND WORK AS HARD AS YOU DID DURING THE PRELAUNCH AND LAUNCH PHASES. TEXT YARO STARAK

YOUR ME

MBERSHIP SITE

ATTRITION There is one key metric that you have to watch carefully after launch - your attrition rate. Attrition refers to the number of people who drop out of your program, and obviously the higher your attrition, the greater the impact on your cashflow and profitability.

Online membership sites can suffer from high attrition, especially if you didn’t clearly match the offer (or what your members perceived as the offer) to what they received. Other causes for a high attrition are a poor match between price and perceived value, over delivering content causing information paralysis or not delivering enough, providing an inferior product or service to what is available elsewhere, or completely misaligning your offer with the market you targeted.

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From experience with my membership site the biggest cause of attrition has been too much content and/or too much work involved. Of the people who leave the program, the most common explanation is that they cannot keep up with the workload, usually accompanying a comment about how great the content is. Whether they are just being nice is up for debate, but clearly there is a need to find a balance where you over deliver on member expectations without providing so much that they can’t keep up.

In my case I feel that my members enjoy one or two new pieces of content per week but any more and they feel overwhelmed, so I usually provide at the very least one e-lesson, and provide a case study video or audio download as well. Obviously not every member is going to feel the same, but you

have to attempt to satisfy the majority and accept that you can’t please all of the people, all of the time.

With information overload a prevalent problem online, you need to keep things concise and to the point. Remember that less can be more if what you provide is spot on the money when it comes to meeting the needs of your members.

There is one period, right at the beginning when you first open the doors to your site, that you need to focus on over delivering

value. There has to be plenty of goodies when a person first joins, preferably even a couple of unexpected bonuses, but at the very least, you must deliver what you promised. After that you can drop the flow of new content to something that takes 1-4 hours a week to digest and another few hours to execute (at bare minimum). That’s assuming your membership site is based on education through information.

To combat the trial period attitude, provide so much value every month that they decide to stay, or strategically incentivise certain periods of the membership cycle. Key periods are just before the first renewal point and the third renewal. Providing a special bonus for people who stay in the program past certain points and explaining that you only get the bonus if you stay, is one way to reduce the impact of the ‘trial period’ mentality.

REDUCING ATTRITION

CONTENT IS NOT THE PROBLEM

You will get a feel for what might be the cause of attrition with your membership. Based on your assumptions and feedback from people, you can decide the best way to combat it and test different responses until you settle on an acceptable attrition rate (what is acceptable is up to you, but obviously your profit margin plays a big part in that decision).

Don’t assume your high attrition rate is because of content or product. In some cases it’s not what you provide that is the problem, it’s what members expect and what you stated as your offer that is the real cause of attrition.

A common cause for attrition is a need to filter members. Sometimes due to the nature of the product or service you offer and the way you market it, you attract a large quantity of people who are not quite the right target market, so you can never truly satisfy them no matter what you change. However, if you also hit a lot of members who absolutely love what you provide, it becomes a matter of slowly filtering until you isolate only the perfect members for what you offer and accept that a large chunk of people will quit your program.

Once you know who your perfect members are you can focus future marketing efforts there, potentially being ever more financially sustainable despite having fewer members.

You work with a smaller group who benefits greatly from membership with you. This is the ideal situation to work towards, but it can take some testing and feedback to find the right fit between what you offer and how you position yourself, to attract the perfect members.

THE TRIAL PERIOD MENTALITY A common problem - one I personally experience with my membership site - is the ‘trial period’. Many members join your program with the attitude of ‘I’ll try this for X amount of time, and then leave’.

If the issue you address is even slightly misaligned with the real problem your members

your return and satisfies your membership.

The process of doing this however is not something that can happen quickly and isn’t always obvious. You might need to call in third party expertize to help determine why your membership site is not working how you want it to.

IN THE END THE MARKET WILL DECIDE The market itself plays a part too. Some markets just can’t support a large membership site or are not right for the membership site model. Don’t feel bad if your membership site doesn’t take off, instead, get busy testing alternative models to deliver what you offer.

Perhaps a home-study program at a one time fee will work better, or you could break up the content into multiple products and

Online membership sites can suffer from high attrition, especially if you didn’t clearly match the offer (or what your members perceived as the offer) to what they received come to you to investigate, you will experience attrition. Sometimes you can reduce attrition simply by changing how you explain what you offer and not change a single thing about the content or product that is delivered. Aligning the conversation going on in the head of your member with what your membership site offers is critical.

sell them individually. You don’t know what will work best until you test, but at least by launching a membership site you begin the process of assessing what the market wants and how best to satisfy that desire, plus you produce content. Once you have content or a product you can promote, the rest all comes down to marketing.

Simply increasing the price you charge could be the answer, or perhaps decreasing it will work. Perhaps taking some content out or adding new resources that combat certain sticking points will do the trick. Maybe you need to change how you deliver the content, from digital to hard copy, or perhaps offer both options at different pricing points. Or maybe you need to target a completely different target market.

One of the best ways to beat attrition is to set up marketing mechanisms that bring in new members faster than you lose them.

Obviously you want to work on both aspects, find out why people leave and bring on new members - you want to fix a leaking ship before you fill it up with more people - but at least from a mental perspective you feel okay when you see as many new people joining your program as you do leaving.

The answer is simple. You need to test and change your offer - and all aspects of your offer - until you find out what maximizes

HERE ARE A FEW IDEAS FOR YOU In my experience joint ventures are the best performing marketing method. If you can

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find new partners or do new promotions with existing partners, I believe this is the quickest way to grow a membership base.

FINDING OUT ABOUT YOUR MEMBERS R YOUIP SH BER SITE MEM

Pay per click advertising is something that is always available and is by far the easiest way to generate traffic quickly. Whether that traffic converts into members is a matter of optimizing your PPC ads, but this is definitely one method that every membership site owner should consider. Consider also targeting a completely different market. Remember what you provide can be presented to a different group of people by adjusting how you present your offer, without changing the product at all.

One of the best ways to beat attrition is to set up marketing mechanisms that bring in new members faster than you lose them

If you have not already, you could take your marketing offline - try magazines, trade publications, newspapers, radio, television or any form of publicity you can generate offline.

How about an article on marketing strategy or banner advertising campaign, purchasing paid reviews from blogs, or search engine optimization, traffic exchanges, building content sites/blogs, promoting to ezine newsletters or you could purchase co-registration leads.

As I said, the options are endless, but of course like everyone, you have a limited pool of resources and your capabilities will dictate the marketing techniques that are right for your situation. If your budget is limited, joint ventures, publicity, SEO and content production are methods that can be implemented with little or no financial cost - it just takes time and effort.

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THE KEY TO SUCCESS

It is simple and cost effective to conduct your own market research almost without your members realising it. A member survey once a year should be at the top of your agenda in getting to know your member base. It’s relatively easy to administer and should be able to communicate with them on a regular basis.

The key to any survey is to understand what it is you are trying to find out. It may be about a specific area where you or they are having problems, it may be a general survey about their membership, a new member survey after 3 months or perhaps an exit survey. Surveys only work if they are conducted regularly and the members receive feedback - on both the results and the next steps i.e. what you plan to do. You may also want to consider incentivising your surveys which always improves response rates.

As well as a more formal survey, there should be plenty of opportunity to talk to members and get a general idea of how they regard the association. Your staff and board members can be very useful here. Beware of people feeding back what they want you to hear. This is often not deliberate but if it is a subject they themselves feel strongly about they may not really be an independent observer.

Once you have gathered and analysed the information you have about your members then you can begin sorting them into distinct groups. These may be governed by several factors but however you choose to categorise them you will have a clear profile of your key member segments. Profiling your members in this way means that you will now be able to talk to them much more effectively.

At some point, hopefully sooner rather than later, you will be content with your attrition and your ongoing marketing, and can turn your attention towards providing value for

your members. If your membership site is automated or the content already complete then you can sit back and relax or move on to your next project.

