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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, Europe

51

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Your Professional Congress Organiser Any size of congresses, anywhere Kuoni Destination Management offers a wide portfolio of services, from concept to organisation and on-site management. Our aim is your success and to do so we listen to you carefully and are pro-active, creative and innovative.

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HQ > CONTENTS

Colophon HQ or Headquarters is a niche publication for European and international associations headquartered in Brussels and all major European cities dealing with the organization OF worldwide congresses. It is published 6 times a year. Circulation is 5000 copies.

Subscriptions Subscription amounts to 65 EUR (all incl.) in Belgium, 75 EUR (all incl.) in the EU and 95 EUR (all incl.) in the rest of the world.

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

To subscribe: www.headquartersmagazine.com Editor in Chief Marcel A.M.Vissers T: +32 (0)3 226 88 81 marcel@headquartersmagazine.com Managing Director Cécile Caiati-Koch T: +32 (0)2 761 70 52 cecile@headquartersmagazine.com Account Manager - International Sales Kelvin Lu T: +32(0)761 70 59 kelvin@headquartersmagazine.com Managing Editor Rémi Dévé T: +32 (0)2 761 70 58 remi@headquartersmagazine.com Contributor Rose Kelleher Cover ©E Watteau-CHM Design WALLRUS, Kortrijk T: +32 (0)56 24 94 44 info@wallrus.be Print Cartim - Destelbergen Supported by ESAE and UIA Address 59, rue René Declercq B - 1150 Brussels (Belgium) T: +32 (0)2 761 70 50 F: +32 (0)2 761 70 51 www.headquartersmagazine.com Responsible Publisher Meeting Media Company Marcel A.M. Vissers Mechelseplein 23, bus 1 B - 2000 Antwerpen (Belgium)

marcel’s comment

Let’s talk about figures At Headquarters, we all know that September is the ‘stats month’, when we analyze the latest ICCA and UIA meetings statistics.

According to UIA this year, Singapore remains the big leader and sprints even faster than last year. Which European city can tame this Asian tiger? It’s not easy to say, because, as far as I know, no one within or outside Europe has a plan of Singapore’s magnitude.

Brussels continues to maintain its second place though. And don’t forget the European capital doesn’t even have a (mega) purpose-built congress centre yet! But, according to ICCA, Brussels is not emerging as a big winner. This is because both organisations use different criteria for establishing their figures. At ICCA, Vienna remains the top dog.

Last year, statistics guru Christian Mutschlechner explained why it would be difficult to take this prize away from Vienna. That was a pretty bold statement!

But today I want to add something to the statistical theory in the meetings industry. We’re all focused on the numbers that suppose to indicate the winners and losers. That is not a correct vision. One of the rules of good statistical management is that numbers have to be explained, trends analyzed and methods refined. What’s more, in addition to quantitative research, qualitative research should also be conducted.

And I see very little progress in this field. I kind of forgot that other big players in our industry have figures available as well. During the last Annual Conference of ECM in Zagreb, I was really surprised during the presentation of the results of the data collection on meetings statistics. Olivier Drouet, ECM economic analyst, and Olivier Ponti, of the Amsterdam Convention Board, received an ovation from the audience. At the end of the session I asked them:

and what are you going to do with these results? The answer was not very clear. And there are also figures of AIPC, EFAPCO and JMIC… Thus we come to a total of six sources. What are we doing to do with this richness?

» Read more on www.headquartersmagazine.com

CONTENTS DESTINATIONS

General News Association Portrait

4 6

SPECIAL FEATURE Cécile Caiati-Koch

Marcel A.M. Vissers Editor in Chief

Rémi Dévé

ICCA & UIA 2011 statistics

9

ESAE & UIA Sustainability

12

DESTINATION special HQ magazine sets great store by sustainable development and therefore chose responsible FSC® certified paper which comes from a controlled source.

