Headquarters EMEA #43

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

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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: March, April, June, September & November Edition Edition March 2011 - P3A9029

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HQ

> M A R C E L’ S PA G E

THANK YOU EUROPE! Those who read my column will notice I talk about Europe a lot. The reason for this is simple: HQ EMEA Magazine is mainly meant for association executives who have their headquarters in Europe and who organize congresses (big or small) on a regular basis. These can be anywhere in the world, but in a lot of cases they are held in Europe.

I always get the same question though: is there a European meetings industry?

In my previous column, I made the following answer: to me, the European meetings industry has no vision. Then I felt obligated to answer another question: how could we develop a vision then? Two events made me reflect on this issue: the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2010 and the Brussels Meetings Week of 2011.

MARCEL A.M. VISSERS Editor in Chief

What did these two events teach us? After the six-month presidency ended, I asked multiple Belgian congress bureaus what it had meant for them. The answers were unanimous: it meant a very prosperous year for all of them. Brussels scored big points during the Presidency and the number of congresses and conferences of all sorts were countless. It was profitable for the smaller Belgian cities too. For example: because of the Presidency, dozens of smaller conferences about harbor issues, points during the diamonds and even fashion were held in Antwerp.

Brussels scored big Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2010 and the number of congresses and conferences of all sorts were countless. It was profitable for the smaller Belgian cities too

In 2011 it’s Hungary’s turn. I’m really curious about the effect this will have on the Hungarian meetings industry. I’ll contact Budapest later this year. This changing presidency is really interesting to me and I will try to study it more.

Back to Brussels though. The Brussels Meetings Week will hold its sixth edition in 2011 and has grown to be one of the top meeting events in Europe. Its concept is simple: ‘Each year, Brussels promotes and reinforces the meetings industry’s image during a whole week of activities. Everybody has the opportunity to learn what the meetings industry means for Brussels. Politicians, media, European and international institutions, corporate decision-makers, job seekers, students: all have a big part to play in recognizing the value and raising awareness of the meetings industry. It makes a vital contribution to the Brussels economy and employment!’

Hervé Bosquet, Director of Brussels Convention Bureau, says: ‘The Brussels meetings industry has gained a lot of fame throughout the yearly Meetings Week, which has made the interest of politicians for our industry grow every year as well. Growth, that’s the keyword! I can only tell other cities all of this is worth the effort.’ Isn’t this last sentence a major call for ECM (European Cities Marketing)?

» READ MORE OF MARCEL’S STORIES ON HIS BLOG: WWW.MARCELSBLOG.TYPEPAD.COM

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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 5 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

GENERAL

Cover HQ43: Taipei, Taiwan’s capital city, boasts the towering Taipei 101 skyscraper - a symbol of the booming meetings industry there?

EDITORIAL

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NEWS

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ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT: IUIS

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ESAE & UIA TIME TO GET PRACTICAL

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PRACTICAL ISSUES

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DESTINATION FEATURE

Managing Editor Rémi Dévé T: +32 (0)2 761 70 58 remi@headquartersmagazine.com

TAIWAN

Editors Rose Kelleher Igor Hendrickx

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G YOUR OWN FREE COPIES GET O OF HQ MAGAZINE! H Headquarters magazine, the must-have publication, is free to all association event planners.

JJust write to info@headquartersmagazine.com with your name, title and precise contact ddetails and express your interest: you’ll be automatically added to our distribution list.

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

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SSuppliers (convention centres, hotels, special venues, agencies, etc.) in tthe meetings industry can benefit from special rates for group subscriptions.

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&YDFQUJPOBM Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre is Europe’s newest and most versatile large-scale venue.

Welcome to a venue where anything is possible.

Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre has now opened. www.stockholmwaterfront.com

HQ

> HEADQUARTERS NEWS

ADELAIDE CONVENTION CENTRE MOVES TO ATTRACT ASIAN MARKET

Adelaide Convention Centre

BRIGHTON CENTRE CONTINUES ITS MAKEOVER

NEWS FROM HONG KONG

SLOVAKIA JOINS EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF ASSOCIATION OF PCOS

Hong Kong Brighton Centre

The Brighton Centre has announced a further £1 million investment to its facilities following the successful completion of its phase one refurbishment last year. The venue will now undergo a significant redevelopment of its main entrance including the exterior space, signage and state of the art lighting, resulting in a complete transformation of its outside façade. In addition to this, the venue’s popular Restaurant, which is regularly used as a breakout space for larger conferences, will be redesigned to include floor-to-ceiling windows that will command uninterrupted views of the city’s famous seafront as well as a complete modernisation of its interiors. www.visitbrighton.com/conferences

Eight months after its inception, Suntec International, a member of the ARA Group, has signed on a second partnership agreement, adding the continent of Australia to its portfolio for sales and marketing representation. The contract with Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC), a multi-award winning, leading venue in Australia comes just four months after it bagged its first contract with the Vancouver Convention Centre. Under the contract, Suntec International has been appointed the sales and marketing representative to spearhead efforts in drawing more meetings and events from Asia to Adelaide.

The partnership calls for sales driven initiatives that will generate leads and sales activities for associations heading to Adelaide. www.adelaidecc.com.au www.suntecsingapore.com

Hong Kong is vibrating with new developments. The tallest hotel in the world, the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong at the ICC is due to open in the first quarter of 2011. There is also a new convention space at AsiaWorld-Expo: Runway 11. In terms of infrastructure, the West Kowloon Cultural Districts (WKCD) are worth mentioning: it’s a 40 hectare prime site along Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour about to undergo a dramatic transformation. Plans are underway for no less than 15 arts facilities including a large performance venue. Hong Kong is also pressing ahead with a project to construct an Express Rail Link that will connect to the high-speed rail network on the Mainland with a terminus in West Kowloon. www.mehongkong.com

The European Federation of the Association of PCOs (EFAPCO) has welcomed a newlyformed association as its 12th member. And it is a further indication of the Brussels-based organisation’s reach into Eastern Europe.

The EFAPCO network already embraces Europe’s 11 established associations of PCOs which makes the approval of membership of the newly-formed Slovak Association of Professional Conference and Congress Organisers a double celebration. Slovakia is destined to attract global media coverage as host for this year’s Ice Hockey World Cup and with the country’s second largest city Kosice becoming a European Capital of Culture in 2013. www.efapco.eu

MPI EXPANDS MOBILE CONTENT CONNECTIONS With the recent release of its mobile app for the iPhone, Meeting Professionals International (MPI) affirmed its commitment to expanding ways meeting and event professionals can access the career enhancing content being

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HQ

> HEADQUARTERS NEWS

JMIC WEB SITE DELIVERS INDUSTRY ACTIVITY OVERVIEW The Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) has established a directory of Industry Resources on its web site www.themeetingsindustry.org as a tool for members of the industry to access a comprehensive listing of educational and research activities being carried out by its member organizations. The listings currently include some 68 educational / professional development initiatives and 75 research and publication initiatives offered by its 12 member industry associations and major trade show partners. www.themeetingsindustry.org

developed by the association. Now, through its strategic partnership role with IMEX America as premier educational provider, MPI and the IMEX Group announced that MPI will lead the development of mobile apps for IMEX America and Frankfurt. The apps will expand content and marketplace access for attendees before, during and after the events. www.mpiweb.org

SINGEX POWERS BUSINESS EVENTS WITH NEW CONVENTION WING

MAX Atria

Singex, a meetings veteran with over 30 years of industry expertise, has announced the development of new facilities for Singapore’s largest purpose-built conference venue. MAX Atria @ Singapore EXPO will feature 23 new meeting rooms and spacious pre-function areas, adding some 8,000 m2 of space to EXPO’s inventory. Worth noting is that, specially designed to bring nature ‘inside’ and meetings ‘outside’, MAX Atria will incorporate lush, green elements that will harness the enlivening power of nature to inspire minds and stimulate business discus-

of conference and exhibition facilities, an international 5-star hotel and a wide range of hotels and restaurants.

Website under development

ESAE CONGRESS AT EMIF Tour & Taxis

sions and networking. www.singex.com.sg

LAUNCH OF THE ASSOCIATION WIN EUROPE The association Women In Nuclear (WiN) Europe was created in Budapest on October 2nd 2010 by representatives from 9 European countries or institutions: IAEA(Austria), Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland. It gathers together women professionals working in all fields of application of nuclear techniques and sciences (energy, medicine, biology, art, agriculture, spatial exploration). Boosted by the cohesion and dynamism of its members, WiN Europe is ready to raise the challenge and to embark on a program of actions that will contribute not only to the development of the nuclear sector but also to the notoriety of the international network of the women in the nuclear sector. www.euronuclear.org

NEW WORLD TRADE CENTER AT ROISSY PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE A new meetings complex will see the light of day in 2014. Called World Trade Center – Roissy Paris CDG, the project encompasses a congress centre and associated lodging facilities in the immediate vicinity of Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport, taking advantage of both the numerous existing infrastructures and projects currently under development. When completed, the complex will boast 1,734 hotel rooms, over 85,000 m2

ESAE Congress will take place at EMIF on 15 & 16 March 2011, at Tour & Taxis in Brussels. Following the feedback from association professionals around Europe, ESAE has designed a programme that addresses some of the most important topics and issues in the daily management of associations and not-for-profit organisations. Research, legislation, strategies, changing perceptions and opinions - the way associations interact with members and do business is changing daily.

Talks will focus on maximizing performance to ensure the growth and success of you, your organisation and your members. www.esae.org

2011 MEETINGS INDUSTRY FAIRS WORLDWIDE: MAKE YOUR CHOICE! GIBTM // 28-30 March 2011, Abu Dhabi // www.gibtm.com IT&CM China // 13-15 April 2011, Shanghai // www.itcmchina.com IMEX // 24-26 May 2011, Frankfurt // www.imex-frankfurt.com AIBTM // 21-23 June 2011, Baltimore // www.aibtm.com CIBTM // 31 August - 1 September 2011, Beijing // www.cibtm.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

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HQ

> ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT

INTERNATIONAL UNION OF IMMUNOLOGICAL SOCIETIES (IUIS) A talk with Gerlinde Jahn FOLLOWING A NUMBER OF INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS, THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF IMMUNOLOGICAL SOCIETIES WAS OFFICIALLY FOUNDED AT A MEETING IN BRUGGE ON MAY 5 1969 BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF TEN SOCIETIES. IT HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE THEN. GERLINDE JAHN, OF IUIS CENTRAL OFFICE IN VIENNA, TELLS US MORE ABOUT HOW THE ASSOCIATION OPERATES AND ORGANIZES EVENTS. INTERVIEW RÉMI DÉVÉ

HQ: Could you briefly present IUIS? Gerlinde Jahn: The International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) is an umbrella organization for many of the regional and national societies of immunology throughout the world. The objectives of IUIS are to organize international co-operation in immunology and to promote communication between the various branches of immunology and allied subjects, to encourage within each scientifically independent territory co-operation between the Societies that represent the interests of immunology and to contribute to the advancement of immunology in all its aspects.

There are currently 65 Member Societies of IUIS, many of which belong to one of four encompassing Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia-Oceania. Links with other international scientific bodies are promoted through the International Affiliate Members

of IUIS, membership of the International Council for Science (ICSU) and formal liaison with the World Health Organization.

HQ: We understand you organize many kinds of events. Could you tell us more about this? How do you decide where to go for instance?

Gerlinde Jahn: International Congresses of Immunology (ICI) are held every three years under the auspices of IUIS. IUIS also contributes to the staging of other regular congresses and conferences by each of the four Regional Federations and to various educational activities in immunology.

A HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES OF IMMUNOLOGY + 9th ICIS : San Francisco (USA) July 23-29, 1995 + 10th ICIS: New Delhi (India) November 1-7, 1998 + 11th ICIS: Stockholm (Sweden) July 22-28, 2001 + 12th ICIS: Montreal (Canada) July 18-23, 2004 + 13th ICIS: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) azil) August 21-25, 2007 + 14th ICIS: Kobe (Japan) August 22-27 2010 + 15th ICIS: Rome (Italy) August 22-27 2013

The 14th ICI was held August 2010 in Kobe, Japan. In 2013, we’ll go to Rome, and in

HEADQUARTERS 11

> ASSOCIATION PORTRAIT

bidding sites, then the Council and General Assembly vote on the destination in their meetings during the ICI 6 years prior (2010 for 2016). The entire organization is done by the national society in cooperation with a local PCO/DMC. IUIS itself holds 1 Executive Committee meeting, 2 Council meetings (one before and one after the GA, 40-50 persons each), 1 General Assembly (GA, about 100 persons) during the ICI. These events are organized by the IUIS Central Office.

Depending on the place, the ICI has grown over the years to 6,000 participants like in Japan this year. The number depends very much on the accessibility, the number of local participants, the price level in the country. Of course the scientific contents must be very good and attractive. IUIS Executives and Councilors, amongst others, usually form the scientific committee and are the main speakers at the congress.

Gerlinde Jahn

The trends in the industry are about less luxury (‘entertaining’ destinations are no longer attractive), shorter meetings (what used to be achieved in 3 days now can be achieved in 2 for instance) and addressing issues in smaller groups 2016 to Melbourne. The average number of participants is between 4,000 and 6,000.

As for how we decide where to go, any national society can approach the IUIS with the intention to organize the ICI in their country. The bids must be made 6 years prior to the congress year (i.e. beginning of 2010 for the ICI 2016). The IUIS Executive Committe does the pre-selection of

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

Gerlinde Jahn: For the International Congress of Immunology, the venues must obvisouly be able to accommodate the large number of our participants (especially during the opening session of ICI, which is a kind of forum) and they must offer the required number of breakout rooms, which can sometimes be an issue.

The destination itself must have sufficient hotel accommodation, ranging from 5-star properties down to inexpensive student residences - we have a great variety of delegates’ profiles!

In addition to the ICI, the IUIS holds an Executive Committee and a Council meeting every year upon invitation of a national society during their national conference (2008 Taipei, 2009 Egypt, 2010 Japan ICI, 2011 USA).

HQ: Do you work with a PCO or a DMC? Why? What do you expect of them?

Gerlinde Jahn: When we do, the PCO/DMC

must provide the entire logistics of the congress,, from the abstract handling to the accommodation to invitation letters.

For example, we find that delegates from emerging countries may need much assistance, and that’s when a PCO or a DMC can come in handy.

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

Gerlinde Jahn: In terms of the much discussed sustainability, a triannual congress as opposed to an annual event is a favourable format: it reduces the travelling, the paper work, etc., and many things can be achieved digitally by web-based means nowadays anyway. In general, I believe the trends in the industry are about less luxury (‘entertaining’ destinations are no longer attractive), shorter meetings (what used to be achieved in 3 days now can be achieved in 2 for instance) and addressing issues in smaller groups.

Specifically for the IUIS, an ongoing trend is the way we raise funds for immunological education, since our ultimate aim is to raise awareness on a global scale. Raising funds has always been a challenge: today sponsors, for example, wish to be more than sponsors, they wish to set up partnerships with the associations and it changes the way we get money!

HQ: What has been your favorite congress destination in the past and why?

Gerlinde Jahn: It’s actually the last destination where the ICI was held last August: Kobe, in Japan, because the overall organization was nearly flawless. The Japanese work with great precision, are reliable, prompt and very friendly: they’re simply a pleasure to deal with. All this is extremely important when one has to organize meetings from a central office like ours in Vienna, when everything needs to be done by electronic means.

www.iuisonline.org

ASSOCIATIONS: TIME TO GET PRACTICAL WHILE TRAVELING IN CHINA TO PREPARE A REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC, I HAVE BEEN REFLECTING ON THE MANY PRACTICAL ISSUES ASSOCIATIONS FACE WHEN ORGANIZING EVENTS. TEXT LUC MAENE, PRESIDENT OF ESAE AND DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL FERTILIZER ASSOCIATION (IFA)

There is no doubt that rules and regulations have evolved, not always to the benefit of facilitating conference travel. International associations that have to organize their events in places accessible to all members find the choices are increasingly limited.

We are now focusing more on attrition and ‘force majeure’ clauses than on the product being offered. Obviously, with the calamities we experienced in 2010 as a result of the volcano eruption in Iceland as a case in point, this has contributed to the need for very careful analysis of negotiated contracts. Another issue greatly affecting the association meetings industry is VAT. Far too much time, energy and resources are spent on trying to follow what are supposedly the rules. I am sure everybody in the meetings industry would be delighted if there were clear instructions in this regard.

I could go on by enumerating a host of other constraints that have emerged in the convention business, ranging from insurance to customs clearance for conference material. I am sure we have all stories to tell. Finally, with the economic volatility

International associations that have to organize their events in places accessible to all members find the choices are increasingly limited Visa requirements are now so strict that my own organization is losing delegates at almost every conference we organize for this reason. Negotiations and contracts with suppliers and venues have become so complicated that obtaining legal advice has become the norm rather than the exception.

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and exchange rate fluctuations, we have to be fortune-tellers to make sure we are not losing heavily. Indeed, most if not all contracts are signed years before the event takes place.

Let me end on a positive note. Despite everything I have mentioned above, we are still passionate about managing associations and organizing quality events for the benefit of our members.

www.esae.org

PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF MANAGING MEETINGS INTERNATIONALLY ORGANISING A CONFERENCE INTERNATIONALLY CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE ONE OF THE MOST DAUNTING ONES. FOR MANY ORGANISATIONS IT BECOMES A NATURAL EXTENSION OF THEIR ACTIVITIES TO ORGANISE MEETINGS BEYOND THEIR NATIONAL OR EVEN CONTINENTAL BORDERS, FOR OTHERS IT IS PART OF THEIR CORE MISSION. WHILE THESE EVENTS POSE MANY OPPORTUNITIES THEY ALSO OFTEN MEAN VENTURING INTO UNCHARTED WATERS FOR MANY CONGRESS ORGANISERS AND BOARDS AND THIS NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND PLANNED FOR. WHAT

very costly to expatriate money after the event? Using the bid process to also flush out these elements is critically important and may differently inform the decision making process.

country or destination and can share - first hand - their experiences.

RELY ON PARTNERS - BUT ALSO YOUR PEERS

Overall, the legal set up on the ground has a significant impact on how organisations and entities can operate in a particular country or environment. In some countries, without a local entity, no business can be conducted.

The local set up/status related requirements therefore have impact on every aspect of the organisation.

IS WELL UNDERSTOOD AND SIMPLE IN A FAMILIAR TERRITORY MAY BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, OR THERE MAY EVEN BE ASPECTS COMPLETELY UNKNOWN. TEXT THOMAS REISER, DIRECTOR, INTEREL ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT

KNOW IT AND KNOW IT EARLY - PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS Many organisations use the bid process to select a destination but not all organisations use the bid document to get a full picture of the legal, fiscal and other elements that have a significant impact on meetings.

Would you really have selected a destination had you known that it is impossible or

Associations and conference organisers are most certainly advised to take advantage of the knowledge of local and internationally experienced professional partners. It starts with the Convention Bureaus. It is in their interest you have a successful conference with little or no issues. CVBs or convention centres are becoming increasingly professional and are addressing issues beyond the local logistics. They may be able to recommend reliable professional congress organisers, tax advisors, legal counsel, VAT specialists, etc. on the ground - that can make an organisation’s life much easier.

Another very powerful ally is your peer group: associations and event organisers who already held their meeting in a certain

THE MAIN ISSUES RELATED TO ORGANISING EVENTS INTERNATIONALLY

Solution: get a clear understanding of the requirements from an experienced and reputable legal advisor familiar with association business. Depending on whether a local partner is used or how much they are trusted, it may be a preferable option to seek independent advice from an international company.

Visa and immigration issues, allowing or restricting foreigners to travel to the country where a meeting is being held, have to be

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addressed. Visas can be an enormous hassle both to the organisers (issuing invitation letters) as well as the participants who sometimes spend a lot of money (visas for some countries can amount to hundreds of euros) and time (taking sometimes weeks and repeated travels to consulates or embassies) taking care of it. The hassle of immigrationrelated formalities should not be underestimated and may very well impact the success of your meeting.

Solution: understand the situation in advance and communicate clearly to your participants.

Also consider customs issues. The ease and cost to get materials (such as show booths) into countries vary greatly country by country. Depending on the destination of a conference, this may make it more or less attractive for exhibitors and even organisers to get materials to the site. In some countries bribes and other cultural aspects may also play a great role in doing business.

Solution: involve an internationally reputable customs broker.

Associations and conference organisers are most certainly advised to take advantage of the knowledge of local and internationally experienced professional partners The currency exchange risk is another difficult but important aspect. With meetings planned years in advance and global markets unpredictable, exchange rate related risks are something international conference organisers need to deal with.

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Solution: The golden rule is to generate income in the same currency as expenses - this will at least help to hedge against rising local costs.

However, this still does not address the fact that, for example, your registration fees and local expenses may suddenly become much more (or less) expensive for participants from certain countries depending on how their currencies strengthen or weaken.

The ability to expatriate funds is one of the most serious issues. This aspect needs to be fully understood at the time of the decision to hold a meeting in a certain destination.

In certain countries, laws prohibit or severely tax the expatriation of funds back to a mother association in a different part of the world.

Solution: get full information about this aspect from a lawyer or on-site partner.

Potentially, the solution is simple and relates to the local set up or agreements.

But even before any final funds are distributed, income and other taxes may take another significant bite out of the result of a meeting.

Solution: proactively questioning this issue and understanding the impact early on is critical for a set up that limits your tax liabilities.

Last but not least on the financial side, there is the dreaded Value-Added-Tax (VAT) which is not universally an issue and is a constantly moving target. It is not unheard of that even different tax consultants have different opinions on how to interpret and apply VAT regulations in different countries showing the complexity of the issue. Add to that that most governments have woken up to this being a potentially significant source of revenue and even organisers of small meetings

may be the target of VAT inspections and are advised to take this issue seriously.

Solution: engage a reputable and knowledgeable VAT consultant/accountant. Another solution is to get your meeting’s VAT situation confirmed by local authorities beforehand.

Apart from the legal and fiscal aspects, one should never underestimate and try to understand business customs on the ground but also the culture of doing business and working together. In some cultures, for example, the handshake and the ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ count more than a written contract. And then there are business customs and regulations that are not just different from ‘back home’ but are simply unheard or unknown.

Solution: a trusted local partner or advisor can make a significant difference, but also reading up on cultures and being as much ‘on the ground’ and conducting personal meetings as possible is of the utmost importance.

There are of course many other aspects to consider, ranging from insurances to liability issues. Despite these challenges, organising international meetings is one of the most rewarding professional experiences.

Just be prepared!

www.interelamc.com

Good or bad news for the associations?