YOUR MEMBERS: KEEPING THEM, FINDING MORE IT IS EVIDENT THAT AN ASSOCIATION NEEDS TO KEEP ITS MEMBERS AND ALSO TO FIND NEW CANDIDATES: BOTH ASPECTS REQUIRE EFFORT. THINK ABOUT THE VALUE OF YOUR ASSOCIATION TO THE CURRENT MEMBERS, MAINTAIN THE ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP, SO THAT YOU CAN DELIVER ALL YOU OFFERED, AND MORE. TEXT JUDY WICKENS, VOLUNTEER AT THE UIA, RETIRED SECRETARY GENERAL OF T.I.C. (TANB.ORG)

For new activities, apply two tests: one is whether the activity fits with the basic goal of the association, the other is to consider how the members will view the new proposal.

RETENTION Retaining the members already on your list should be your first preoccupation: they joined through interest in your association’s objectives, you know who and where they are. Members have a right to expect the services offered when they joined, with stability and continuity, and natural extension of your current programme, still pursuing your stated mission.

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With time, the means of working towards those goals changes; a wide range of ideas for new products or services can be generated by brainstorming, networking, reading. The association leader must judge the usefulness and impact of each new proposal, accepting only those which fit with the objectives.

How can an association tell whether it is on the right lines, as far as its members are concerned? A classic method is to conduct a survey. Careful design is essential, not only imagining the potential replies, but also whether the association will realistically be capable of providing services if the members

favour them. A short list of alternatives is more likely to produce a response and a choice among projects, whereas leaving a blank space open to all suggestions is unwise, since members whose ideas are not implemented will be disappointed. It should be sent out at a period of the year when your staff have time and opportunity to analyse the results and to make practical and detailed preparations for projects selected.

Be sure to tell your members about the results and how you are responding: if they feel that they spent time on their response but you ignored it, they will be much less likely to reply in future.

On a day-to-day basis, information on the views of members should be collected by diligent association staff listening to them and reading their messages, not just during a survey but on every possible occasion. Collating information rather than filing notes as soon as they have been dealt with will mean that you notice trends as they emerge, when the same topic arises repeatedly, either as a

positive inquiry or request or negatively as a complaint.

It is also significant when a product is not mentioned for a while: are members no longer interested? Perhaps you are putting effort into an outdated item which should be withdrawn, but before stopping, you should warn members, so that they can indicate whether they really do not care for this particular feature or whether they are taking its supply for granted. For both traditional and new events, review thoughtfully to try to understand why one event was fully booked before the deadline, another had to be moved to larger premises, while a third made a loss because numbers were lower than you expected: take note, learn from experience.

After all efforts to satisfy your members, there will always be some who leave. If members resign, and especially if they simply fail to renew their membership, attempt to find out the reasons why. When a company has sold its interests in the relevant industry, or a professional has retired from an active career, such members cannot be retained. Wish them well for the future and part on good terms.

But members who left because they were unhappy with your association will probably tell others, which is not good for your reputation, hence it is worth your while to know why they reached their decision and counter it. If you cannot persuade these members to stay, at least you can prevent others leaving on similar grounds.

RECRUITMENT In addition to keeping current members, an association needs new ones, and should make a specific effort to welcome new people.

Finding new members depends in some respects on the nature of the membership.

The approach to individuals for a professional society is different from a trade association serving industry, for example.

For personal memberships, doctors or lawyers, say, there is a natural turnover as the older members retire, so you need to address

their younger replacements. You can encourage their older colleagues to bring them along as ‘guests’ at a special low fee, and you can extend an invitation addressed personally to each newly qualified professional, scanning published results of appropriate colleges or institutes.

For a trade association, member companies can be encouraged to bring in their clients or suppliers as new members, but cannot be expected to bring their competitors, not wishing their rivals to benefit from networking, statistics and industry news as they do.

tion on the basis that service will be provided as though the applicant were already a member until official approval can be given, effectively giving a free gift but one which will engage the applicant until the right moment comes.

Simply increasing numbers is not necessarily an advantage: a membership roll which your staff and resources can serve well is preferable to having a number too large to manage.

If it appears that all suitably qualified candidates are already your members, modifying the mission just to add numbers will not

In addition to keeping current members, an association needs new ones, and should make a specific effort to welcome new people. Finding new members depends in some respects on the nature of the membership.

The approach to individuals for a professional society is different from a trade association serving industry But you can find these potential members through trade journals or registers, and inform them of the advantages of your association.

be a success in the long run. Putting your energy into improving your offer of services or products is a better way to improving your association.

Employ opportunism, too. If guests from non-member companies attend your events, you can hand out a neatly presented package, including application form, inviting them to join, so that they can act immediately.

Equally, if you have assisted a non-member with information or guidance, take the chance to offer a membership application while the inquirer is feeling that yours is a useful organisation.

When your events are listed in the UIA Calendar, and your association is included in the UIA Yearbook, interested new members can find you.

www.uia.org

Nevertheless new members should be admitted in accordance with the association’s statutes and regulations; it is not a good idea to short circuit the proper procedure, for instance, to admit members randomly throughout the year if the rule is that new members must be elected formally by the annual assembly. Instead, accept the applica-

HEADQUARTERS 27

HQ > CANADA

Green roof of Vancouver Convention Centre

Arctic Ocean Océan Arctique

Conferences between Pacific and Atlantic

CANADA

Yukon Whitehorse

Nunavut

Northwest territories Territoires du nord-ouest

Pacific Ocean

Iqaluit

Atlantic Ocean Océan Atlantique

Yellowknife

Océan Pacifique

Terre-neuve-et-labrador Newfoundland and labrador

Alberta

WELCOME TO CANADA. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY READING THE FOLLOWING SELECTION OF ARTICLES, AND THAT THEY GIVE YOU

Hudson Bay Baie d’ Hudson

British columbia Colombie-britannique

St. John’s

Manitoba

Edmonton Vancouver Victoria

SOME INSPIRATION FOR YOUR NEXT CONFERENCE OR INCENTIVE IN CANADA.

Québec

Saskatchewan Calgary

Saskatoon

Ontario

Regina

Prince edward island Île-du-prince-édouard Charlottetown New brunswick Nouveau-brunswick Fredericton

Québec City Québec

Winnipeg

Halifax

Ottawa

Montréal

Nova scotia Nouvelle-écosse

Toronto

Canada offers a great alternative as a meeting destination. Bordering both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, we are easily accessible from both the east and west coasts with convenient direct flights from many European Cities to Canada’s gateway cities. The vast country has a cosmopolitan and diverse culture with more than 43 ethnic groups and both French and English are the two official languages. The Canadian Tourism Commission will also offer complimentary site inspection programmes and support with airfares for qualified decision makers to come and visit. Please visit our new website www.meetings.canada.travel for further information to help plan your next conference, meeting or incentive in Canada. We look forward to seeing you in Canada soon.

Best wishes!

Susan Frei, Director, International Meetings & Incentives Canadian Tourism Commission

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Land of diversity Set between the province of Alberta and the Pacific Ocean, British Columbia in Canada is a land renowned for its remarkable diversity and mild climate, giving rise to an endless array of places to see and things to do across the province. Mountains to marvel at and climb; history to discover; art to adore; endless beaches and cosmopolitan cities to explore… you name it, they have it! And as the home of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, it is also a great place to hold a meeting. From five-star resorts to rustic backcountry cabins, laid back relaxation to white knuckle adventure, the possibilities are endless.

British Columbia is Canada’s ‘outdoor playground’ - offering year-round outdoor adventure such as river rafting on the mighty Fraser, world class skiing at Whistler Resort, kayaking around the Gulf Island, whale watching in Victoria, dude ranch vacations in the Cariboo or wine tours around Kelowna in the Thompson Okanagan. Also, as a congress destination, it has a great deal to recommend it.

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or

d

> CANADA

Vancouver Stanley Park

IN VANCOUVER Vancouver is a dynamic, multicultural city set in a spectacular natural environment. It consistently rates as one of the top 10 meeting and convention destinations year after year voted most popular city in North America for international meetings by ICCA three years in a row! Selected as one of the most livable cities in the world, Vancouver was the proud host of the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games.