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

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Interlaken, Switzerland Berlin, Germany CTICC, Cape Town Grimaldi Forum, Monaco Adelaide, Australia Montpellier, France Malaysia Meetropolis, Germany Royal College of Physicians, UK SECC, Scotland

29 31 33 35 36 38 40 41 42 46

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HQ > ne w s

20th International Congress of the International Musicological Society (IMS) in Tokyo The 20th International Congress of the International Musicological Society will take place in Tokyo in 2017. As the first Asian city to host the IMS, it is anticipated that more than 1,000 participants will travel to the Japanese capital from all over the world, where they will gather at Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo Geijutsu Daigaku). In addition to round-tables, keynote and free-paper sessions, concerts will also take place at the university’s Sogakudo Concert Hall (1,100 seats).

Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB) and Dr. Higuchi worked closely together in order to win this competition against two other candidate cities, one from Europe and another from the Asia-Pacific region. www.tcvb.or.jp

Tokyo

London mayor welcomes news of prestigious 2014 medical conference

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Unveils New Website Look beyond - was the key behind the design of the new website of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre).

The newly-revamped website incorporates technologically-advanced features for its overall design, layout and usability to elevate user experience to another level. Emphasis was also given to content management to strengthen the Center’s unique value-added propositions. Not underestimating visual power, the website cleverly maximizes the use of distinct visual spaces with signature shots of interior and exterior of the Centre, its food and beverages, and facilities. www.klccconventioncentre.com

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London underlined its position as one of the world’s leading locations for events and conferences with the decision by one of Europe’s leading medical associations, EASL, to stage its 2014 conference at ExCeL London, 3-miles from the Olympic Park. The five day event is expected to bring some 10,000 hepatologists, doctors and medical professionals to the capital. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: ‘The infrastructure we have built in London, including the array of new landmark hotels and inspirational event spaces appearing in and around the east of the city, is making our great capital a dream location for the conference industry. I am delighted that EASL are coming here and welcome the jobs and investment their decision provides.’ www.londonandpartners.com

Kenes UK announces two new association management clients Kenes UK announced its appointment as association management support provider for the newly-formed British Laryngological Association and for BARNA (the British

Anaesthetic and Recovery Nurse Association.)

Following on from the success of the Cutting Edge Laryngology conferences held in London (2011) and in Kuala Lumpur this year, Professors Martin Birchall, Guri Sandhu and David Howard have been instrumental in forming the British Laryngological Association this year as an essential forum for education and debate in this growing field. The association will launch officially at the BLA’s first annual conference on 5 December 2012, at the Royal Society of Medicine. www.kenes.com

Foundation of CityCube Berlin has been laid The foundation stone for the CityCube Berlin has been laid. A start has now been made on the main construction work for the new trade fair, congress and event arena in the German capital. The starting signal was given in early July with three symbolic hammer blows. The first events will be taking place in just 18 months in the multi-purpose hall on the Berlin ExpoCenter City grounds. CityCube Berlin is expected to open in 2014, and will be able to accommodate up to 10,000 people. www.citycube-berlin.de

> CONTINUED

CityCube Berlin

New online Brisbane event planning directory Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau launched Australia’s first dedicated online city directory, the Brisbane Event Planning Directory, for the business events industry incorporating venues, accommodation and services. Driven by the demand from the meetings and events industry for online business tools, the directory will be the go-to tool for corporate, association, government, university and professional conference

Brisbane

organisers planning meetings, events and conferences in Brisbane. The new Brisbane Event Planning Directory will complement the Convention Bureau’s www.meetinbrisbane. com.au website and will include a powerful search engine and dynamic, up-to-date content. Planners will also be able to view the new directory on both iPhones and iPads, making this essential information easier to access anywhere, anytime. www.meetinbrisbane.com.au

Discussion in the past and at present has been how to manage all vs. the others. Convention bureaus vs. congress centres, vs. PCOs vs. hotels. Probably this scenario is not tuned with future market trends. The attitude in the short term has not to be versus, but together with. In a competitive market, the union of different expertise can bring unexpected results and new business.

Those destinations that adopted this new approach are seeing the number of events they host increase in great proportions. It is important that we all think as a group.

Francesca Manzani

United we stand, divided we fall In a period of strong difficulty due to the global economic downturn and aggressive market scenario, the ideal to pursue is teamwork. Collaboration, comarketing, contribution - the three CO attitudes that can make the difference and beat the threatening coword: competition!