THE VAT PACKAGE 2010-2011

REVIEW OF SERVICES AND TREATMENTS WITHIN THE EU THE VAT PACKAGE HAS BEEN DELIVERED A YEAR AGO ALREADY, AFTER ALMOST 10 YEARS OF DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE 27 EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES. BUT WHAT IS THE VAT PACKAGE EXACTLY ABOUT AND HOW DOES IT IMPACT ASSOCIATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISERS? TEXT ANNE-SOPHIE SNYERS, DIRECTOR FINANCES, MCI BRUSSELS OFFICE

THE VAT PACKAGE: GENERAL RULES AND EXCEPTIONS In the past, there were many discrepancies between the places of supply rules across the European Union, leading to double taxations risk for companies and associations. This was especially the case for management services.

Since 2010, apart from the exceptions listed below, services provided to other businesses (B2B*) such as management fees, memberships to companies are taxed in a uniform way in the country where the customer is established.

At the same time, these services are covered by a reverse charge provision, obliging business customers to report the VAT due if the

service provider is not established in their Member State, through a European Declaration of Services (EDS).

On the opposite, services provided to nonbusiness clients (B2C**) such as membership for individuals are located where the service provided is established or where the establishment is based from where the services are provided.

THE EXCEPTIONS On these two general rules for locating services, a limited list of clearly deďŹ ned exceptions still applies.

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THE IMPACT OF THE VAT PACKAGE ON THE ORGANISATION OF CONGRESSES The two last bullet points have a clear impact on the organisation of congresses, fair, and training courses undertaken by associations, and a clear study needs to be done when building up the budget of any event.

Since 2010, apart from several exceptions, services provided to other businesses (B2B*) such as management fees, memberships to companies are taxed in a uniform way in the country where the customer is established + Hiring of vehicle: - short term (< 30 days): taxed where the vehicle is put at the disposal of the customer - long term (> 30 days): taxed where the customer is established + Transport of good: The B2B rule applies in any case. + Fairs and exhibitions: Until the end of 2010, all services linked to fairs and exhibitions were taxable where the services were physically carried out. As from 2011, more distinctions need to be made: - Services in respect to admission to fairs and exhibitions (registrations fees) will

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be located where the event actually takes place - Other services relating to fairs and exhibitions (audiovisual location, translation services, etc.) will be located where the customer is established if the customer is a taxable person/where the activities actually take place for non-taxable person + Passenger transport, supply for cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational, entertainment and similar services, restaurant and catering services: All these services are taxable where the services are physically carried out.

Although the goal of the VAT package is deemed to facilitate the future, it though leaves rooms for interpretation and adaptations that could feed this new regulation in the years to come. Indeed, the fees paid by delegates could actually not be seen as ‘admission fees’ for all participants - and therefore subject to local VAT - as it involves much more than the mere admission to an event. The participation fees to a congress are linked to the access to documents, website, networking, etc.

Hence, the B2B rule (and reverse charge) could be applicable to the companies registering its employees; the B2C for individuals should still apply. This would though complicate the role of the association and the Professional Congress Organiser (PCO) organising an event.

Furthermore, the wording ‘other services relating to fairs and exhibitions…’ could lead to misinterpretations. Some EU States might translate differently with a limited or broader approach. However since this new rule must apply, here is what it means for an association that wants to organise a congress or an event:

1.

The local VAT registration is still mandatory for any event organised by an association and registrations will be submitted to the local VAT

2.

Most of the charges linked to the organisation of the event (food & beverage, transfers, cultural activities, social programmes, etc. ) will still be charged with the VAT of the country where the event takes place – see section about exceptions

3.

4.

Some other charges will now be exempted from the local VAT and the reversed charge will apply (for example audiovisual and translation costs).

This relates to any service linked to the organisation and not mentioned in the exceptions Exhibitions: the general B2B rule applies. However, some exceptions remain in EU countries which should be checked on a case by case basis

5.

Sponsorship: the local VAT is applicable depending on the nationality and if the sponsor is a company/association or a private.

The new VAT Package is a vast topic and there is much more to say about its impact on the life of an associations, such as the functioning of the EDS, local reclamation for foreign VAT paid outside a congress via the Electronic Refund platform, etc. However, and despite the many seminars and courses

offered on the topic, associations should ensure they get the best advices on the matter to avoid unpleasant consequences.

www.mci-group.com/associations www.growglobally.org

*

B2B (Business to Business) = any company/association being VAT registered ** B2C (Business to Customer) = any individual/company/association not being VAT registered

BRUSSELS TRADE ASSOCIATIONS ARE FRETTING THAT IF THEY SIGN UP TO THE COMMISSION’S LOBBY REGISTER THEY COULD BE CLOBBERED BY THE TAXMAN THE CONCERN ARISES BECAUSE TRADE FEDERATIONS IN BELGIUM MUST PROVIDE THE TAXMAN WITH A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MUCH OF THEIR ACTIVITY IS ‘DIRECT LOBBYING’ AND HOW MUCH IS, FOR EXAMPLE, ‘EDUCATIONAL’ WORK OR R&D SPEND. THEY CAN CLAIM VAT BACK ON THE LATTER. BUT THEY FEAR THAT IF THEY SIGN UP TO THE LOBBY REGISTER THEY COULD LOSE SUCH VAT EXEMPTIONS. TEXT IAN HALL

One source in Brussels said: ‘There is absolutely a fear of this for trade associations. The VAT authorities will probably take a look at the register. Trade associations should get the advice of a tax adviser.’ Former MEP Tom Spencer, now executive director of the European Centre for Public Affairs, said: ‘I am aware that the act of registering raises VAT and tax issues for trade associations

headquartered in Belgium. It’s natural that they sort out the repercussions before they register.’

Rachel Barlow, former V-P, put a positive spin on the issue. She said: ‘One of the positives of the lobby register is that it will act as an incentive for checking internal governance issues and encourage associations to consider formal incorporation and VAT registration where this hasn’t yet been carried out.’

The Commission says that associations (like in-house lobbyists) should indicate costs ‘related only to the direct lobbying of all EU institutions’ on the register. Its guidelines state: ‘Registration shows that an organisation represents interests. It does not mean that those registering can be labelled ‘lobbyists’.’ Trade associations that register will be hoping that the Belgian taxman agrees.

Professional bodies for the legal profession across Europe are largely taking a cautious approach to the register, although the situ-

ation is complicated by differing European countries having different rules for lawyers.

The Law Society of England and Wales, for example, is advising its members that registering before they have the consent of all clients that they have acted for on ‘direct lobbying’ in the past 12 months might put them in breach of their professional code.

The society has written to Jens Nymand Christensen, director of better regulation and institutional issues at the Commission, outlining its concerns. In a letter dated 25 July, the body wrote: ‘We are particularly concerned to work out how solicitors’ firms can register, whilst complying with the solicitors’ code of conduct and their legal duties to clients.’

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UIA ı UNION OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

rights afterwards, so that the administration can continue.

Conferences are often intended to bring in funds to support the general running expenses of the organisation or expand activities, but if the association managers find that numbers are far from those they had hoped and planned for, they will be required to prove that they made every possible effort to attract participants if they are trying to recover their outlay by claiming on insurance. Proving that one advertised is possible, but understanding why people did not read one’s notices or respond to the interesting programme is difficult or impossible. Insurers ask whether they are to cover the expected profit, but if an association is officially ‘non-profit-making’ this is contradictory.

PRACTICAL ISSUES WHEN ORGANIZING AN ASSOCIATION EVENT PRIME CONSIDERATIONS FOR AN ASSOCIATION PLANNING A MEETING ARE THE PROGRAMME AND THE VENUE. HARD ON THE HEELS OF THESE ESSENTIAL DECISIONS

The expense of paying to a hotel or conference centre the contractually agreed minimum if the meeting fails to generate the expected business will fall on the association, so the association manager has to judge whether an insurance premium will benefit him or just add to his losses. Often his conclusion will be to negotiate his best position with the hotel, balancing the lowest potential loss in case of problems with the greatest flexibility in case of success.

COME A HOST OF PRACTICAL ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED, SUCH AS PUBLICITY, BUDGETING, VALUE ADDED TAX, TRANSPORT AND TRANSFERS, REGISTRATION. THIS ARTICLE WILL FOCUS ON TWO OF THE NUMEROUS CONCERNS ARISING: INSURANCE AND VISAS. WHAT IF THE PLAN DOES NOT WORK OUT - SHOULD THE EVENT BE INSURED? AND FOR THE DELEGATES TO REACH THE MEETING - DO THEY NEED VISAS? TEXT JUDY WICKENS, VOLUNTEER AT THE UIA, RETIRED SECRETARY GENERAL OF T.I.C. (TANB.ORG), WITH PETRA AUGUSTINOVA

INSURANCE Insurance is a thorny issue for associations to tackle. There are companies or brokers which offer cover for ‘events’ and it is clearly of interest to association executives to investigate this, with regard to their responsibilities.

The largest risk would be cancellation of the entire event, but insurance normally covers

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cancellation only for reasons beyond the control of the organiser and not by any decision of his. When the meeting is the general assembly of an association, it can usually not be cancelled under any circumstances (a point to be stressed when booking a venue, also); it must be held in accordance with the statutes, however low the attendance, with a further procedure to set the situation to

Notices of meetings commonly include a disclaimer of any responsibility on the part of the association if participants have accidents or become ill, which is reasonable since the delegates should be covered by their own firms or their personal insurance. For exhibitions, similarly, stands and personnel should be insured by their own firms. The association’s own staff should be insured as part of their employment. If the venue’s reservation contract requires the organiser to subscribe to liability insurance, the cheapest and simplest means is likely to be inclusion in the venue’s own insurance for a short period.

As with all contracts, an insurance policy should be read with the greatest care, and

with particular attention to circumstances which are excluded or are not covered unless additional clauses are written and higher premiums are paid. The burden of calculating potential losses if the worst happens, including assessment of an ‘excess’ (the part of a loss which will be supported by the organiser even if the insurer agrees to pay a claim) lies with the client running the meeting. After all, the insurer, whether company, broker or underwriter, is operating as a business.

VISAS So, the meeting is going ahead, and delegates are booking their places. People who have to undertake international travel in order to attend will need visas or permits allowing them to enter the country. The days have long passed when travel agents provided visas along with one’s air-tickets as a matter of course.

Procedures and conditions change frequently, and interpretation of regulations for one country may vary from one embassy to another; waiting times may vary widely for different places of application, too. Association meeting organisers can assist visitors with general guidance and by providing formal letters of invitation and documents as requested, and they should be prepared to provide this support, which may be very time-consuming.

Applications for visas should follow the published rules as closely as possible, no more no less, as omissions or inaccuracies are very likely to provoke a rapid refusal.

As well as a completed form and a passport - with the passport often required to be valid for six months after the trip - documents required frequently include a return ticket home, proof of sufficient funds, confirmation of conference registration and of a hotel booking.

For those who are not citizens of the European Union (EU) wishing to attend a meeting in Europe within the ‘Schengen Area’, a visa will probably be required, although as

The largest risk would be cancellation of the entire event, but insurance normally covers cancellation only for reasons beyond the control of the organiser and not by any decision of his nationals of some countries are exempted information should be sought on this point.

The Schengen Area comprises most but not all of the EU member countries plus a few others, such as Switzerland. It could be noted that the United Kingdom is in the EU but not the Schengen Area. An application for such a visa should be made either to the country which is the main point of the visit or to the country in which the visitor will arrive, the airport where he will land. Making several applications to different countries is not advisable. Within the Schengen Area a visitor can then move freely but he should keep his passport with him.