An icon on the downtown waterfront and definitely the city’s main asset when it comes to meetings, the Vancouver Convention Centre is renowned worldwide for service excellence, technical capabilities and distinctive West Coast Cuisine. Comprised of two uniquely designed buildings - Vancouver Convention Centre East and West - the Centre is centrally located, surrounded by ocean and mountains, and perfectly balanced by a vibrant, urban downtown inhabited by world-class restaurants, hotels and shopping. The facility covers 111,500 m2 or four city blocks, with the West building built 60% on land and 40% over water. With one of the largest living green roofs in the world, which features more than 400,000 indigenous plants and four beehives, Vancouver Convention Centre has definitely taken a big step towards the future.

Whether it’s a large citywide event or a small conference, finding the right convention hotel is an all-important task, and in Vancouver it’s easy!

From five-star hotels to university residences, there are more than 24,000 rooms available in Greater Vancouver including 15,000 rooms within walking distance of the downtown convention facilities. And with hundreds of thousands of square metres of meeting space you’re sure to find something to suit your needs.

IN VICTORIA There are many great reasons to choose

Victoria Conference Centre

Victoria as a host city. Mild climate, spectacular setting, friendliness and culture are among them. Once voted #1 City in the Americas by the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler, Victoria is located on Vancouver Island, just 30 kilometres from Vancouver’s mainland.

As the capital city of British Columbia, Victoria has a rich cultural and architectural heritage, with a distinctly British twist - from brew pubs to carriage rides, famous castles and heritage buildings.

The Victoria Conference Centre (VCC) offers 6,780 m2 of functional meeting space with 16 meeting rooms, a large exhibit hall, and a 400-seat lecture theatre. An open plaza and magnificent entry foyer create a bright, welcoming environment indoors and outdoors.

This mix of multi-purpose function space is ideally suited for groups from 400 to 1,500.

The VCC recently acquired an additional 2,325 m2 of function space. The Crystal Garden, a historic icon of the city adjacent to the existing facility, is also available for hire and is simple a gem!

Last but not least, incredible eco-adventures are literally steps from the Centre, where you can hop on a salmon fishing charter, head out for a whale watching trip or kayak around our beautiful coastline. The environment is breathtaking, from a simple walk by the sea to great hiking in the many parks and forests around.

IN WHISTLER World-renowned as one of North America’s top golf, mountain biking and skiing resort destinations, Whistler is nestled amongst the spectacular Coast Mountains of British Columbia. Located a scenic two-hour drive north of Vancouver up the spectacular Sea to Sky Highway, Whistler has long estab-

Whistler Conference Centre

VANCOUVER, THE FACTS HARD FACTS Number of international flights per week Number of airlines that service the destination Total number of rooms in the greater city area

224 50 36,000

MEETING/VENUE FACILITIES Venue Name

Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre

Largest Largest Plenary Exhibition (flat/tiered) Space (sq.m.)

8,000

8,473

2009 Expansion

15,000

20,905

BC Place Stadium

13,508/60,000

22,947

General Motors Place Stadium 2,106/ 20,000

8,452

University of British Columbia

1,635

3,200

lished itself as a leading destination for conferences and events. New meeting locations and tourism opportunities further add to the appeal of this destination which was the Host Mountain Resort for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Whistler offers approximately 14,000 m2 of conference space in a variety of venues. The renovated Whistler Conference Centre offers a central meeting location with 3,700 m2 of usable space. A total of 3,200 hotel rooms, and more than 5,000 other tourist accommodation units including condos, B&Bs and chalets are available - allowing Whistler to accommodate in excess of 24,000 overnight visitors.

In addition to the Whistler Conference Centre, the resort boasts an impressive range of meeting space among several branded hotels including Four Seasons, Fairmont, Westin, Hilton, Delta and the Pan Pacific. It’s worth noting that Whistler is keen to be green: it boasts some exciting new meeting locations, built with sustainable practices to suit their alpine setting.

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© Calgary Telus Convention Centre

© Randall Stout Architects Inc.

> CANADA

Calgary Telus Convention Centre

SUSTAINABLE ALBERTA

MEETING IN ALBERTA Land of contrasts

Alberta lies between British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Its capital city, Edmonton, is the most northerly major city in Canada, and serves as a gateway and hub for resource development in northern Canada.

Approximately 300 kilometers south of the capital is Calgary, Alberta’s largest city and a major distribution and transportation hub.

As such, Alberta has one of the strongest economies in Canada, making it very interesting for economy and industry related conferences and events.

It has been a few years since Alberta promoted itself as a meetings destination and as the CTC decided to be more visible and active on the European market, I was kindly invited on a press trip to discover the jewels of Alberta. And guess what? Whether you’re looking to host a meeting in a charming alpine castle or a conference at an all-star urban convention centre, Alberta’s facilities will reward you far beyond the walls of a boardroom.

CONGRESSING IN THE CITY Alberta is a land of contrasts. In the whole week I stayed there, I was taken to places with countless possibilities, both city and more ‘nature’ wise. My meetings adventures first took me to Calgary, where delegates will definitely enjoy its cosmopolitan atmosphere,

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Art Gallery of Alberta

easy accessibility and safe environment. For quite a big city, it doesn’t bear the hassles of big-city problems. And, with the spectacular Canadian Rockies only an hour’s drive from the city’s centre, it’s also easy to offer preand post-meeting outdoor adventures!

For large events, the following venues are just ideal. Situated right downtown, Telus Convention Centre accommodates up to 4,000 delegates. Connected by a network of enclosed pathways to three four-star hotels - the Calgary Marriott, the Fairmont Palliser and the Hyatt Regency Calgary - the capacity goes up to 17,000 m2 of space, in addition to 1,100 guest rooms! I also have to mention the Calgary Stampede, which bills itself as the ‘Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’. This large festival, exhibition and rodeo lasts for 10 days every summer from early to mid-July and might be an ideal time to hold a meeting!

Edmonton, rightly nicknamed the ‘festival city’, is a gateway destination filled with contrasts. The province’s largest venue of its kind, the Shaw Conference Centre, accommodates up to 7,000 people. And you should see the views there are from its floor-to-ceiling windows! Northlands Park is also worth mentioning, as they are expanding their conference facilities as we speak. Located on

Although oil is the #1 resource in Alberta the province, and the meetings industry, have shown a commitment towards sustainability. This includes: + Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design certifications of several buildings in Calgary + a zero-waste programme in the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary. They got the 2005 Go Green BOMA Environment Award in recognition of responsible environmental practices in Building Operations + the Homeless Connect programme, which, in the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, brings together over 25 agencies helping the community’s poorest + the Fairmont Green Partnership programme exceeds meeting planner expectations about operational sustainability

the outskirts of the city, it welcomes as many as 17,000 delegates!

The Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton was another highlight of my trip. Currently undergoing a major expansion program, the striking new 8,000-m2 facility is scheduled to open January 31, 2010. Designed by renowned architect Randall Stout, this signature building will become both a downtown landmark and a great meeting venue.

CONGRESSING IN NATURE But it’s the driving between Calgary and Edmonton that took my breath away. Stretching over 400 kilometers, along the jagged

> CANADA

Northlands Park

crest of the Rockies, Banff is Canada’s oldest national park, while Jasper is the largest - and I drove through a good part of both of them!

Together they embrace a patchwork of vast summits and unbelievably blue-green lakes and the good news is you can hold any kind of meetings - of course not as large as in the cities - in this stunning, truly inspirational landscape!

In this area, two Fairmont Hotels definitely stand out. The Fairmont Banff Springs is a world-renowned symbol of Canadian hospitality. Looking almost like a gigantic Bavarian castle in the Black Forest, the hotel offers 768 guestrooms and suites. As for meetings, it boasts more than 7,000 m2 of meeting and banquet space. Nestled on the shores of postcard perfect Lake Louise - with the bluest water ever! - the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise was designed by Canadian Pacific Railway’s chief architect Walter Painter. The meeting space available measures 3,500 m2 and there are even guides on-site if you want to take your delegates for a hike to see white goats and grizzli bears!

I’m sure the association planner will also like Banff Centre, an educational institution whose mission is to inspire creativity and which provides meeting and accommodation facilities with over 400 guest rooms and 60 meetings spaces, lecture theatres, and auditoriums to accommodate groups from 5 to 1,000 people. Here the impact of the inspiring mountain location, the creative atmosphere, and the strong, friendly support from the staff will make any event one-of-a-kind.