AIM Group International has made synergy its motto. Our added value: we look for new business opportunities and work closely with CVBs and congress centres where AIM has offices so associations feel welcome and come organize their events. We have learned it is challenging but also highly profitable to work together as a team. Respect of each other’s professionalism is what rules in such a new approach and permits to avoid unpleasant behaviour.

The new ‘comprehensive team’ is becoming larger as collaborations

2012 - 2013 Meetings Industry Fairs Worldwide: Make Your Choice!

CIBTM // 12-14 September 2012, Beijing // www.cibtm.com IMEX America // 9-11 October 2012, Las Vegas // www.imexamerica.com EIBTM // 27-29 November 2012, Barcelona // www.eibtm.com AIME // 26-27 February 2013, Melbourne // www.aime.com.au

are expanding to other players of the congress organization chain. The aim is to offer a global, extremely competitive and structured offer.

This setting is bringing positive results to our PCO activity and our partners are already showcasing increased numbers.

Contact Francesca Manzani Business Manager Head of Florence Office AIM Group International +39 055 2338 824 f.manzani@aimgroup.eu www.aimgroupinternational.com

HEADQUARTERS 5

HQ

> association portrait

Association for the Prevention of Torture A talk with Mark Thomson Mark Thomson is the Secretary General of the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT). Based in Geneva, APT envisions a world in which no one is subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Mark tells us more about HOW the Association operates.

Global Forum, Geneva

Mark Thomson

HQ: Could you briefly present the Association for the Prevention of Torture?

Mark Thomson: The APT is an international NGO that promotes actions to prevent torture and other ill-treatment of persons in detention. The APT is headquartered in Geneva. It also has a Latin America Office in Panama and country delegates in South Africa, Tunisia and shortly in Indonesia.

Over the last thirty years the Association has been behind the adoption of intergovernmental agreements to prevent torture, such as a UN treaty (the OPCAT), a Council of Europe treaty and an African Union set of guidelines. The international treaty (OPCAT), adopted ten years ago in 2002, set up a novel system of regular visits to all places of detention by independent international and national experts. They analyse the risks

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of torture and other ill-treatment (that exist everywhere) and make recommendations to reform detention practices and/or conditions as well as changes to national legal frameworks. So far 63 states, from all world regions, have joined this relatively new global preventive system.

The APT’s priority has now become the provision of support to national partners undertaking prevention work.

HQ: What do you find most challenging to achieve as an association?

Mark Thomson: I see it twofold: managing the global demands for technical support and substantive advice without becoming too big and unsustainable.

Once a quarter, there are our rather small but international expert meetings in Geneva, along with, twice a year, Board Meetings and our General Assembly. Once every five years we organise a big international conference as well.

HQ: What is the association’s decision process concerning the organization of your annual meeting? How do you decide where to go?

Mark Thomson: The Secretary General consults staff and then makes a proposal to the President. Pending her agreement a proposal is then made to the Board for their approval.

HQ: What kind of events do you organize?

Mark Thomson: We generally have training workshops in a different parts of the world once a week. Once a year, we also organize regional seminars in relevant world regions.

In Nepal

> association portrait

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

Mark Thomson: For workshops and seminars we need venues for 20 to 60 persons that have interpretation facilities, comfortable but not luxurious accommodation, good transport logistics, easy visa requirements

actors to provide better protection of persons deprived of their liberty. This should be achieved by nurturing relevant expertise and actions and making them easily available for a broad variety of international, regional and national partners.

The cooperation of the host government and national partners is one of the most important factors in the success of our events. For example last month we organised a successful Middle East and North Africa conference in Rabat, Morocco. The fact that the Morocco Inter-Ministerial Delegation on Human Rights hosted the meeting meant that logistics were taken care of in a very professional way and participants could already see how inter­ national-national partnerships can work in a meaningful way. www.apt.ch

Global Forum, Geneva

In the Maldives

Make an effort to enable real interactive dialogue and you will not only achieve better attendance at your events but much more interesting results and useful follow-up and a reliable local partner. For regional conferences we need pretty much the same, but venues that can take up to 100 persons. Our international conference needs facilities that can accommodate up to 300 persons.