For the United States visas can be obtained in some countries by means of an electronic application on-line, in others a personal interview system is operated. The latter may involve a considerable time waiting for

the appointment and then for a decision, which can result in a visa being granted but too late for the participant to reach his meeting.

There are numerous different types of visas and it is not always a simple matter to discover whether a participant in an association conference requires a business or a tourist document. For each and every journey to a meeting, it is advisable to check afresh for visa or visa waiver arrangements between the country of citizenship and residence and the country to be visited.

There are so many practical issues affecting the organisation of meetings, and the better our preparation the more likely it is that our efforts will be crowned with success.

www.uia.org

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HQ > TAIWAN

TAIWAN A VERY SPECIAL ISLAND EXPERIENCE

Taipei

‘MADE IN TAIWAN’ HAS IN RECENT TIMES BECOME A QUALITY LABEL SYNONYMOUS WITH 70% OF THE WORLD’S CONSUMER ELECTRONICS. IN THE SAME WAY ‘MEET (IN)

Traditional Arts Center

TAIWAN’ IS FAST BECOMING A TRADEMARK FOR A VARIETY OF PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES ON ILHA FORMOSA (BEAUTIFUL ISLAND).

NEW ACTION PLAN LAUNCHED Taiwan’s government is boosting its meetings promotion efforts. After the launch of the ‘Meet Taiwan’ campaign in 2009 to promote Taiwan’s meetings industry, the Executive Yuan last November approved ‘Taiwan’s MICE Industry Action Plan’ to better integrate resources of relevant agencies at central and local level and to promote balanced growth and development of regional meetings and conferences. From 2009 to 2011, more than US$70 million are being assigned to develop a more attractive environment and technically advanced services that will appeal to more international conferences to Taiwan.

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The Executive Yuan’s development strategies to ensure the plan’s effectiveness include the following: + Strengthen MICE capacity through the integration of government resources + Increase traffic from overseas destinations and mainland China + Expand marketing + Conduct training, accreditation programs and regular research + Offer flexible rate to attract foreign airlines to operate in Taiwan + Encourage private investment + Standardize exhibition passes

Hsinyi Financial District

+ Promote green meetings + Strengthen the function of virtual exhibitions + Create opportunities and integrate media and online services By implementing the above strategies, the Executive Yuan hopes to guide the gradual

> TAIWAN TWTC Nangang Exhibition Hall

yet progressive development of the domestic meetings industry, so as to achieve the following objectives: + Expanding the scale of the meetings industry + Spurring on a substantial growth in the domestic economy and exports + Helping local development + Generating internal demand and creating prosperity + Enhancing the international profile of the meetings industry + Building Taiwan into Asia’s meetings hub

VENUES WITH A DIFFERENCE Building premium-quality international convention and exhibition venues continuously is also part of the plan, including the Huashan 1914 Creative Park, the Pier-2 Art Center in Kaohsiung, both already in operation, and the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Nangang Exhibition Hall extension) project and Kaohsiung Exhibition and Convention Center, which are slated for completion in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

It is expected that the completion of those venue facilities will attract many more international business events to Taiwan.

The National Convention and Exhibition Center is to be jointly funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), R.O.C and the Taipei City Government. It is to be located at the previous site of the Taipei Municipal Nan-Gang Elementary School. Covering an area of about 3.36 hectares, it consists of nine levels in total, three underground and 6 above-ground. It will have a floor area of 150,000 m2, with a capacity to accommodate 5,000 exhibition stalls, and when completed, it will become one of the largest, state-of-the-art exhibition halls in the world.

The World Games 2009 Kaohsiung

The Kaohsiung World Trade Exhibition and Conference Centre is located at the Kaohsiung Multifunctional Commerce and Trade Park, in close proximity to various top-end international hotels, a mega shopping centre, pier, airport and MRT stations.

Occupying a land area of about 44,929 m2, it will consist of a conference hall with a seating capacity of 2,000, two meeting rooms seating 800 each and 20 to 40 small meeting rooms. The Exhibition Hall will be able to accommodate 1,500 stalls or exhibition stands. The Centre is scheduled for completion towards the end of 2013, and it will commence operation in 2014. Some 2,000 jobs are expected to be created as a result.

10th ACU - Live operation

TAIWAN PLAYS MEDICAL WHEN IT COMES TO HOLDING A MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CONGRESS, TAIWAN COULD WELL BE THE PLACE TO BE, THANKS TO ITS OUTSTANDING RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT AND REPUTABLE PROFESSIONALS. BELOW ARE EXAMPLES OF THREE CONGRESSES

Besides building professional, world-class advanced international convention and exhibition venue facilities, Taiwan also cultivates meetings venues with unique characteristics through the use of its existing resources. Huashan 1914 Creative Park, for instance, houses Linkou Sake Brewery (previously known as the Taipei Winery, which changed its name to Linkou Sake Brewery in 2002). It has perfectly preserved the Japanese brewery structure, which was built during the Japanese colonial period, and it also serves as a museum showcasing industrial building techniques. Moreover, more green open spaces, creative design workshops and creativity showrooms have been planned; all can all be utilized as meetings venues.

The old Kaohsiung Pier 2 is now the Pier-2 Art Center, which is the Centre for Creative and Innovation Technology in the South. The art deco touches make it an ideal setting for meetings activities or business events taking place here.

THAT RELIED ON TAIWAN’S CAPACITY TO DELIVER A HIGH-STANDARD EVENT.

PEDIATRIC DISEASES A diverse range of activities livened up the 5th Asian Congress of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ACPID), which took place at the Taipei International Convention Center from September 23 to 26, 2010, and gave attendees a chance to learn about the beauty of Taiwanese culture. A total of 1,754 professionals from 34 countries in the medical field attended the Congress.

Attracting attendees and meeting their needs, as well as incorporating the unique characteristics of Taiwan, contributed to the success of the event, according to Jason Yeh, Chief Executive Officer of the event organizer, GIS Group. Industry professionals from mainland China were able to attend in large groups due to a more relaxed cross-strait policy. An important goal of the Congress

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> TAIWAN

TAWAINESE HOTELS: WHATEVER YOU WISH AOCPRM

MOST IF NOT ALL OF TAIWAN’S CONFERENCE HOTELS ADHERE TO THE GOLDEN TRINITY OF HIGH STANDARDS,

was to invite experts and scholars from mainland China.

Banquets as well as tours to sites like the National Palace Museum and hospitals were arranged. The dinner banquet was held at the museum’s classically beautiful Silks Palace which, along with the performance by the Lan Yang Dancers, provided an artistic feast for the attendees.

UROLOGY The 10th Asia Congress of Urology of the Urological Association of Asia (10th ACU) took place August 27~31, 2010, with 1,600 experts from 34 countries, at Taipei International Convention Center.

The live demonstrations were the biggest challenges to be organized during the congress, and the budget was also an issue as it became larger and larger as the event approached. The conference ended up involving more than 150 invited speakers, over 450 free papers, 3 pre-congress workshops and 1 post-congress workshop. And in the end it took place flawlessly thanks to the professionalism of everybody involved.

The welcome reception was a standing cocktail party, with numerous authentic Taiwanese food stands and booths of Chinese folk crafts. Masters demonstrating Chinese macrame knots, straw weaving, silk fans and paper-cut art fascinated all the delegates. The congress ended with a guided tour of the Northeast Coast of Taiwan, where participants learned the artistry of pottery works in Yingge, and discovered Taipei 101.

REHABILITATION The 2nd Asia-Oceanian Congress of

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Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (AOCPRM) was held April 29 -May 2, 2010, at Taipei International Convention Center, with 1,600 experts from 40 countries. Numerous workshops were organized to offer hands-on practice sessions in ultrasound examination, low-temperature thermoplastic AAFO, meshglove stimulation, brain motor control assessment and transcutaneous lumbar posterior root muscle reflex stimulation.

The gala dinner was held at The Grand Hyatt Taipei, which gathered all the prestigious speakers and delegates to celebrate the success of the conference. The event was honored by the presence of the mayor of Taipei City, Hau Lunbin. Aboriginal dancers and dragon and lion dances brought the night to a climax. The gala dinner ended with some popular Taiwanese activity - karaoke!

Due to the volcanic activity in Iceland, which caused major disturbances in air transport across Europe, some speakers were not able to attend the event. However, the organizers reacted promptly and invited other medical authorities to replace the speakers.

American physiatrist Joel Delisa, professor and chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, says: ‘Taiwan has a mature medical education system and it keeps improving. I am very positive about Taiwan playing a leading role in the international physical and rehabilitation medicine field.

The organizers of this conference were very professional. I want to say I am very impressed with all the information you sent overall the period of the time, the quality and clarity. So far, the management is outstanding.’

TOP SERVICE AND ATTRACTIVE PRICES. THAT IN ITSELF IS ATTRACTIVE, BUT WHAT IS STRIKING IS THE SHEER VARIETY OF CHOICE: CLASSIC HOTELS, MODERN HOTELS, WELLNESS HOTELS, DESIGN HOTELS, YOU NAME IT!

LANDMARKS

Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel

Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei, a welcoming retreat in the heart of Taiwan’s metropolis, soars 43 stories above Taipei’s premier business and shopping districts, with sweeping views of Taipei 101 and the city skyline. This luxury Taipei hotel is just 15 minutes away from the TWTC. The hotel comprises 420 exquisitely appointed luxury guest rooms, including 53 suites. The décor throughout the premises exudes a perfect blend of the East and West. www.shangri-la.com

Leader Village Taroko

> TAIWAN The Leader Village Taroko is run by the Taroko tribe, surrounded by a quiet environment and abundant natural beauty of Taroko National Park. 36 quality wood cabins with old-time porches surround a main building where in the evening aboriginal dances are performed by the tribe’s people. By day you can enjoy the many wonderful sights and sounds of the Marble Gorge - one of Taiwan’s most visited attractions. Exploring the park by bike or on a wild-water raft will enhance the experience that much more. www.leaderhotel.com

Silks Place Yilan

Silks Place Yilan is the only international 5-star hotel in the county. And combines modern lifestyle with ancient Chinese touches. For example, dinner is announced by an enormous gong in the lobby. High ceilings and wide halls create a light atmosphere. One large international ballroom and four multifunctional conference rooms suitable for events (500 pax.), border on a large roof terrace which can be used for coffee breaks and cocktails.

The large wellness centre is state-of-the-art and is also located on the roof. www.silksplace-yilan.com.tw

Hotel Royal Chiao Hsi

Convention Center, these two hotels represent attractive options for business professionals. The W Taipei just opened in February 2011, boasting 405 rooms and 14 conference rooms. Le Meridian Taipei opened at the end of last year, marketed as the first arts hotel in Taiwan, featuring 700 pieces of artwork.

Evergreen Resort Hotel

The 5-star Evergreen Resort Hotel in Jiaosi offers a harmonious blend of pleasing aesthetics and personal charm are encountered without a hint of ostentation. The hotel is conveniently located just 40 minutes from Taipei city. The hotel has 8 cool and light event rooms, the largest of which can hold up to 800 people. The rooftop can also be used for business events. Johnson & Johnson organised a 3 day conference here, augmented by the gastronomic cuisine (French, Taiwanese, Japanese, etc.) and wellness possibilities. www.evergreen-hotels.com Grand Hotel

The majestic Grand Hotel is one of Taipei’s landmarks.