To conclude, I will stress the fact that everything is big in Alberta: the hotels, the roads, the cars, everything! It lends a kind of serenity to the overall atmosphere. I mention that because I feel it’s very important for a meeting to be held in the most ideal environment possible. You can forget the occasional ‘crowded’ feeling you can get in a city, here you can take a deep breath, thinking the sky is the limit!

WINNIPEG (MANITOBA)

Celebrating art, culture… and meetings

Imagine a city where arts and culture are celebrated on every corner, a city whose multiculturalism shines bright, a city with award-winning culinary creations from some of the best chefs in Canada and home to some of the country’s most celebrated fashion and jewellery designers. That’s Winnipeg, Manitoba - and it’s also a great place to meet.

As one of the 2010 Culture Capitals of Canada, Winnipeg is a city where people truly can experience a wide array of world-class arts and culture on every corner every night of the week, from ballet to theatre to symphony and opera.

Meanwhile, several galleries and museum offer stunning and provocative local and international exhibits.

Winnipeg will also be home to the much anticipated Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Opening in 2012, and located at The Forks, the site where Aboriginal tribes have gathered for thousands of years, it will be a beacon for Canadians and for people around the world to explore human rights and to promote dialogue, understanding, and respect.

WHERE TO MEET As for meetings, Winnipeg Convention Centre, along with its many other ameni-

ties, is the place to be: it offers over 15,000 m2 of meeting space, for up to 7,200 people! This ‘Go Green’ certified facility combines state-of-the-art meetings technology with a wide array of distinct meeting rooms to offer meeting planners unparalleled service and flexibility. Two conference hotels also deserve some pointing out: Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre for groups of up to 1,950 and Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre, which can accommodate up to 1,000 delegates.

The city’s first class, state-of-the-art multipurpose sports and entertainment facility, MTS Centre is located in the heart of downtown and, as a three-concourse facility, it provides configurations for international conventions, trade shows and large-scale sports and entertainment spectacles but is also an ideal location for more intimate social and business gatherings.

Winnipeg’s universities and colleges also offer the perfect setting for a variety of sized meetings and conferences. From western Canada’s oldest university, the University of Manitoba, to the hip and urban location of University of Winnipeg, to the park-like setting of the Canadian Mennonite University, you’re likely to find the perfect university venue that will suit your needs best.

HEADQUARTERS 31

> CANADA Winnipeg Convention Centre

Canadian Museum for Human Rights

TOP REASONS TO CHOOSE WINNIPEG AS A MEETINGS DESTINATION + Winnipeg is the diversity capital of Canada.

Its architecture, people, cuisine, languages spoken, festivals, special events, cultural offerings and facilities are some of the most unique and interesting in the country. + Winnipeg is one of the most affordable cities in Canada. Accommodation choices range from modern web-enabled high-tech marvels to cozy bed and breakfast homes to familiar modern regional and international brands. + Winnipeg is at the geographic centre of the continent. And once in Winnipeg, you are only 15 minutes from anywhere you want to be. + Unique venues such as Fort Gibraltar - a full sized wooden replica of a frontier fort, or a stunning historical jewel - the 1911 newly refurbished CIBC Bank building. Use a museum gallery as a reception facility or let one of our two ultra modern casinos host your group. + Winnipeg is a destination with four distinct seasons. This brings a variety of options to your group. + Winnipeg is home to a world-class arts community. Ballet, theatre, visual arts, opera, contemporary dance, jazz, pop, blues, symphonic music : you name them, they have them! + Unique culinary experiences: Winnipeg chefs blend influences from around the world, then add in local specialties. + A creative and approachable Team Winnipeg is standing by to assist your group with all the details and the perfect itinerary that will make certain that your group’s objectives are met in a relaxed and stimulating environment. + Winnipeg has an outstanding reputation as a location for national and international conventions. The city has played host to the Robert Burns World Federation Limited, the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers and theInvestors Group Apex Summit to name just a few.

HEADQUARTERS 32

And if you want something your delegates will remember for years to come, you can try the many off-site venues that Winnipeg boasts. From Fort Gibraltar, a replica of a historic trading fort, to the rooftop of the Winnipeg Art Gallery to the Royal Canadian Mint, some of the city’s facilities are as unique as your needs.

Many of the venues are a testament to the history of the settlement of Winnipeg and all are a reflection of prairie hospitality.

As for accommodation, what Winnipeg has to offer is great, with over 6,200 hotel rooms citywide, 2,600 located downtown.

Establishments throughout the city deliver superior meeting service, whether grand or intimate, one event or many. You’ll rest assured knowing that you’re receiving the best of Winnipeg’s hospitality when you tap into our strong sales and marketing partnerships, whether through Team Winnipeg or Winnipeg Options West.

WHEN FESTIVAL MEETS NATURE Winnipeg’s festivals are a true reflection of the diversity, heritage and character of the community who have nurtured and encouraged the city’s creative environment. With over 140 festival-days a year, every season is a reason to get out and celebrate. Among the many others of course let’s mention the internationally celebrated Doors Open, the highly regarded Jazz Winnipeg Festival and some of Canada’s oldest, most respected and longest-running festivals, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival and Folklorama.

Getting up close and personal with nature is also possible in Winnipeg and that’s just great for pre- or post-conference tours.

Naturally beautiful and just outside Winnipeg, Oak Hammock Marsh and FortWhyte Alive offer breathtaking scenic views of untouched Prairie landscape. For an experience of a lifetime and if you’re willing to fly out, you can visit Churchill for an unforgettable polar bear or beluga whale excursion. From thousands of fresh water lakes to sandy beaches to lush urban parks to over 30 golf courses located within city limits, the great outdoors simply abounds in Winnipeg.

Winnipeg’s festivals are a true reflection of the diversity, heritage and character of the community who have nurtured and encouraged the city’s creative environment

Winnipeg is a city where people truly can experience a wide array of world-class arts and culture on every corner. The world-renowned Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Le Cercle Molière - the longest running theatre company in North America, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Theatre Centre - Canada’s oldest regional theatre, and Prairie Theatre Exchange are some of the many arts organizations in the city.

> CANADA

There’s no place like

ONTARIO

Toronto Niagara Falls

Culturally diverse, Ontario is Canada’s most populated province, largest economy and has pretty much everything, from small towns and resorts on the edge of wilderness to upscale cosmopolitan centres. Over 250,000 freshwater lakes guarantee that any meeting can and probably will enjoy a blue setting. Ontario’s shield of arms boasts three golden maple leaves on a green background, just like the province’s meeting industry boasts three golden meeting destinations: Toronto, Niagara and Ottawa.

TORONTO, THE CITY THAT MEANS ‘MEETING PLACE’ Ever-evolving and ever-surprising, Toronto, which derives from the Huron First Nations word for ‘meeting place’, is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, a place where international ideas intersect, original thought is celebrated and magic happens as a result. Here you’ll find unparalleled service, easy access, an excellent convention infrastructure with first-class and conveniently located conference facilities, exemplary accommodations, stunning architecture and meeting places, over 7,000 restaurants, arts and attractions unlike anywhere else in the world… And that’s just the beginning!

Tourism Toronto’s award-winning meeting services continue to be #1 in Canada. No request is too big or too small. And with an established track record of hosting extraordinary meetings, conventions and events, Toronto will exceed your expectations in ways you may never have imagined. The city is easily accessible being the Canadian gateway for international travel with 76 airlines offering international flights to and from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.

The convention facilities there are expanding at a remarkable rate. To ensure the city maintains its place as a key destination for major congresses, four convention facilities in the Toronto area - the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Direct Energy Centre, Toronto Congress Centre and International Centre have all completed significant renovations and growth. Most recently, the Direct Energy Centre unveiled a $47-million expansion, the Allstream Centre - a conference facility with 15,000 m2 of ballroom and meeting space.

The trend toward high-end residence hotels is more evident than ever in the city, with players like Trump International, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Shangri-La, all building five-star properties in Toronto, further enhancing what is already widely recognized

to be one of North America’s best overall hotel scenes. Close to 1,000 lavish hotel rooms and suites are slated for completion between 2010 and 2013, adding to Toronto’s current 38,941 hotel room total.