HQ: How do you see the future of APT? Mark Thomson: I’m pretty confident APT will become a specialized international organization assisting states and other national

In Madagascar

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

Mark Thomson: The smart ‘trail blazer’ participants will think twice about going to a speech laden congress. Make an effort to enable real interactive dialogue and you will not only achieve better attendance but much more interesting results and useful follow-up.

HQ: Any memorable destination for one of your events? If yes, why?

Mark Thomson: Well certainly last November’s OPCAT Global Forum with over 300 governmental and non-governmental participants, in Geneva, was our most successful event. Logistics were kept under control by booking hotels and the venue a year ahead.

The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs was our main sponsor there.

APT Global Forum on the OPCAT The first gathering of torture prevention actors Five years ago, the international treaty focusing exclusively on the prevention of torture (the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture or OPCAT) entered into force. In this context, the APT Global Forum on the OPCAT in November 2011 brought together, for the first time, all OPCAT States Parties, National Preventive Mechanisms and the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, to take stock on the implementation of the OPCAT. The Global Forum highlighted the achievements of the OPCAT so far, but also identified numerous ongoing challenges. In two days of lively discussions among an unprecedented group of motivated experts and practitioners, the Global Forum identified ways in which the prevention of torture and the OPCAT system could be strengthened.

HEADQUARTERS 7

HQ

> S tatistics

ICCA 2011 statistics

A resilient, even growing, international association sector With the release of the 2011 Top 20 Rankings for cities and countries, the

Number of meetings per country

Number of meetings per city

Rank

Country

Meetings 2011

Rank

City

Meetings 2011

International Congress & Conven-

1

USA

759

1

Vienna

181

tion Association (ICCA) is reporting

2

Germany

577

2

Paris

174

3

Spain

463

3

Barcelona

150

4

United Kingdom

434

4

Berlin

147

5

France

428

5

Singapore

142

6

Italy

363

6

Madrid

130

7

Brazil

304

7

London

115

8

China-PR

302

8

Amsterdam

114

9

Netherlands

291

9

Istanbul

113

10

Austria

267

10

Beijing

111

11

Canada

255

11

Budapest

108

12

Switzerland

240

12

Lisbon

107

13

Japan

233

13

Seoul

99

14

Portugal

228

15

Republic of Korea

207

14

Copenhagen Prague

98 98

16

Australia

204

16

Buenos Aires

94

17

Sweden

195

18

Argentina

186

17

Brussels Stockholm

93 93

19

Belgium

179

19

Rome

92

20

Mexico

175

20

Taipei

83

another year of continued strength in international association meetings market.

For the first time ever, more than 10,000 regularly occurring association events were identified by ICCA members and ICCA’s in-house research team as having taken place during 2011, over 800 more than identified a year previously. ICCA’s city and country rankings cover meetings organised by international associations which take place on a regular basis and which rotate between a minimum of three countries, with at least 50 participants.

Compared to last year, the top 10 countries shows little change, with the top six repeating their rankings, led by the USA, Germany and Spain. The Netherlands and Austria appeared at 9th and 10th respectively, taking the place of Switzerland, which dropped from 10th to 12th, and Japan, which in the aftermath of cancellations due to the earthquake and tsunami, understandably dropped from 7th to 13th. The USA saw by far the biggest jump in the number of events held, up by 136 to a new record 759 meetings.

Compared to last year, the top 10 countries shows little change, with the top six repeating their rankings, led by the USA, Germany and Spain.

In the city rankings, Vienna retained its number one status, and below it Paris overtook Barcelona in the 2nd and 3rd place duel. The biggest climber in the top ten was London, with the 2012 Olympics effect pulling them up from 14th to 7th, and Beijing, which led the way amongst the fast growing BRIC destinations by climbing from 12th to 10th.

> S tatistics

Good health ICCA CEO Martin Sirk said: ‘The most important thing to note is that international association meetings continue to be in tremendously good health when compared with the overall situation in the global meetings industry.