Situated on a forested mountain overlooking the city and the river, this secluded paradise is within striking distance of downtown Taipei. Because of its palace-like appearance and 20 function rooms, it could be called a special venue in itself. The theater shaped conference hall can cater as many as 800 participants and offers sophisticated facilities. www.grand-hotel.org

GOOD NEWS

Opened in 2005, the Hotel Royal Chiao-Hsi offers travelers the opportunity to enjoy a Japanese incentive experience at non-Japanese prices. Travelers are attracted by the many hot spring opportunities, breathtaking scenery and tranquil environment. The restaurant has two levels, the second of which can be used for special events - even a Japanese opera can be arranged. In addition, there are 4 function rooms (largest room capacity 500 pax). www.hrjhotel.com.tw

The good news is that it doesn’t stop there.

Many international chain hotels are opening in Taiwan, hoping for a slice of Taiwan’s meetings market. Faced with competition from new hotels, existing hotels have been releasing promotions, as well as adding new facilities and services, to gain a competitive advantage.

In this regard, the W Taipei and Le Meridian Taipei are both new landmarks in the bustling Xinyi area. Located near the Taipei World Trade Center and the Taipei International

The aim is to develop a more attractive environment and technically advanced services that will appeal to more international conferences to Taiwan In addition, the Mandarin Oriental Taipei will be located near the Taipei Songshan Airport and the Taipei Arena. Its luxury apartments (‘The Residences’) are an ideal choice for those who frequently fly between Taipei and Shanghai. A new hotel managed by the largest hotel group in Asia - The Millennium - will also open in Taichung. Worth noting is that, unlike most other international hotel brands that focus on business in Taipei, the hotel group is moving into central Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the Formosa International Hotels Corp. has renovated Silks Place Taroko and built the first five-star hotel in Yilan, the Silks Place Yilan. The Sheraton Hsinchu also targets business opportunities created by professionals in the technology sector. The Far Eastern Group has been improving the facilities in its Tainan and Taipei hotels.

With new luxury hotels opening, Taiwan is expected to have close to 2,200 more hotel rooms very soon. The additional rooms will help solve the problem of not having enough space to accommodate visitors when large conventions are held.

CONTACT Hsi-Mei Chang Marketing Director T. +886 2 2514 2535 marcom@meettaiwan.com www.meettaiwan.com

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HQ > G E N E VA

© WHO/P

MEDICAL CONGRESSES HAVE PRIDE OF PLACE IN GENEVA World Health Organization

DISTINGUISHED BY ITS UNIQUE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE,

important aspect of saving costs when organizing an event. Geneva also hosts headquarters of many important institutions such as the World Health Organization, and it could be the occasion for medical associations to benefit from it when they host their meeting in Geneva. Also, the city is very easy to get around, with a reliable public transportation system which is free for all delegates who are staying in hotels in Geneva. The Geneva International Airport has also become an important hub for a large number of international destinations, which facilitate the access of participants.

HQ: Can you describe your relationship with the Convention Bureau?

Grégoire Pavillon: Since a few years, Geneva and the Convention Bureau have highly improved the service given to associations: they facilitate the access to all suppliers by offering a key account person at the Convention Bureau in order to liaise all requests and to make sure that all needs will be answered with the highest standards.

This is definitely a real pleasure to work in such conditions.

STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY, HIGH-QUALITY SERVICES AND RANKING AS A WORLDCLASS CITY, GENEVA BEARS ALL THE ADVANTAGES OF ONE OF THE SMALLEST CAPITALS

CONTACT

IN THE WORLD. BUT ITS WALKABLE NATURE SHOULDN’T HIDE THE FACT THAT, AS A MEDICAL CONGRESS DESTINATION, IT COULD WELL BE THE IDEAL PLACE TO BE, WITH THE LINKS GENEVA HAS WITH THE MEDICAL SECTOR. GRÉGOIRE PAVILLON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF LIVER (EASL), STUDIES THESE LINKS FOR US AND EXPLAINS HOW GENEVA CONVENTION BUREAU CAN HELP AS-

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

HQ: Could you briefly present EASL?

HQ: Why is it based in Geneva?

Grégoire Pavillon: In the 47 years since the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) was founded, it has grown from a small organization that played host to 70 participants at its first meeting to become the leading liver association in Europe with more than 7,500 participant to the International Liver Congress ™. EASL attracts the foremost Hepatology experts as members and has an impressive track record in promoting research in liver disease, supporting wider education, and promoting changes in European liver policy.

Grégoire Pavillon: EASL is registered in Switzerland since we are considered a nonfor-profit association and therefore Tax Free.

Geneva being centrally located in Europe helps a lot the EASL Office staff to join daily meetings around Europe.

HQ: What are Geneva’s main assets as a medical congress destination according to you?

© Geneva Tourism & Conventions

SOCIATIONS MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR EVENTS. INTERVIEW RÉMI DÉVÉ

Grégoire Pavillon: One of the main assets is definitely the fact that no VAT is charged on registration fees and this is definitely an

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Take your MICE event to a higher level in Hong Kong â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions.

Find out more at mehongkong.com

HQ

> HONG KONG

HONG KONG STAKES CLAIM AS ‘ASIA’S MOBILE CITY’ RECORD NUMBERS OF MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS FROM ACROSS ASIA AND THE WORLD ATTENDED

success. Five of the 15 keynote speakers were drawn from the Mainland, representing the world’s largest mobile operators, technology manufacturers and digital service providers.

MOBILE ASIA CONGRESS 2010 IN HONG KONG - UNDERLINING THE DESTINATION’S STATUS AS A HOTSPOT FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS INNOVATION AND AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION LOCATIONS.

Staged in November 2010 by the GSMA, which represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry, Mobile Asia Congress 2010 attracted a record 3,400 attendees. The event has grown tremendously since its Hong Kong debut in 2009, almost doubling visitor numbers and evolving into one of the largest events the GSMA has ever held in Asia.

Hong Kong’s location and status as a gateway into mainland China, the world’s largest mobile subscriber market, was key to the event’s App Planet Seminar

However it was Hong Kong’s world-class infrastructure - conference facilities, hotels and excellent public transport - that most attracted the GSMA Ltd’s Chief Executive Officer John Hoffman. ‘The simplicity of getting delegates in and out, the transport, the ubiquitous use of wireless technology and the world-class facilities of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre were big factors,’ he confirms. ‘Add breathtaking sights, the city’s energy and culinary delights - Hong Kong was clearly the place!’

Hong Kong’s record as one of the world’s safest cities was a further consideration, given the profile of the event’s star guests.

The centrepiece of the event was a thoughtleadership conference programme with a stellar speaker line up featuring some of the industry’s most influential executives, including Li Yu, President and CEO of the world’s largest cellular operator China Mobile, and Sanjay Kapoor, the CEO of India’s Bharti Airtel.

For many, however, the highlight was App Planet, which made its Asian debut in Hong Kong. It attracted 800 eager mobile applications developers, many from across East Asia’s application development hubs such as Japan, Korea and China.

Mobile Asia Congress 2010 received strong support from Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong (MEHK). A division of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, MEHK was not only one of the event’s Official Sponsors, but also supported the App Planet Closing Reception on the final day.

Hoffman says Mobile Asia Congress will remain in Hong Kong ‘as long as the components for success on the part of our attendees are available’, and also hopes to increase the event’s scale. The 3,400-strong attendance in 2010 was a dramatic increase on the previous year’s 1,800.

Hoffman’s enthusiasm for Hong Kong is shared by others. Exhibitor Sebastian Barberis, Vice-President (Sales) for Vodafone’s roaming division, praised the ‘really smooth’ shipping and exhibition logistics, while Ian Struel of UKbased telecoms consultancy Analysys Mason, which sent a delegation to the Congress, was also impressed. ‘Whatever is happening in consumer electronics in Hong Kong is an indicator of what will happen in other countries in the future. And it’s just awesome to come to a city as impressive as this!’ he said.

CONTACT Helen Chan T. +44 (0)207 432 7700 helen.chan@hktb.com mehongkong.com

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HQ

> S T. P E T E R S B U R G

ST. PETERSBURG AND EXPOFORUM Aristocratic Elegance and Contemporary Chic ST. PETERSBURG IS RUSSIA’S MOST EUROPEAN CITY. OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, IT PLANS TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE AND ORIGINAL DESTINATIONS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS AND EVENTS INDUSTRY. RUSSIA’S UNIQUENESS AND FASCINATING HISTORY IS COMBINED WITH A CONTEMPORARY TOURIST INFRASTRUCTURE… YET TO BE DISCOVERED.

BECOMING A MEETINGS CAPITAL There are three factors that contribute to the development of congress tourism in St. Petersburg: 1. the rapid construction of new hotels; 2. the construction of a new airport; 3. the construction of the new ExpoForum international convention and exhibition centre which opens in 2013.

All of this is happening amid the backdrop of the city’s world-famous historical and cultural legacy.

Up until now Russia has been terra incognita for the majority of events organisers. But

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now things are changing and Russia is on the map as never before. Indeed, association planners seek to provide convention delegates with something new and that can be easily found in a mysterious and unique country such as Russia. They are also concerned about the level of service quality for their events and delegates - and the country certainly lives up to high expectations!

NEW VENUE Up until now what prevented the development of the St Petersburg events industry has been the absence of a modern convention and exhibition centre which could

accommodate more than 1,000 people. We have good news today: such a centre is being built as we speak and work is at full steam on the premises. The design work on the ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre (CEC) will soon be completed, and work has begun on the construction of the engineering infrastructure, and on the transport infrastructure in the vicinity of the future CEC. In spring 2011 there will be an official ceremony laying the first stone for the future complex.

ExpoForum’s CEC will be 10 minutes drive from the Pulkovo International Airport, and 30 minutes drive from the St. Petersburg historical centre. The project’s first stage calls for building 40,000 m2 of indoor exhibition space in 3 pavilions, a convention centre with a main hall that can hold 3,000 delegates, two hotels (3 and 4 stars) with a total of 450 room, a business centre, warehouses, and customs terminals. Later, the exhibition space will increase to 100,000 m2.

> S T. P E T E R S B U R G

We have good news today: a modern convention and exhibition centre which can accommodate more than 3,000 people is being built as we speak in St. Petersburg MOVING FORWARD ExpoForum promises to be one of the most modern and technologically cutting-edge centres in the world, allowing for flexibility in transforming spaces, well-thought out logistics, modern equipment, absolute security, and energy-saving technologies. All this will surely contribute to the complex’s success.

ExpoForum has already received the ISO 9000:2001 certificate, and it has joined prestigious international associations such as the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA).

And when construction is completed it will be certified as a green venue appropriate for sustainable events. The new venue is planned to be built according to standards of the ‘golden certificate’ of the prominent organization U.S. Green Building Council LEED, which confirms the project’s green status.

This will make St. Petersburg even more attractive for conferences of all kinds. Even now it’s attractive for business. Over the past years, some of the world’s largest automakers, pharmaceutical and informational technology companies have started production in the city. St. Petersburg is the second largest scientific and educational centre in Russia, with 83 institutions of

higher learning. It has also hundreds of outstanding architectural, historical and cultural buildings and sites, 200 museums, 340 bridges and 70 theatres. That could definitely be an added value for an association planner.

ExpoForum will be close to the best suburbs of St. Petersburg - Pushkin and Pavlovsk. These palace and park ensembles used to be the summer residences of the imperial family and they can now serve as impressive settings for any business or social gatherings.