NIAGARA - ONE WONDER AFTER ANOTHER! Beyond Toronto’s limits are breathtaking attractions. The new Niagara Falls is a true Canadian wonder for meetings, conferences and events for groups of 10 to 7,000 at every price point while highlighting the best views of the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls.

Soon to open in April 2011 is the 26,000 m2 Niagara Convention and Civic Centre that includes a 7,500 m2 free-span exhibition hall; a distinctive 1,600 m2 ballroom; 2,500 m2 of

HEADQUARTERS 33

> CANADA flexible meeting and breakout space; an intimate 1,000 seat theatre; field to table menu design. The convention centre is located just 500 meters from the Horseshoe Falls, and allows delegates to enjoy the local attractions after the business day is complete.

Complimenting this progressive space are 5,000 upscale hotel rooms minutes from the convention centre. Internationally recognized brands such as Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Embassy Suites combined with the Fallsview Casino Resort as well as smaller boutique properties offer guests stunning views of the Falls. The Hilton Hotel and Suites Niagara Falls/Fallsview welcomes delegates to their

Ontario’s shield of arms boasts three golden maple leaves on a green background, just like the province’s meeting industry boasts three golden meeting destinations: Toronto, Niagara and Ottawa Ottawa

Ottawa Parliament

HEADQUARTERS 34

newly constructed 500 two room suites, which 53 stories allows boasting rights as the tallest hotel in Canada and 10th highest in North America.

The Niagara Region’s offering of offsite venues is extensive. Enjoy local cuisine under the stars or within a barrel cellar at an award winning winery; the thrill of the Niagara River rapids on the Whirlpool Jet Boats; friendly competition at any of our championship golf courses; games of chance or a show at an area casino; one of the many lush gardens along the Niagara Parkway. Local theatre includes a vast array from the works of Bernard Shaw at the Shaw Festival Theatre to the Las Vegas-style magician, Greg Frewin.

ONE-OF-A-KIND OTTAWA Nestled on the banks of several majestic rivers, Ottawa is one of the most beautiful G8 capitals in the world. Opening in April 2011, the all-new Ottawa Convention Centre will be in the heart of this city, boasting 18,000 m2. A sweeping windowed façade will afford panoramic views of Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Confederation Square, and the National Arts Centre. Delegates will step outside and be just moments away from recreational paths and the ByWard Market shopping and restaurant district - not to mention 6,000 downtown hotel rooms. And the facility will be directly linked to the 180-store Rideau Centre, the 495-room Westin Ottawa, and ample indoor parking.

Ottawa’s many museums provide ample opportunity for special events. The National Gallery of Canada is an architectural masterpiece and home to the country’s national collection of art, as well as a spectacular Great Hall (450 pax) with a fabulous view of Parliament Hill. It also offers an Auditorium, seminar rooms, a lecture hall, and distinctive reception areas. The Canadian War Museum’s impressive LeBreton Gallery can host up to 600 people banquet style, plus the Museum’s Barney Danson Theatre offers a unique venue for presentations, dinners and receptions. Strathmere is a beautiful 200-acre estate with several outdoor meeting spaces, offering a creative, stimulating and relaxed environment for learning, while Mother Nature offers the chirping birds, blue skies, and warm summer breezes.

QUÉBEC A unique combination of old and new Innovative, creative and culture-driven, Québec is an irresistible mix 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 cuttingedge research and development.

Québec is definitely special. Not only because of the predominantly Frenchspeaking population or its status as the largest Canadian province, but also because its two main cities have established a solid reputation as congress destinations.

QUÉBEC CITY European charm, history, culture, and adventure await you in this four-centuryold 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 look-

©sccq

> CANADA

Québec City Convention Centre

6 GOOD REASONS FOR CHOOSING QUÉBEC

Old Québec

ing 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 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 perform-

1. Accommodation and first-rate facilities.

Québec City and Montréal have a hotel and service network that enjoy an enviable reputation worldwide.

2. Authentic charm. European appeal combined with North American lifestyle.

3. Easy to get to. Easily accessible by highway, train and air.

4. Nature on your doorstep. A host of outdoor activities are minutes away.

5. Arts and entertainment. The cultural agendas of the cities are action-packed.

6. Dining at its finest. The region is often called the gourmet capital of North America!

ances. Formula 1 fans get their fill of speed 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.

HEADQUARTERS 35

> CANADA

NOVA SCOTIA & NEWFOUNDLAND Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse

The Atlantic Ocean defines Canada’s easternmost provinces. Thus, participants of any conference, meeting or other event in these two provinces will surely be inspired by the spray of the sea, the fresh air and the cry of the free seabirds. If that won’t do it, the excellent facilities certainly will.

Nova Scotia is a province located on Canada’s southeastern coast. Its capital, Halifax, is the major economic centre of Atlantic Canada. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador actually comprises two parts: mainland Labrador and the island of Newfoundland.

NOVA SCOTIA Nova Scotia has long been a centre for artistic and cultural excellence. Halifax has emerged as the leading cultural centre in the Atlantic region, as well as a multicultural municipality, ready to welcome international delegates.

The heart of Halifax has more than 3,500 hotel rooms. Almost 1/3 of these are conveniently connected by an enclosed pedway system to our premier meeting facility, the World Trade & Convention Centre. Halifax has the feel of a small town and the amenities of a big city, so getting around is easy and hasslefree. Whether serving 10 people or 1,000 people, the service, and food and beverage offerings are first class. Being centrally located

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in downtown Halifax also gives delegates a chance to step outside during a break and enjoy the city’s delights. And we don’t even mention Halifax Metro Centre, the wonderful 10,000-seat entertainment/sporting facility!

Halifax is home to many performance venues, namely the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, the Neptune Theatre, and The Music Room. Major cultural attractions include the Symphony Nova Scotia, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and Neptune Theatre. Unique venues include the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, where delegates can participate in the ‘Soldier for a Day’ incentive programme alongside kilted 78th Highlanders. Take a cruise around the Halifax Harbour aboard a fully-catered Tall Ship or have a cocktail reception at The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, located on the Halifax waterfront, where guests can mingle amongst traditional Nova Scotian wooden vessels. Nightly live music, renowned restaurants and special events ensure that delegates are entertained after hours.

A wide variety of festivals celebrate the local music, history, culture, arts, food and wine of the region. The Atlantic Film Festival, The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, The Multicultural Festival, periodic Tall Ship events, the Nova Scotia Fall Wine Festival and Shakespeare by the Sea are just a few of the highlights of a packed events calendar year-round.

WTCC Halifax

From glorious green springs to the vibrant colours of fall and the warmest winters in Canada, Halifax and Nova Scotia offer numerous things to do, see and experience year-round. Whether it is a round of golf, the one-of-a-kind scenery at Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse (one of the most photographed and well known lighthouses in the world), wine tasting in Grand Pré or a coastal drive to Lunenburg, you’re never far away from the ocean in Nova Scotia.

With US pre-clearance, Halifax Stanfield International Airport has direct air access to 9 primary US cities, with direct air access to Frankfurt, London, Heathrow and Gatwick, Reykjavik and France, Iceland and the Caribbean, and of course, across Canada. The Halifax harbour is the second largest deepest natural harbour in the world and welcomes more than 250,000 passengers annually from 20 cruise lines.

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR Where else in North America could you see ten thousand year old icebergs cross paths with migratory humpback whales? Newfoundland and Labrador of course! The province’s capital, St. John’s, has the look and feel of a larger city, but with its colourful houses, history and warm friendly people it leaves delegates with a unique sense of place that they can’t experience anywhere else. Associa-

> CANADA

STEP INTO CANADA BRING YOUR EVENTS TO LIFE! Halifax

Cabot Tower in St. John’s

tions are attracted by the ever-growing Oil and Gas industry and oil related conferences and meetings follow. This lucrative industry has improved the economy of the region and thus also the infrastructure.

More hotels have been built and existing hotels are increasing in size and are constantly making improvements to their facilities to meet market demands.

St. John’s is a meeting planners delight.

Groups feel like they ‘own’ or ‘take over’ the city when they are there. With over 25,000 m2 of meeting space and over 1,000 hotel rooms in the downtown core, groups of up to 2,000 can experience a city that not only extends a welcome sign in their store windows to groups, but they know who you are and why you’re here.