We’ve seen consistent annual growth in the number of international association meetings throughout the last few years of global economic instability, something no other sector can claim, even though we’re also hearing about increasing challenges in raising sponsorship amongst a sizeable minority of organisers.’ He added: ‘I strongly believe that any destination wanting to achieve long-term overall

success in the meetings business needs to invest in the research and specialised marketing and bidding skills required to attract these international association events.’

Reflecting the overall increase of association meetings is the good shape of Latin America in the international meetings industry: ICCA’s statistics show that Latin America’s market share in the international association meetings industry has grown in the last 10 years from 7.2% in 2002 to 10.5% in 2011. And for the first time ever there are currently three Latin American Presidents of major international meetings industry Associations - ICCA,

Site, and IAPCO. As for the matter, ICCA President Arnaldo Nardone from Uruguay joined Site President Alejandro Verzoub and IAPCO President Gonzalo Perez Constanzo, both from Argentina, to participate in a panel to analyze the current meetings and incentives industry in Latin America from the perspectives of their associations, in Uruguay in June.

Worth noting is that the 51st ICCA Congress will be organized in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 20-24 October, during which Headquarters will sponsor the ‘Dress to Impress’ gala evening. www.iccaworld.com

Union of International Associations (UIA) International Meetings Statistics for the Year 2011

For the past 63 years, the Union of International Associations (UIA) has undertaken, for the benefit of its members, statistical studies on the preceding year’s international meetings. The statistics are based on information systematically collected by the UIA Congress Department and selected according to strict criteria maintained over the years, thus enabling meaningful comparison from year to year.

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

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

HEADQUARTERS 10

> S tatistics

Top Meeting Countries in 2011

Top Meeting Cities in 2011

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

Rank

Country

Meetings 2011

Rank

City

Meetings 2011

1

Singapore

919

1

Singapore

919

2

USA

744

2

Brussels

464

3

Japan

598

3

Paris

336

4

France

557

4

Vienna

286

5

Belgium

533

5

Seoul

232

6

Korea Rep

469

6

Budapest

168

7

Germany

421

7

Tokyo

153

Meetings taken into consideration include those organized and/ or sponsored by the international organizations which appear in the Yearbook of International Organizations and in the International Congress Calendar

8

Austria

390

8

Barcelona

150

9

Spain

386

9

Berlin

149

10

Australia

329

10

Geneva

121

11

Netherlands

299

11

Amsterdam

118

12

UK

293

12

Madrid

116

13

Italy

269

13

Stockholm

109

14

Hungary

221

14

Copenhagen London

105

15

Switzerland

219

15

Sydney

103

16

China

200

16

Melbourne

99

17

Canada

186

17

Lisbon

96

18

Norway

169

18

Istanbul

92

19

Sweden

161

19

Beijing

90

20

Portugal

160

20

Bangkok

88

What counts UIA divides meetings in 3 categories : meetings of international organizations, 3-day other international meetings and 2-day other international meetings.

Meetings of international organizations are organized or sponsored by ‘international organizations’, i.e. international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) that are included in the UIA’s Yearbook of International Organizations, with at least 50 participants. The Yearbook of International Organizations profiles the organizations whose meetings are a focus of these statistics, and catalogues all ‘non-profit’, ‘international’ organizations according to a broad range of criteria.

Three-day other international meetings are not organized or sponsored by ‘international organizations’ but nonetheless of significant international character, with at least 40% of participants who are from countries other

than the host country, with at least 5 different nationalities, lasting at least 3 days, with either a concurrent exhibition or at least 300 participants. By significant internation character, UIA means notably meetings organized by national organizations and national branches of international organizations.

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

HEADQUARTERS 11

At the forefront of a

sustainable strategy Now that the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, commonly referred to as Rio+20, is past, it is appropriate to revisit our own activities in light of the outcome of the conference.

Text Luc Maene, President of ESAE and Director General of the International Fertilizer Association (IFA)

I still remember the first Rio conference, where the environmental dimension of sustainability was at the centre of the debate. At that time, business and industry were viewed as behaving irresponsibly, and as causing considerable environmental damage. We have come a long way since then. The social dimension has been added to the definition of sustainability, and the concepts of stewardship and responsible management of resource use have been adopted.