RELIABLE PARTNER

EXPOFORUM THE HARD FACTS + + + + + + + + + +

Indoor exhibition space: 100,000 m2 Outdoor exhibition space: 40,000 m2 Main auditorium capacity: 3,000 people Gala Hall capacity: 2,000 people Numer of pavilions: 6 Meeting rooms and conference halls seating 4 to 500 persons Two hotels: one 3- and 4-star hotel with 450 rooms altogether Outdoor and underground parking with over 10,000 parking spaces All relevant infrastructure: 5,000-6,000 m2 Engineering infrastructure: 1,000-1,500 m2

To organise a successful event in Russia it’s very important to have a reliable partner who knows the local situation and who can help avoid unexpected problems.

ExpoForum is an excellent choice for a local partner in Russia, and in addition to building a new convention centre the company is a professional congress organiser.

CONTACT ExpoForum is ready to provide all necessary support for your event and to solve all issues ranging from visas to devising a leisure and entertainment programme. Together with ExpoForum you will discover a new and modern St. Petersburg.

ExpoForum T. +7 812 449 0345 F. +7 812 449 0346 business@expoforum.ru www.expoforum.ru

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HQ > FLANDERS

©Jean-Pol Lejeune

Downtown Brussels

Gh

FLANDERS IS THE PLACE TO MEET An interview with Peter De Wilde SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF PETER DE WILDE, 41, AT THE TOURIST OFFICE FOR FLANDERS IN BRUSSELS, A FRESH BREEZE HAS BEEN BLOWING OVER THE GRASMARKT (GRASS SQUARE). THE GRASS HAS ALSO TURNED A BIT GREENER. WE ASKED THE NEW CEO ABOUT TOURISM IN FLANDERS, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE BUSINESS SIDE OF IT: THE MEETINGS INDUSTRY. WHAT IS FLANDERS’ PLACE ON THE EUROPEAN MEETINGS MAP? INTERVIEW MARCEL A.M. VISSERS

HQ: Flanders is a rich region as everybody knows. Is it rich with meetings as well?

Peter De Wilde: This is the case now more than ever. When we talk about Flanders we include Brussels, since they are promoted together. In 2009, Brussels hosted the highest number of association meetings in Europe and was only second to Singapore worldwide. More than 50% of overnight stays in Brussels comes from business tourism or is at least related to the meetings industry.

Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent are also popular meeting destinations. However, Brussels is most definitely our number one destination for business tourism.

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What is new for Flanders is that we are integrating leisure and business tourism within one strategy. Research proves that a large part of a destination’s appeal is determined by its cultural environment. Flexible, historical cities have a competitive advantage on this aspect. This is an opportunity for Flanders: we are an urban society, where many magnificent historical town centres lay side by side, waiting to be discovered. We are also well-known for our cutting-edge craftsmanship - think about the usual suspects beer and chocolate, but also about fashion. In our brand new international marketing plan, we will focus on those urban assets much more than we do now.

As we speak, this marketing plan is being set up. In March, we will go on a ‘Tour of Flanders’, asking the decision makers of our sector for more input. However, since the budget is limited, we cannot include everyone and everything: we have to make sharp, smart choices about how we are going to promote our destination and to whom. The meetings industry is one of the five pillars of our marketing plan. We summarize this by the phrase: ‘Flanders is the place to meet.’

HQ: How do you explain the Belgian situation to potential clients or foreign meeting planners?

Peter De Wilde: We promote a destination, not a political discourse. The complexity of the Belgian state structure is of no importance to foreign clients. They want to know if the destination is safe and easily accessible.

Since Brussels is the heart of Europe, this is most definitely the case. The political situation doesn’t really affect our work.

At a New Year’s reception in the city hall of Brussels, Alderman of Tourism Philippe Close

©Koen De Langhe

Peter De Wilde

Ghent

some of the infrastructure could use an update. That’s why we need to keep investing, also in people.

Next to that, we have to develop our commercial minds. The Netherlands, for example, seems to fare better when it comes to entrepreneurship. We could learn from them.

But they can also learn from us. That is why we will cooperate more when there is a winwin situation. For example: Flanders and the Netherlands will promote themselves on the Japanese market together, which has never been done before. Different markets require different strategies.

©Koen De Langhe

Wilde

> FLANDERS

gave a speech in Dutch and Flemish Minister of Tourism Geert Bourgeois responded in French. We do not partake in the political argument. We’re even increasing the level of cooperation with our colleagues in Brussels.

We have to promote the Flanders brand, but the reality is that Flanders is a region of Belgium and the EU and that Brussels is our capital. We use these factors to strengthen the brand. It is undeniable that regions are becoming more important in Europe. As a tourist office for the region of Flanders, this is an opportunity.

More than 50% of overnight stays in Brussels comes from business tourism.

Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent are also popular meeting destinations

But we can’t promote our brand in the same way everywhere. For European clients it may be easier to think in regions, but in far away markets this is not the case. For example: in

China it’s better to promote Europe than a single country. The European Travel Commission, of which I am the Vice President, is creating a strategy to increase awareness about the destination Europe as a whole.

HQ: You’ve started this new job not so long ago. How do you see Flanders in the whole context of the meetings industry?

What’s the future going to be like?

Peter De Wilde: I’m very ambitious: not only concerning the position of the Tourist Office for Flanders, but for tourism in Flanders in general. I think our product - the historical cities and our cutting-edge craftsmanship is fantastic. But we have to keep working on our infrastructure.

This is why the Flemish government is realizing a big infrastructural project in Antwerp. €57.2 million has been invested in the Elisabeth Hall in order to transform it into a state-of-the-art conference centre that will offer a unique mix of accessibility and history. It goes without saying that this will strengthen our position on the meetings segment. Brussels will still lead the pack, but the meetings industry market needs to spread out to the rest of the region. Ghent and Bruges have potential too, although

HQ: Will you ask the conference bureaus for input? In the past, this wasn’t always the case.

Peter De Wilde: That is certainly my intention. Before I started working in this position, I had meetings with every convention bureau from every Flemish city. I learned that there is a huge local dynamic within the meetings segment. Kortrijk is developing as a meetings industry destination too, attracting business from Lille and the rest of Northern France.

On the coast and in Limburg things are changing too. It is crucial to find out who to promote where and for what purpose. Not everyone can have the ambition to aim for the same market. But we are very lucky to have strong and ambitious local partners.

Developing a collaborative strategy is very important to me.

More info on Flanders as a meetings destination: www.meetingpoint.be

Peter De Wilde is a PhD in the Arts, Romance Languages and Literature. He worked as the Head of the Culture Department of the Province of Antwerp and as Chief of the Department of Culture & Tourism at the City of Antwerp. During his academic carrier, he wrote multiple books about history in Dutch, French and English. He started working as CEO for the Tourist Office for Flanders in November 2009.

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HQ > MAASTRICHT

MAASTRICHT Meet at the crossroads

MEETINGS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, FROM INFORMAL CHINWAGS

BY THE WATER COOLER, RIGHT UP TO SEMINARS OF THOUSANDS PACKED INTO STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES. MAASTRICHT CAN MANAGE ALL KINDS - WITH EFFICIENCY, CHARM AND A LITTLE BIT MORE SOPHISTICATION THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT. YOU WON’T FIND CLOGS, TULIPS AND WINDMILLS HERE. AS UN-DUTCH AS DUTCH CITIES GET, IT’S ALL ROMAN RUINS, TO-DIE-FOR INTERNATIONAL CUISINE AND MODERN SPACES FOR GREAT ASSEMBLIES.

In 2009, 1,500 delegates of the ESTRO Congress saw Maastricht by bicycle, which I have always found a nice mental image.

On a recent trip, I was presented with a program for a two-day visit. To my delight, day two consisted of ‘bicycle tour of Maastricht - weather permitting’. I awoke the next morning in my beautiful and stylish room of the Golden Tulip Apple Park and peeked through the curtains to the world below at the rain soaked car park. Presuming rain was exactly the kind of condition that might not permit our two-wheeled tour, I pulled on a nice dress and heeled shoes, looking forward to being chaperoned around in the sheltered warmth of a taxi (not very green I know, particularly for such a ‘walkable’ city).

AND LIKE ANY DUTCH CITY WORTH ITS SALT, IT HAS LOTS OF BIKES. REPORT ROSE KELLEHER

Golden Tulip Apple Park Hotel

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I was brought to the Eden Design Hotel where I was greeted by the smell of fresh coffee… and, to my horror, a set of keys for a bicycle. I was assured that in the Netherlands, it is perfectly acceptable to cycle around in the rain in whatever kind of shoes you fancy.

(Upon enquiring exactly what kind of weather would rule out bicycling I was informed that ice is not ideal). I sat down for breakfast at the Eden Hotel’s attached Brasserie Flo, where I saw relaxed tourists lounging in the roomy eatery, unfolding newspapers and buttering croissants, while I ate, drank and doubted the wisdom of my escorts. Minutes

later I was whizzing around the city in a state of unadulterated joy, not minding in the least the drizzle on my face and knuckles.

Everyone was doing it! Biking in Maastricht is great, and though it’s the only city in the Netherlands with hills, there’s no need for alarm. The Dutch definition of a ‘hill’ is very liberal, as is everything else in this country.

Maastricht is number three in the Netherlands for conferences and it has a great venue in the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre (MECC), but also tons of special venues dotted around the city centre and the surrounding countryside. I saw a lot that impressed me. For one thing, the size of Maastricht definitely works in its favour. It is ultimately walkable.

A CACOPHONY OF CULTURES The word crossroads is bandied about a lot in this part of crowded Western Europe. Personally, I reserve this title for only two places: Maastricht and nearby Aachen, one-time home to Charlemagne. Maastricht truly is at the crossroads of the continent. You can see this in the French street names, the wide variety of cuisines, and the Dutch, German, English, Flemish and Maastricht dialect that can be overheard. A city of 120,000, it straddles the river Meuse, a fast flowing body of water.

Friendly Maastrichtenaars cross the bridge in

> MAASTRICHT

© Hugo Thomassen

MECC

Maastricht

droves by foot, and in summer, the banks are full to bursting with terraces and bars and people watchers. One such terrace is that of the beautiful Bonnefanten Museum, which can be rented for meetings of up to 250 people where your members can enjoy ‘Augenspiel’, a collection of old, modern and contemporary art.

THE MECC Next year The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) will celebrate a 25 year-long love affair with the city of Maastricht and its premier events place, the MECC (the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre).

The haughty TEFAF draws high brow visitors in their thousands, as one collector puts it, to ‘get together with dealers and collectors... to

Inside the MECC

Limburg says that the cultural events in the city must reflect the taste of the guests. He says: ‘TEFAF is very important for Maastricht.

As the TEFAF public is used to a certain quality, so when you present a cultural program, it has to match with the quality’.

But Maastricht is not all expensive tastes and Vivaldi. Despite a huge array of gastronomic restaurants and posh cultural programs and eateries, the city’s 16,000 student population certainly keeps prices down and spirits up.

The MECC, attached to the NH Maastricht with 275 rooms, is a very decent fair and conference venue. Located just off the main A2 motorway and only 7 minutes from the centre by car, it consists of three multi-

Maastricht truly is at the crossroads of the continent. You can see this in the French street names, the wide variety of cuisines, and the Dutch, German, English, Flemish and Maastricht dialect that can be overheard have dinner and gossip in Maastricht’s fantastic restaurants’. It is arguably this influx of guests (73,000 in 2010) that fuels the need for Maastricht to stay on top culturally. The General Director of the province of

functional levels. All the floors are interconnected, allowing guests to see each other wherever in the building they may be.