It’s a growing city with the feel of small town hospitality that invites you to relax and experience all it has to offer.

There is no such thing as an accidental tourist in Newfoundland. One would have to choose to come here to experience all the island has to offer. There is an increase of about 15% in delegate attendance for conferences that hold their event in Newfoundland and Labrador in summer as it gives delegates an opportunity to visit a place they have never been before but a place they have always heard about and

Newfoundland

wanted to experience. Through conference surveys, delegates attending a conference in St. John’s come early or stay late to visit the rural areas and maximize the opportunity to explore the region. Some delegates bring families and make it a family vacation. Why choose to attend a meeting in St. John’s… why not? Attending a meeting or conference here allows you to taste, feel and experience a destination

Nova Scotia is a province located on Canada’s southeastern coast. Its capital, Halifax, is the major economic centre of Atlantic Canada

Did you know you can get to Canada in less than 4,5 hours? That it’s the second largest country in the world? In every city you’re only steps from good food, great views and a breath of nature’s fresh air? + Toast Niagara Falls with ice wine, shuck oysters in Prince Edward Island and take a bite of Alberta beef + Party. There are festivals galore all year round, including the largest jazz festival in the world in Montréal, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Edmonton Fringe Festival + Witness a hat-trick Canadian style at an ice hockey game. + See the world’s longest tides in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, the Midnight Sun in Nunavut, the Northern Lights in the Northwest Territories and polar bears and belugas in Manitoba + Meet the people, discover Acadian culture, aboriginal history in, follow the Viking Trailand walk through one of our cosmopolitan cities – you’ll hear hello in too many languages to count.

On the practical side, you get help finding top notch meeting facilities for 50 or 5,000, worldclass accommodations, gourmet dining and plenty to keep your delegates entertained.

The exchange rate is moving in the CAD’s favour and there are great deals all over Canada.

CONTACT that leaves you with a sense of longing for more. This explains why we see so many delegates returning to vacation with families in future years.

The air access is also a bonus! Direct air access from Europe through Heathrow Airport via Air Canada. St. John’s is only a 5 hour flight from the UK and the flight schedule offers excellent connection times from European gateways.

In North America: Susan Frei, Director International Meetings and Incentives T. +1 703 825 1134 Frei.Susan@ctc-cct.ca www.meetings.canada.travel In Europe: Roger Bradley Axis Travel Marketing Ltd T. +44 208 686 2300 roger@axistravelmarketing.com

HEADQUARTERS 37

HQ > JAPAN

Okama Volcanic Lake of Zao Mountains

WELCOME TO JAPAN! ICIS 2010 in Yamagata

Kajo Park

ICIS 2010

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT JAPAN AND WHERE TO TAKE YOUR NEXT EVENT, THE BIG CITIES LIKE TOKYO, KYOTO OR YOKOHAMA COME EASILY TO MIND. BUT JAPAN IS NOT ONLY ABOUT HUGE, DEFINITELY ATTRACTIVE METROPOLISES. THERE ARE SMALLER CITIES OUT THERE WHERE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES CAN BE HELD WITH THE SAME KIND OF SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE - THEY ALSO DESERVE OUR ATTENTION, ESPECIALLY IN THESE CHALLENGING TIMES SINCE THE COST OF RUNNING AN ASSOCIATION EVENT IS MUCH LOWER THERE THAN IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED MAJOR CITIES. THE 9TH IEEE/ACIS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCE (ICIS 2010) WAS HELD AUGUST 18-20, 2010, IN KAMINOYAMA (YAMAGATA). LET’S FIND OUT HOW SMOOTHLY IT WENT! TEXT RÉMI DÉVÉ

JAPAN

Yamagata

We have to be honest here: we didn’t really know where Yamagata was until we looked it up to write this article. So far, we have learned only nice things about it, facts that were confirmed by the organizers, as well as the delegates, of ICIS 2010.

And if you wonder where it exactly is, the map on the left will surely help you. Yamagata Prefecture is situated on the westernmost part of the Tohoku region, and has, since long ago, been an important marine transportation spot with developed routes on the Sea of Japan. Located in the centre of Yamagata Prefecture, Yamagata City is a former castle town that has been strongly developing since the middle of the 15th century.

TOP QUALITY SERVICE th

The 9 IEEE/ACIS International Conference on Computer and Information Science (ICIS 2010) was held in the Tsukioka Hotel in Kaminoyama

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City (about 20 minutes from Yamagata City), one of the famous ‘onsen’ cities in Japan - Onsen means “hot spring” in Japanese and provides a wide variety of spas. The conference brought together scientists, engineers, computer users, and students to exchange and share their experiences, new ideas, and research results regarding all aspects (theory, applications and tools) of computer and information science, and discuss the practical challenges encountered and the solutions adopted. The conference covered a broad set of research topics and solicited papers, the best of which won coveted awards.

Dr. Takayuki Ito, Associate Professor at the Nagoya Institute of Technology, explains the reason lying behind the choice of Yamagata:

> JAPAN

Zao Onsen Spa

Tsukioka Guest Room

YAMAGATA, THE HARD FACTS + Conference facilities: Yamagata Big Wing (up to 3,500 pax), Yamagata Terrsa (up to 800 pax) + Accommodation: Hotel Metropolitan (4-star), Yamagata Grand Hotel (3-star), Japanese Inn ‘Ryokan’: KOYO and Tsukioka Hotel in Kaminoyama City + Access: 2 hours 30 min by Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo Station

Last but not least are the activities you can enjoy in Yamagata City itself. In Ka-jo Castle Park, you can just enjoy the wonderful cherry blossoms, and there are moats and stone walls recalling scenes of the days when the castle was being built. Also found in the city are the British Renaissance-style Bunshokan Hall, and various other traditional western-style brick buildings, including the formidable Yamagata Educational Museum.

The area is also host to many seasonal events, such as the Hanagasa-matsuri Festival (Flower-Adorned Hat Festival) in the summer, considered to be one of the four greatest festivals held in the Tohoku region, and the Nihon-ichi-no-Imoni-kai Festival (Japan’s No1 Taro and Beef Stew Party Festival) in the fall.

These of course are only highlights.

Yamagata is full of treasures and hidden secrets that will make your journey as a delegate an unforgettable one. Just take our word for it!

Ginzan Hot Springs

‘I thought a conference in an urban area would not be interesting, and I wanted to introduce Japanese culture to delegates coming all the way to Japan. Therefore we agreed on the hot-spring hotel for the conference venue.’ He was all the more delighted to see that ‘there were more delegates wearing yukata than we expected. Some of them took part in the welcome reception in yukata (a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton). It was a very good thing.’

Besides delivering top-quality service and showing excellent professionalism, the local industry was praised for its sense of dedication. Roger Lee, Director of Software Engineering & Information Technology Institute and Professor of Computer Science at Central Michigan University, explains: ‘We normally have 20% of registered delegates ending up being no-shows but this time we had only 4%. I think it’s because this conference was held in an onsen. I personally was impressed by the people here: they were very friendly and devoted.’ A fact that was quickly confirmed by Jonthon T. Reynold, Professor of History, Northern Kentucky University, USA: ‘The thing which really

impressed me was the people. Everyone is incredibly welcoming. Besides, big cities are like big cities everywhere - this time it was very nice to get out of Tokyo and see the variety of the environment that Japan offers.’

UNIQUE APPROACH It seems that everybody left convinced that Japan has a distinctive, unique approach when it comes to hospitality: this will guarantee to meet the needs of any demanding meeting planners.

If that is not enough, Yagamata offers a wide array of choice in terms of pre- or post-conference tours. Among other things, it’s home to the snow monsters of Mt. Zao. This unique natural phenomenon makes trees so covered in snow and ice that they look like surreal beasts from the past. We can also mention other famous mountains like Mt. Chokai, Mt. Nishiazuma and the three sacred moutains of Yamagata that hint towards a culture of profound spirituality. Other highlights include the many hot spring villages lying all throughout the region, making it a unique natural environment worth a detour.