Among the many examples of industry initiatives in this regard, I would like to cite the fertilizer industry’s

programmes on product stewardship (‘Protect & Sustain’) and fertilizer best management practices (FBMP).

Whether we are managing an association or are involved in the meetings industry, sustainability, which is the capacity to endure, needs to be at the forefront of our strategy In addition, business and industry have embraced the principle of corporate social responsibility (CSR). So when we consider the outcome of the Rio+20 conference on greening the economy, which falls short of what most stakeholders had expected, we should recognize that considerable progress has been made in explaining the role of business and industry in this process and our contribution to sustainable development.

It was encouraging to note the awareness we created in Rio, the interest in our sustainability efforts, and our acceptance as partners in the process. Governments have realized that their goals will not be reached without the active involvement and contribution of business and industry.

Luc Maene HEADQUARTERS 12

Whether we are managing an association or are involved in the meetings industry, sustainability, which is the capacity to endure, needs to be at the forefront of our strategy.

We are currently experiencing an unparalleled explosion of communication tools, affecting our activities. The way we meet is changing and, if anything, we meet more often in person than in the past despite the option to go virtual.

Associations as well as the meetings industry are at a crossroads, trying to optimize their activities to the maximum benefit of their members and clients.

This is an exciting challenge, requiring adequate skills to succeed. No doubt technology will evolve further, and I look forward to future developments.

In the meantime, it is a pleasure to experience how the world has become a village, and how we interact, integrate our activities and efforts, and create value for our members. If there is one overriding concept that will endure in our work, however, it is the need to meet. www.esae.org

Getting your green message across...

‘How do I implement sustainability measures? And how do I communicate the great stuff that I'm already doing? I think that these questions can get easily confused’ says Wiebke Herding, Brussels-based green marketing expert and founder of onsubject.eu.

Text Rose Kelleher

If you’re thinking of implementing sustainability measures in your offer, or have already done so, effectively communicating your commitment and successes to customers/members will help determine how much return on investment you'll get out of your green program.

‘MICE planners are good with checklists and with tailoring offers to clients. So adding sustainability to their checklist is actually something that they’d be good at. If you’re not sure your clients are open to it, you can introduce concepts of sustainable practice to them and then provide it.’ says Wiebke, who mostly works with organisations that have already implemented sustainability measures into their offer. ‘I help them make their message more effective, to set up the systems they need to get their message across. Once you’re clear about what your message is, you need to explain it in a way that really connects with your clients. Then act on it.’

Big Bang Organisations that implement an environmental or sustainability policy generally adopt one of two strategies. ‘One is what we call the Big Bang strategy, meaning they develop a ten year plan at the end of which, the company/organization is as sustainable as it can be.’ says Wiebke. ‘The organization reports on their progress every year. Then there’s the other strategy where they first implement their initiatives, but they don’t talk about them at all. They continue talking about their offers and their products, and only when they feel like they’ve achieved their plan or they’ve achieved a big milestone, they announce it.’ Both strategies are good for creating trust, but she warns that it’s

important not to announce something and then not follow up ‘or make a claim you can't back up with data.’

Find your direction ‘First of all, where does the meetings industry have an impact? Which steps are the easy ones to improve your sustainability policy? Identify them, and identify those that take longer. Then decide what direction do you want to take.

How you communicate your sustainability policy is always a question of where the organization stands at the moment, and the overall direction it will be taking in the future.’

The MICE industry needs to figure out where it can part with material input. Wiebke commends the European Commission for certain small strategies that she says both educates attendees and communicates their ethos. ‘Green Week, an annual event on environmental policy, is constantly under close scrutiny about its environmental impact.

You know how people sign up for an event, but then don’t show up? They put a little sign at the entrance saying “Thank You” to those people who showed up because they hadn’t wasted the resources. What was important there is that it made the people think twice about the next time they register and don’t show up for an event. It’s about educating, and changing culture and it communicates their sustainable planning very clearly.’