The ground level features a large number of meeting rooms. Special lighting can be used

MECC - Auditorium

MAASTRICHT IN NUMBERS + + + + + + + + +

Capacity, largest auditorium: 1,650 Number of Michelin star restaurants: 4 Total number of hotel rooms: 4,025 Number of Eurostar trains from london per day to nearby Brussels: 10 How much the Maastricht Convention Bureau charges for their services: €0 Distance to Maastricht-Aachen Airport in km: 9 Number of listed monuments: 1661 Number of partners of Maastricht Convention Bureau: 44 Number of nearby major airports: 7 (Brussels, Amsterdam, Liege, Cologne, Aachen, Eindhoven, Charleroi)

+ Largest exhibition space in sq. m: 30,000 + Number of beds: 7944

to project corporate colours onto the ceilings in the entrance hall. The largest auditorium, with wifi throughout, can welcome 1650 people. The entrance provides a total floor space of 27,000 m2 can be used separately or combined. Combination with the Expo Foyer is also an option, and the centre’s got 2201 parking spaces.

In 2010, the European Association of NeuroOncology used Maastricht for a conference for the second time. Professor Albert Twijnstra says that it was chosen for its accessibility,

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> MAASTRICHT

La Butte aux Bois

A UNION IS BORN Back in 1992, a very important document was signed in Maastricht by a bunch of European leaders. It led to what Helmut Kohl gushingly called ‘the United States of Europe’. The signing of the famous treaty was a big moment for the city, but in some respects it has undeservedly made Maastricht synonymous with Eurocracy and other non-visitor friendly connotations.

But Maastricht is no Brussels or Washington DC. It is a charming cosmopolitan city with tons of students and a long folk history. The Château Neercanne with its UNESCO protected gardens hosted the signatories of the Maastricht treaty for lunch (making history can really give you an appetite). This beautiful Michelin starred restaurant and meetings venue is located less than 15 minutes drive from Maastricht city centre, and is an excellent venue for up to 300 people for a meeting, or alternatively, its beautiful grounds can host gatherings of 1,000 or more in warmer weather.

Château Neercanne

the design of the conference rooms, the support and the friendly and efficient staff.

And of course, he adds, ‘the gorgeous city of Maastricht, with its variety of good hotels and excellent connection’ to the MECC. Likewise, according to Peter Niesink, Director of the Dutch Association for Psychiatry (NvvP), their annual conference, with 2,600 visitors was a ‘great success’.

And it’s green. The MECC was last year awarded the Golden Green Key, an international hallmark awarded to hospitality venues that employ sustainable business practice.

ESCAPE TO (NEARBY) NATURE It doesn’t take long to leave the cobbled streets and find yourself in nature, and where excursions and activities can be arranged for large groups by the Maastricht Events Company. There are oodles of fine places to meet and sleep in this rolling lush greenery.

One venue I visited was the splendid La Butte aux Bois. This luxury chateau with gastronomic restaurant is surrounded by vegetation and apart from 41 rooms, it has space for 350 people for meetings in very chic and cozy surroundings.

Likewise, the equally upmarket Landgoed Altembrouck, the stately home of the man who introduced Wagyu cattle to Europe is located a short drive outside the city, hidden in the hills and forests of the Belgian Voerstreek.

It has very recently been opened to groups looking for a special place for a get together for up to 80 people.

For more central places to stay, around Maastricht’s train station is fantastic: it’s got three

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Eden/FLO

beautiful hotels and it’s really close to the old town. The Amrâth Grand Hotel de l’Empereur was built in 1902 and has 149 guest rooms and 8 multifunctional conference rooms. The hotel also features a ballroom with balcony and an underground car park. Practically next door is the Eden Design Hotel, with an excellent meetings space called La XYZ that can host up to 50. The Beaumont is another old beauty, with 121 rooms and a meeting space for up to 50. This award winner is the oldest family owned hotel in the city. It has several meeting and dining rooms, including the innovative BBox, a ‘state-of-the-art meeting facility that is designed for thinking outside the box’. Kruisherenhotel is also definitely worth a détour.

Maastricht Convention Bureau provides services to planners of meetings, incentives, conventions and events. They offer professional, independent and objective information, advice and mediation regarding any aspect of organising business meetings: congress centres, hotels, venues for your party or dinner, transportation, organisational support, catering, social and partner programmes.

CONTACT Maastricht Convention Bureau T. +31 (0)43 328 08 38 info@maastrichtconventionbureau.com www.maastrichtconventionbureau.com

> MAASTRICHT

PSYCHIATRISTS IN MECC MAASTRICHT THROUGH 2019 THE NETHERLANDS PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION (NPA), THE SCIENTIFIC PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHIATRISTS, HAS ENTERED INTO A LONG-TERM COLLABORATION WITH MECC MAASTRICHT. FROM 2012 TO 2015 THE NPA’S ANNUAL THREE-DAY SPRING CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD IN MECC MAASTRICHT. BOTH PARTIES ADDITIONALLY SIGNED A DECLARATION OF INTENT FOR THE YEARS 2017 TO 2019.

The collaboration between the NPA and MECC Maastricht is not a new development. The Association held its Spring Conference at the MECC in 2010. ‘With 2,600 attendees, of which around 95% were psychiatrists or psychiatrists in training, the conference was a great success and we more than met the goals we established’, says NPA Director Peter Niesink. ‘Because of this conference’s success we have decided to enter into a long-term collaboration with this conference venue in Maastricht as of 2012.

This is something unique, because the NPA has never been in a long-term collaboration with any single venue since its establishment.’

We asked him how important the location is to the conference’s success. Niesink’s answer is clear. Although the building must be set up to facilitate the conference it is the human factor that makes the difference: ‘The staff at MECC are highly attuned to our needs and they can offer us the help and support we require to make the conference a success.

Because organisation is not part of our day-to-day jobs, they act as an extra pair of eyes and they advise us when necessary. The MECC staff are professional and friendly facilitators to our event right from the time we start drawing up the agreements for the contract to the last hour of the conference. They quickly find a solution for every challenge that arises, and always pay attention to detail whilst keeping the wishes of our attendees in mind. MECC’s partners, such as Maison

The MECC staff are knowledgeable, customer-friendly and highly valued.

Niesink adds: ‘I have also found the involvement of MECC management to be something quite unique. Whereas at other venues the management and directors are often nowhere to be found, René Hanssen and Madeleine van der Heijden of MECC Maastricht frequently ask us how things are going and they show true involvement.’

MECC Maastricht - the name alone confirms the unique cohesion between the venue and its city, which is represented by the Maastricht Convention Bureau. ‘The beautiful destination of Maastricht turns out to be something special each time’, says Niesink. ‘It offers the necessary opportunities to unwind in the form of exquisite restaurants, plenty of good hotel rooms as well as its charming character.

Attendees often spend several days in Maastricht, also enjoying this aspect of visiting the conference. Thanks to the collaboration between MECC Maastricht and the NPA more than 3,000 national and international guests will stay in the city of Maastricht for three days.’

www.mecc.nl

© Chris Zuiderwijk

With a history going back 140 years and almost 3,500 members, the NPA is the oldest and largest scientific medical professional association of psychiatrists in the Netherlands. The Association’s main aim is to ensure high-quality patient care which can only be achieved if psychiatrists are able to perform their work to a high standard. The NPA therefore invests in acquiring and maintaining scientific knowledge for psychiatrists. The Spring Conference is an important element in this regard.

During this conference, the NPA organises an extensive scientific programme, which includes a variety of symposia, courses, workshops, case studies and discussion groups.

van den Boer for catering and Houben for audiovisual support, operate in the same pleasant manner.’

MECC

NPA Congress

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HQ > BILBAO

BILBAO, A DESTINATION DESIGNED FOR CONFERENCES IN THE LAST TWO DECADES BILBAO, ONCE AN INDUSTRIAL CENTRE, HAS BECOME A BLOOMING SERVICE CITY FILLED WITH ATTRACTIVE BUILDINGS AND PLEASANT WALKING AREAS. DURING MY VISIT, I FOUND A DESTINATION ENHANCED WITH HOTELS, VENUES AND CONFERENCE CENTRES DESIGNED FOR CONGRESSES AND BEAUTY.

Bilbao owes much of its success as a service city and meeting destination to the so-called Guggenheim effect. While the famous Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, is the most obvious example of the urban renewal, it’s only one of the city’s many ambitious projects. These projects have led to new suburbs, modern infrastructures and buildings, like the Bilbao Metro, the Palacio Euskalduna de Congresos y de la Música, the Bilbao Exhibition Centre in Barakaldo and many others. Most of these landmarks are located along a riverside promenade, where design hotels have joined the mix. It was a joyous experience to be able to walk from hotel to conference centre to museum. In this way I felt at home in a city where I hadn’t

HEADQUARTERS 38

REPORT IGOR HENDRICKX

been before and where I didn’t even speak the language.

MEETING IN BILBAO The Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall, designed by Federico Soriano and Dolores Palacios, was inaugurated in February 1,999 and has since played host to 6,379 events, of which 3,754 were congresses and meetings. It won the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC) ‘World’s Best Convention Centre Award’ in 2003. This wonderful multi-purpose centre stands in the very heart of the city on the former site of the Euskalduna shipyard. Indeed, the whole building looked to me like a mighty ship able to accommodate major congresses

side by side with symphony concerts and other stage performances. In addition to the large acoustic auditorium (2,164 pax), there’s a theatre hall (613 pax) and numerous meeting rooms. There’s also a VIP meeting room and the many foyers and vestibules make up 8,000 m2 of multi-purpose space for exhibitions. In 2011 work will start on an expansion of 5,000 m2, of which half will be used for events.

Bilbao Exhibition Centre, located in Bilbao’s metropolitan area, is perfect for large-scale fairs, congresses, exhibitions, etc. The BEC’s great flexibility and versatility make it possible to adapt the spaces to the size and needs of each particular show. The BEC encompasses 150,000 m2 of exhibition space in 6 halls, and hosts around 30 trade fairs per year. Its convention centre has 12 rooms of different sizes and configurations on 5 floors. The complex also boasts the BIZKAIA ARENA, a multi-purpose hall that can adopt a wide range of configurations to host different types of events, seating an amazing 26,000 attendees.

STAYING IN BILBAO Bilbao’s business hotels reflect the city’s new modern design. In each one I enjoyed looking

> BILBAO

GETTING TO AND AROUND IN BILBAO Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque region and is accessible by virtually every means of transportation possible. As a port city, Bilbao can be reached by ferry from the UK. Last but not least, there’s the Bilbao International Airport, which receives flights from all over Spain and many parts of the world. When I went to Bilbao, I discovered its architectural beauty in ever more wonderful steps. First, Bilbao airport has a sleek design with two symmetrical wings and a sharp tip at its centre, earning it the nickname ‘La Paloma’ (‘The Dove’). Second, Bilbao itself seemed to open its doors for me when at the end of a tunnel, we drove over the La Salve bridge, past the Guggenheim Bilbao and along the main boulevard. Maravilloso! As mentioned before, getting around in Bilbao is easy: everything is within walking distance, but if you have to go to the larger metropolitan area, you can use the modern and fast Metro Bilbao or the tram or bus.

Guggenheim Museum Marques de Riscal Hotel

at the structural expressionist, modern, postmodern or even post-postmodern art and architecture. Here are just a few examples of what accommodations in Bilbao look like.

The Silken Gran Hotel Domine is one of three 5-star hotels in Bilbao. It’s got an enviable location right in front of the Guggenheim Museum. Nearly every aspect of the hotel was designed by Javier Mariscal.