CONTACT Yamagata Convention Bureau Yamagata Kokusai Koryu Plaza Hirakubo 100, Yamagata 990-0076, Japan F: +81(0)23 635 3030 E: sales@convention.or.jp

Japan Convention Bureau Chad Shiver, Convention Manager Japan Convention Bureau Japan National Tourism Organization 12 Nicholas Lane, 5th Floor London EC4N 7BN, United Kingdom T: +44(0)20 7283 2130 F: +44 (0)20 7626 0224 E: chad@jnto.co.uk

HEADQUARTERS 39

Estoril adds responsibility to business events within your budget whilst minimizing environmental impact.

HQ > ESTORIL

ECC

ESTORIL CONGRESS CENTER Green as it gets

THE ESTORIL CONGRESS CENTER (ECC) IN PORTUGAL HAS GENERATED NOTORIETY AND STRONG INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR ITS POSITIONING AS A LEADING GREEN VENUE, THANKS TO AN INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE MARKETING STRATEGY AND PROMOTION OF ITS EXCLUSIVE GREEN SERVICES OFFER. FOR THEM, BEING GREEN IS NOT JUST A MARKETING TOOL, IT’S DEFINITELY A WAY OF LIFE.

First the figures because they say it all. Over the last three years the Estoril Congress Center has reduced its energy consumption by 30%, water consumption by 20%, obtained a Waste Management System 100R certification, created an exclusive methodology to organize so-called Green Events, and has been certified ‘Green Venue’ by Green Globe International. Last but not least, its now-famous Green Fund Program stimulates the use of the ECC’s Green services and tools: the ECC’s clients automatically have access to a fund generated by a percentage levied on the fee charged for the hired space that may be used in order to contract the aforementioned Green services.

Today the Centre even goes further with the Sustainable Plus campaign. Specially designed to fulfill the needs of associations in terms of green meetings, it aims both to instil a legacy of greater responsibility in the organisation of association congresses and to identify more effective risk sharing and ROI formats. The programme is based on three key pillars: Sustain People, Sustain Profit and Sustain Planet.

Cascais

TOP 10 REASONS FOR ASSOCIATIONS TO COME TO ESTORIL 1. Strategic location with excellent air and road connections - just 25 km from Lisbon 2. Innovative Estoril Congress Center 3. High-quality hotels at walking distance 4. Exquisite Mediterranean gastronomy 5. Top reputation for hosting successful events and for tourism in general 6. A welcoming and safe destination 7. Professional and experienced local suppliers at below average cost 8. Local organizations and business qualified for hosting events 9. Overall excellent value for money 10. Wide range of attractions

1. SUSTAIN PEOPLE By promoting Estoril as an unique destination, not far from Lisbon and between the mountains and the ocean, the ECC knows the economic impact of any event held there will benefit the whole community.

They also organize CSR activities including social and environmental volunteering and educational workshops. These initiatives can be slotted into the event programme or customised. Physical and psychological wellbeing management solutions are organised during conferences as well.

2. SUSTAIN PROFIT The Estoril Congress Center believes that synergies are essential: it’s prepared to share a certain level of risk with associations, based on several unpredictability factors. The number of participants at an event can be changed up to a certain time without penalty. There is a similar flexibility with dates. The ECC also facilitates negotiations between the parties involved in order to maximize ROI, and associations can benefit from the above mentioned Green Fund.

3. SUSTAIN PLANET The sustainability of the planet is one of the main concerns voiced by the ECC. Certified as a Green Venue by Green Globe International, it also boasts a specially trained staff.

As a result, the environmental footprint is substantially reduced. At the end of the day, every event that incorporates the ECC green principles will receive a certificate at the end acknowledging its environmental performance.

CONTACT Linda Ferro Association Market Sales Estoril Congress Center T. +351 214 643 669 linda.ferro@estorilcc.com www.estorilcc.com www.estoril-portugal.com

HEADQUARTERS 41

HQ

> ICCA CONGRESS REPORT

Gala evening

ICCA IN INDIA ICCA IS EVERYWHERE, BUT NOT YET IN HEAVEN. ON EARTH, ICCA IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION IN THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY, AND IT HAS THE STRONGEST GLOBAL LEGS. WHAT COULD BE THE REASON FOR THIS? IN ASIA, ICCA IS HELD IN HIGH REGARD. BUT HOW HIGH PRECISELY? AFTER AN ANNUAL CONGRESS IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO PUT A FEW CONSIDERATIONS IN THE BALANCE. THIS YEAR, THE SCALE WAS LOCATED IN HYDERABAD, INDIA’S TOP MEETINGS DESTINATION. REPORT MARCEL A.M. VISSERS

IN INDIA FOR THE FIRST TIME Everybody said the same thing. It was a good decision to hold the 49th ICCA congress in India in 2010. It was the first time too. Whether everyone thought about Hyderabad as a location wasn’t so obvious. India is a massive country with endless economic potential, also in the meetings industry. It’s closely following China, be it with small steps.

Philip Logan, GM Development & Special Projects of Accor and for this occasion Chairman of the Indian Host Committee, praised the choice of Hyderabad as the ICCA congress destination a long time ago. While he was still GM of the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, he said that there was only one purpose-built convention centre in the entire country and that it was located

HEADQUARTERS 42

in Hyderabad, and not in Delhi or in Mumbai (Soon, Bangalore will have one too - it’s an Accor Group project too.)

Philip also repeatedly stated that there wasn’t a real convention bureau in India.

On the last day of the congress it was announced that Visit Hyderabad would be founded soon. The capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh played a big part in the development of the Indian meetings industry, that’s an obvious fact. I personally think that too few delegates got to know the new Hyderabad, the IT City, closely related to the convention city.

Luckily there was the CAT Night at the historical ‘Taramati Baradani’ site and the Gala Dinner with the Dress to Impress Awards at the architectural marvel ‘The Qutub Shahi

Tombs’. Otherwise many delegates wouldn’t even have known they were visiting India. It would just have been a regular stay at just another Novotel Hotel that could have been anywhere, in heaven and on earth. That was my first remark: whoever gets the Indian spirit never loses it again. I’m one of those people.

WISE CONGRESSMEN AND WOMEN During an ICCA congress I have to constantly gasp for breath. I often can’t keep up with the pace of the conferences, coffee breaks and informal talks, because there are so many interesting people attending sharing interesting views.

I’ll give you some examples. While enjoying an excellent Indian wine in the hotel bar, I had a talk with Anja Loetscher, the director

> ICCA CONGRESS REPORT

DRESS TO IMPRESS GALA DINNER Lynda Cadieux, from Tourisme Montréal, got the Flair Award at the Dress to Impress Gala Dinner.

She showed flair through her choice of dress, jewellery and color - a unique combination that made her clearly stand out from the rest of the crowd. All the other award winners are mentioned in the story published on Marcel’s Meetings Blog (www.marcelsblog.typad.com)

of Geneva Convention Bureau. She said: ‘People working in the meetings industry are farmers. They take their time to do things right. They know nature needs time to let something grow good and healthy. But, in our industry, there are also hunters. They look at things in the short term. Many hotels for example, and some AMC’s, are hunters. They all want their money tomorrow. In my convention bureau, we learn to be farmers. Because our big customers - the associations - have difficulties coping with hunters. A hunter makes an association nervous and suspicious, which isn’t good for their credibility.’

I will keep this wisdom in mind for a long long time, I promise, Anja.

A second loyal ICCA visitor I’m always pleased to talk to is Pieter van der Hoeven of PG International Consulting. According

Opening Ceremony

Marcel Vissers and Cécile Caiati-Koch, dressed at a Maharaja and a Maharani, welcomed the guests at ICCA Dress to Impress Gala Dinner.

to my humble opinion he shows exceptional wit and common sense. During one of the magnificent Indian lunches we had a talk about presidents, CEO’s, association board members and their importance. He said: ‘In the end “the board” is responsible for everything that happens within an association. Not the CEO, who won’t easily be put in jail for dishonest practices. But what you do see is that board members are often uncriti-

mandatory literature for all association board members. It’s called ‘The Will to Govern Well’ and was published by ASAE the Center for Association Leadership this past August. You can contact her on leigh@soroptimist.org

ICCA is known in the meetings world for its premium gala dinners, which are probably the best of the industry cal and think: let the CEO do his/her thing, he/she’s not giving us too much work. There are also professional associations being led by the Secretary General. These are from time to time people who don’t like transparency and who constantly put up fog curtains.

Some of them also show signs of perverted exercise of power. In the long term, this is disastrous for an association. But these things exist, even in well-known associations in our industry.’

On the same day, while the congress was drawing to an end, I met three heavyweights of the association world discussing the same subject. There was even laughter to be heard.

Mrs Leigh Wintz, former Chairman of the Board of PCMA and Executive Director of Soroptimist, even told me she wrote a book about the subject. Then I thought: this is

A GREAT KEYNOTE SPEAKER Because I enjoyed the aftermath of the Gala Dinner so much - all those questions I had to answer in Copenhagen Lecture Speaker the hotel bar! - it was Devdutt Pattanaik impossible for me to be on time for Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik’s speech, the Copenhagen-Denmark lecture. But Sin, of Meet Taiwan, told me everything: ‘Why does ICCA put such a good keynote speaker on the last day of the congress? He should have done the opening speech.’ His enthusiasm wasn’t tempered by this fact though. ‘Dr. Devdutt taught me lots of things about history, religion and business philosophies.’ Sin, I promise you I will look into the teachings of this Chief Belief Officer more closely.

ICCA is known in the meetings world for its premium gala dinners, which are probably the best of the industry. Often, gala dinners are boring, but not at ICCA. People are looking forward to them. They lose sleep over it and skip interesting conferences (shame on me) to make time to buy an unusual party outfit. I’m talking of course about the Dress to Impress Awards. Comments were unanimous: it was the best gala dinner in ICCA history. During the dinner in The Tombs, the delegates could experience everything India has to offer: color, taste, music and above all hospitality. Now on to Leipzig, for Bach’s powdery white wig!

HEADQUARTERS 43

HQ > HOTELS

CONFERENCE HOTELS A valuable option for association planners ICCA STATISTICS PROVE THAT MORE ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES ARE BEING HELD IN HOTELS THAN IN PURPOSE BUILT CONFERENCE CENTRES. BUT WHICH HOTELS ARE SUITABLE FOR WHICH MEETINGS, AND HOW DO THEY SPECIFICALLY CATER TO INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS? HQ INVESTIGATED THE MATTER. TEXT JONATHAN RAMAEL (WITH IGOR HENDRICKX)

the lobby of The Address, Dubai

Due to the financial crisis, the corporate meeting sector took quite a blow in recent years. This resulted in clients shopping around more and comparing prices for facilities and services, but also in a greater number of one-day events to reduce the number of overnight stays. The association sector has been far less affected by all of this. ICCA stats clearly show there are never been that many meetings organized before, many of them created as offshoots of established larger association events to service regional or precise subject-specific needs.

Things are moving in the association market too though. Buyers are changing their behavior regarding the type of venue they now book for their events, considering the current economic environment. According to ICCA categories, ‘Meeting Facilities in Hotels’ has taken over, since 2005, from ‘Conference &

Exhibition Centres’ as the most popular venue type for the organization of an event. In 2008 usage of meeting facilities in hotels consolidated its first place with 41.5% of association meetings being held there. HQ Magazine asked staff members from hotel chains as well as independent hotels how they respond to these new market developments.

THE ADVANTAGES OF WORKING WITH INTERNATIONAL HOTEL CHAINS International chains represent the largest percentage of meeting hotels in our industry.

Their main advantage is their size, which allows them to offer a wide range of destinations and a high room capacity. Furthermore you know what to expect from them or at least have some idea about it, since they are all well known. Most often, they have a specific hotel brand oriented towards the

seasoned business traveler, which means they specialize in providing extensive opportunities for meetings and networking.

This is often augmented by loyalty meeting programs, an international meeting directory, standard meeting packages, and several other procedures that make planning an association event easier. A standardized procedure has the added value of making it more simple to handle requests in a short time. It has also given rise to the ‘everywhere the same’ idea, which isn’t bad for some planners, but not ideal for everyone.

Have you figured out where to go, but not yet where to stay? In that case it could be a good idea to look at some regional or local hotel groups. These hotels often incorporate distinctly local features (gastronomy, style and atmosphere) to make your business

HEADQUARTERS 45

> HOTELS

HOTEL PEOPLE ARE HUNTERS

By Marcel A.M. Vissers I have to get something off my mind. While I’m reading all the positive things hotels can offer conference organizers and the amount of praise this is given, I’m also receiving quite a lot of reactions from association executives who aren’t always happy with sales people from hotels. In our industry, we tend to make a distinction between farmers and hunters. The associations are the farmers: they want to make things grow slowly but steadily. They aren’t focused on making profit. Suppliers, in particular the hotels and AMC’s, are the hunters. They want to make money, fast. Tomorrow if possible. Growth means profit to them.

A congress director from a large association based in Brussels told me that from the moment the destination of their next congress is made public, the agencies start making deals with hotels about prices and blocking rooms, clearly working against principles that were agreed upon with the local convention bureau. I would never allow these things to happen and rather camp in the city myself for three days than go sleep in a hotel that didn’t play by the rules. I’d even go as far as to cancel the congress. And do you know what I’m secretly thinking in that case? Our industry is full of naughty boys!

event much more memorable. Furthermore they don’t specialize between leisure or business travelers, since they can’t afford to exclude anyone. This is very good news when organizing a multi-facetted association event with time for some leisurely breaks. Why not get a local touch when you’re there anyway?

THE CHARM OF INDEPENDENT HOTELS Of course there are the independent, single hotels that aren’t part of any particular chain

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or international network. Hotels belonging to this group are often such established values that they’ve become one of the touristic must-sees themselves. They tend to have a unique, natural personality. This is the most varied group where you can be sure of the most personal service and care.

They usually have one contact person for the entire event and try to go back to the origin of real hospitality. The meeting possibilities of these hotels are often surprisingly great, and flexibility throughout the entire operational process is more than typical for this type of venue. Dealing with a little less procedures gives you the space for a more

approach to fulfill all of these needs. Another difference between corporate and association meetings is the budget: according to the respondents of our informal survey, associations are much more budget-minded than their corporate counterparts, as most members pay for their own travelling expenses!

Hotel chains are constantly striving to improve their success to ensure that they fulfill the needs of their clients. Based on our findings, they have several ways of doing so when it comes to associations, but the list is of course not exhaustive. A palette of concepts is available, dealing with all facets

International chains represent the largest percentage of meeting hotels in our industry. Their main advantage is their size, which allows them to offer a wide range of destinations and a high room capacity

creative service. It should be said however, that these independent hotels get fewer and fewer in numbers, since the competitive advantages of joining a hotel association are simply too great to ignore.

COPING WITH THE NEEDS OF ASSOCIATIONS The hotels we’ve contacted did notice a growth in the booking of association meetings in recent years - mainly due to a stable production in the national associations business according to them. They expect a far bigger boost in the near future though, and are now really familiar with what associations need to hold successful events.

Association events are indeed very different from corporate meetings. They have a specific set of requirements, namely large meeting spaces, several breakout rooms and the banqueting facilities to cater for large groups. Needs can vary depending on the origin, budget, industry type and a myriad of important factors which will determine the approach of the hotel. The facility and the staff need to be very flexible in their

of the industry. One chain sends an observer from the hotel (usually the director of sales) to the association’s annual meeting, in order to bring back best practices and communicate them to the staff. Another hotel recently developed a new sales structure with one sales manager deployed to only target associations - just like at a convention bureau or a convention centre. Flexibility towards these associations during the entire contracting period is also very important, given the fact that the content or layout of a conference can change dramatically between the event confirmation and the day it occurs.

Although big purpose-built conference centres are still constructed as important landmark buildings for a city, economic development in the past few years taught us that conference hotels are swiftly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the association industry. Especially when it comes to smaller national or regional conferences, these venues, given their versatility, flexibility and their economic profitability, are becoming increasingly popular among association planners, and rightly so.

Open spaces.

Open daily.

Nonstop to Montreal with smooth connections to all of North America.

Go to aircanada.com or call us at 070-220-100.

Ottawa Tourism

When you mention your meetings in Canada, everybody wants to attend

www.meetings.canada.travel