The result is a model of ‘contemporarity’ with an understated and welcoming environment. It has 135 rooms, 10 suites and 2 break-out meeting rooms for mediumsized meetings. The hotel’s rooftop terrace offers - apart from a refreshing breakfast location - interesting possibilities with its magnificent view. No wonder that it’s the flagship hotel of the Silken hotel chain.

Strategically located in the heart of the new business, leisure and cultural centre of the city, next to the Euskalduna Conference and Culture Centre, lies the Meliá Bilbao. It attracts the eye with its warm Mediterranean colours. While I was there, the Prince of Asturias was accommodated in one of

211 rooms. The four convention rooms, like the rest of the interior, combine soft pastel colours with warm wooden furnishings, augmented with state-of-the-art audiovisual technology.

Inspiring architecture, inspiring design, inspiring conferences!

151 outward-facing rooms decorated with large, tinted-glass windows, have earned Hotel Hesperia Bilbao the nickname ‘the hotel of colours’. To me it looked like Mondrian himself had come to Bilbao. Built in 2005, across the river from the Guggenheim Museum, the hotel can pride itself on its 9 meeting rooms. Most can be adapted to fit events of all sizes.

www.tourspain.es www.spain.info

Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall

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*2 3/$&(6

EXPAND YOUR VIEW. ENGAGE YOUR MIND. In a World-Class Convention Destination.

Brisbane – Australia’s new world city. Vibrant. Engaging. Warm and welcoming. It’s where you’ll find ground-breaking researchers. It’s where you’ll find innovative thought-leaders. And it’s where you’ll find the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre – recognised as one of the best international convention venues and expanding to bring you even greater scope for boutique events and mid sized conferences. Brisbane – the destination for people who want to go places.

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HQ > SPAIN

NEVER-RESTING MADRID

IT’S TIME FOR A LITTLE UPDATE ON MADRID. ALESSANDRO SANSA, DIRECTOR OF MADRID CONVENTION BUREAU, HAS HAPPILY TAKEN THE TIME TO ANSWER A FEW QUESTIONS FOR US.

HQ: The latest ICCA stats show that Madrid reached the 13th position.

Can you explain your strategy to get this wonderful result?

Alessandro Sansa: We bettered the communication with our members and non-members and the overall administrative process to obtain the correct information from the different providers in Madrid hosting international congresses that satisfy the criteria established by ICCA. The average ranking of Madrid over the past decade had been a 16th place. So we have made a solid move forward and have achieved more business, but the result is not as extraordinary as it may appear at first glance.

HQ: Now that you’ve achieved this, what are your future plans to be even better?

Alessandro Sansa: In the medium term we would like to reach the Top Ten, further increasing the quality of the congresses taking place in Madrid. The qualitative contents and economic return of the congresses is not reflected in the ICCA ranking, meaning if you organize 1 international

congress of 5,000 delegates you will be ranked after a destination that has staged 2 international events of 300 delegates each. It is quite clear that the economic impact is higher with one congress of 5,000 delegates compared to 2 events of 300 participants each.

(60,000 rooms with great value for money).

Intangible: the people and professionals of Madrid, who are making a big difference.

I think most destinations have a lot to offer, but you can’t really change a style of life, the spirit of our city is something ‘genetic’ that we like to put forward.

The ranking is well reflecting the relative strength of the destinations in general terms (and the criteria is equal for all), but we need to find a correct mix, looking at the ranking from different angles, checking the real depth, value and impact of each single congress that can be secured. One good example is the EULAR Congress that we will be hosting in 2013. There was hard work behind it and it will challenge us to showcase the ability of Madrid to welcome over 15,000 delegates to the capital of Spain.

HQ: Other metropolises are beginning to promote themselves in Asia. Is that also a market you’re interested in?

HQ: It’s our understanding that Barcelona and Valencia are your main competitors in Spain. How do you differentiate yourself in order to win bids?

Alessandro Sansa: Some tangible differences are the Barajas airport - it’s connected with direct flights to over 170 destinations worldwide and situated 5 minutes from our main congress and convention centres -, the strength of the public transport system and its price (13 lines covering an underground network of over 300 km at 1€ for a single trip), and the excellence of Madrid hotels

Alessandro Sansa: Any market with potential is interesting… but I believe Asia is currently becoming especially crucial for the leisure travel industry, just starting to open up for corporate trips. It’s still a bit mysterious from an association perspective, as a European destination. We have been to Asia and are going to stage another Road Show in China this year, travelling with 14 of our members to Beijing and repeating a presentation in Shanghai, but focusing mainly on the corporate travel industry.

MORE INFORMATION Madrid Convention Bureau T. +34 91 758 55 28 info.mcb@esmadrid.com www.esmadrid.com/mcb

HEADQUARTERS 41

Open for Great Meetings

Feel free to bring your next meeting to Copenhagen - the Capital of Sustainable Meetings and the greenest major city in Europe. Copenhagen is a vibrant metropolis with a unique art & design scene, plenty of cultural attractions and many Michelin-starred restaurants.

Denmark is easy to reach from anywhere in the world, offers high value for money and has excellent hotels and ultra-modern meeting facilities. Copenhagen and Denmark is open for great meetings.

Open for Great Meetings

For Copenhagen enquiries: +45 3325 7400 kongres@woco.dk meetincopenhagen.com For the rest of Denmark: +45 3288 9937 conferencesales@visitdenmark.com visitdenmark.com

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HQ

> COPENHAGEN

top 50 list in 2010! Now Denmark boasts the World’s Best Chef too; Head Chef Rasmus Kofoed at Copenhagen’s restaurant Geranium2 who won the Bocuse D’or this January.

GET GASTRONOMICALLY AUTHENTIC IN COPENHAGEN MEALS ARE POTENTIAL HIGHLIGHTS IN CONNECTION WITH A MEETING OF ANY KIND,

The latest Michelin Guide also awarded Copenhagen’s restaurants thirteen stars which is more than Rome, Milan, Amsterdam and Vienna and the same amount as Madrid and Berlin, confirming that Copenhagen continues as the number one food-lover’s destination in Scandinavia. The main part of the restaurants awarded with stars focus on the New Nordic Cuisine. Worth noting is that Copenhagen also offers the world’s only Michelin starred Thai restaurant - Kiin Kiin!

If you want to eat green, sustainable and organic, food in particular in Copenhagen,

THE BRAIN FOOD CONCEPT

AND GOOD FOOD CAN HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE ATMOSPHERE OF A WHOLE EVENT. THE DANES UNDERSTOOD THAT A LONG TIME AGO AND UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF MEETOVATION, A CONCEPT THAT AIMS TO FIGHT AGAINST BORING MEETINGS (SEE BOX ON THE NEXT PAGE). THEY OFFER CONFERENCE DELEGATES THE POSSIBILITY TO ENJOY A UNIQUE, LOCAL AND CULINARY EXPERIENCE, STRESSING ONE OF MEETOVATION’S ELEMENTS - ‘AUTHENTIC AND LOCAL FLAVOUR’ -, WHEN ATTENDING AN EVENT IN COPENHAGEN.

It’s no secret for whoever visited Copenhagen over the past years: Danish cooks have become experts in combining international trends with recipes taken from Grandma’s antique cookbooks and local gastronomy using only the best of Denmark’s natural produce while presenting the New Nordic Cuisine.

This change has been led by Copenhagen’s restaurants, which are now recognised by top food writers, gourmets and gourmands from around the world. It started out with Danish restaurant noma receiving 1, then 2 Michelin stars, followed by the ultimate accolade: voted #1 on Restaurant Magazine’s annual

Hotel meals vary in quality but at the Radisson Blu hotels in Denmark all meeting packages now include a new developed Nordic brain-food menu, which matches the Meetovation idea perfectly.

Based on in-depth research by Danish brain scientists and chefs verifying how food affects the way the mind works, Radisson Blu developed an organic brain food concept that make participants stay energized and focused throughout discussions, to speed up decision-making and increase the delegates’ energy-levels and sense of well-being. www.radissonblu.dk

HEADQUARTERS 43

> COPENHAGEN

MEETOVATION: NO MORE BORING MEETINGS! Shake up the formal structures of conferences and encourage innovative thinking to conceive great ideas: Meetovation is the culmination of Denmark’s fight against boring meetings!

Meetovation is a distinctive Danish concept.

The idea is to utilize conference facilities and their setups, in fact the whole environment, in new and innovative ways. To actively engage participants and generate a positive energy that makes conferences and meetings seem less tiring and the big issues solvable.

Breaking with conventional one-way or ‘them and us’ communication is at the heart of Meetovation.

When involving and engaging all participants, both delegates and organizers feel liberated. This again results in higher levels of learning and comprehension and generates a higher Return on Meeting Investment (RoMI).

Essentially, Meetovation is based on five elements: + Involvement of delegates + Creative use of physical facilities + Green and responsible operations + Integration of authentic and local flavour + Measuring the Return on Meeting Investment (RoMI) Being a Danish concept, Meetovation’s ambition of generating more ‘brain- energy’, goes hand is hand with the nation’s desire to use more alternative energy. Research also shows that conferences and meetings take a far more flexible and creative approach to the use of facilities at venues seeking explicit eco-friendly profiles.

Geranium2

Danish cooks have become experts in combining international trends with recipes taken from Grandma’s antique cookbooks and local gastronomy using only the best of Denmark’s natural produce while presenting the New Nordic Cuisine

The selection of high end restaurants is extensive, but dining out in Denmark is not necessary al fancy and expensive - there is a wide selection of restaurants for all budgets.

EXAMPLES OF COPENHAGEN RESTAURANTS WITHIN DIFFERENT PRICE RANGES

www.meetovation.com

At noma, based in a converted 19th century warehouse in the inner harbour of Copenhagen, René Redzepi blends the most exciting contemporary techniques with the finest Nordic ingredients sourced from as far away as Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. In 2005 Noma achieved their first Michelin star, and in 2007 a second star was added. www.noma.dk

is a good place to satisfy your hunger and fullfill your CSR-policy. The city’s #1 organic gourmet restaurant is the just mentioned Geranium2. On top, there is a fine selection of organic and environmentally conscious cafés, delis and restaurants, and the number is growing all the time not just Copenhagen, but throuhgout Denmark!

Restaurant Julian at the National Museum presents delicious medium priced climate friendly New Nordic Cuisine lunches created

by Jesper Julian Møller, former chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant, Kong Hans.

This April Møller will welcome guests at Restaurant TOLDBODEN, where the ambition is to be the Nordic region’s most sustainable eatery, serving CO2 friendly food with an emphasis on seafood. TOLDBODEN seats 600 guests inside and around 200 on the quay; it’s also a modern conference

A vast number of conference and meetings venues in Denmark today happily offer professional advice on how to incorporate elements of Meetovation into international business events.

HEADQUARTERS 44

venue and has been open for groups of up to 600 people since last October. www.tolboden.com Cofoco Restaurants is a group of restaurants that have become immensely popular. They run seven restaurants in Copenhagen all with different profiles from Mediterranean to British inspired menus, at different price levels; the most budget friendly offering a 3-course menu for DKK 275 and the most expensive offering a deluxe 5-course meal for DKK 500. www.cofoco.dk Rooted in a no-fail concept of organics and incentive recipes, BioMio is located in Copenhagen’s trendy meat-packing district. BioMio seats 200 guests in a row of tables and is great for a limited budget and casual groups, since you can order individually, directly from the chef in the open kitchen. Naturally the interior is made out of certified woodwork and energy consumption is low. www.biomio.dk

MORE INFORMATION www.meetincopenhagen.com www.visitdenmark.com

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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%

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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

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