Though going green is not just about affixing a label on your offer, labels and standards are very important for communication. If you need material input, then where do you get it from? asks Wiebke. ‘Can I get badges printed of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper? Does the printer use vegetable ink, for example...? Who are the suppliers? What are my options?’ Find the right supplier and then look for labels. ‘Lots of my work is with Ecolabels, which is something that is very interesting for planners: letting clients know you pay close attention to labelled products can help both to communicate and to plan a sustainability strategy. But it can be a very confusing area. For each product line or for each sector there's one product label that really matters. Look for governmental labels, they cover a lot in terms of appliances, but also energy efficiency, chemicals and so on, and are more concerned with production and Life Cycle as opposed to end goods. For goods like paper supplies, there's an association called the ISEAL alliance a quality guarantee for standards.’

Competitive edge ‘You’ll find that organizations that show leadership in sustainability will have the competitive advantage in the long run. In terms of meetings and events, increasingly members will ask for these things. Of course, your members will also be slightly confused, because there are just so many choices and they don’t know where to start. Having a planner who says we’re doing this already can put the delegates really at ease because you make yourself vulnerable if you don’t pay attention.

Plus, you can really make a statement by showing that you're paying attention to sustainability.’

HEADQUARTERS 13

Sustainability reporting by associations Another trend we can see building momentum these days is the number of industry associations that report on sustainability. Industry sector reports are a fascinating breed. They are a sort of publication du jour for these associations, offering them a fun marketing ride on the back of sustainability. At one level, the industry association's purpose is to promote the sector - that's what members pay them to do - so inevitably sector reports are great news and marketing oriented.

Text Elaine Cohen

At another level, their reports address the collective sustainability challenges that sectors face and therefore may loosely be described as some kind of sustainability report. By and large, they tend more toward the marketing end than the reporting end, but they are often nice publications which can give you a good overview of the material issues in a particular sector and the general approach being taken to address such issues. They also help you to become familiar with the sustainability jargon of the sector.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) published a 2010 Sustainability Report, its second, in which it highlights how the ‘consumer electronics industry is acting boldly and continuing to raise the bar in addressing environmental and societal challenges’. (No surprises so far, right?). The CEA promotes growth in the $170 million U.S. consumer electronics industry through its 2,000 members and the report includes data and case studies from published fiscal year 2009 sustainability reports for the 10 largest companies in CEA membership from a global revenue perspective (Dell, HP, LG Corp., Microsoft, Nokia, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba).

Well worth a look to get a quick view of the nitty-gritty issues for this sector. And as for jargon, the CEA has an eCycling initiative, sales growth of EPEAT products, green lubricants for shredders, the green grid, power islands and more.

Another mine of interesting information (if you’re a beef geek) is the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) who recently published the Cattlemen’s Stewardship Review, which as far as I can tell is their first. It is dedicated to ‘the nearly 1 million U.S. cattle farmers and ranchers who work

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hard every day to raise good food, keep their animals healthy, protect the land and environment and build strong communities’. An interesting fact is that 97% of all cattle ranches are family owned - we tend to think of beef as a highly commercialized industry but when you get down to where it all comes from, its about good people trying to make a sustainable living with ‘cattle-raising traditions passed from generation to generation’. More than 10% of cattle farmers and ranchers are women .

The U.S. Beef industry produces 20% of the world's beef with only 7% the cattle.

For the health-minded, you can also learn that a sirloin steak has 34% less total fat today than it did in 1963. The report is a nice overview of the beef industry and the key sustainability issues relating to beef life-cycle, animal care, educating consumers about beef and healthy diets, antibiotics use and disease, and environmental aspects such as use of land and water, managing manure though methane emissions from cattle are barely referenced. And for the jargoneers, BQA, the Code for Cattle Care, beef fabrication innovation opportunities, retail meat case knowledge, beef shoulder clod, the DASH diet and more should enrich your vocabulary.

My final example is where green turns to yellow, or vice versa, with the Yellow Pages Association’s first Sustainability Report. The YPA is the ‘largest trade organization of a print and digital media industry valued at more than $31 billion worldwide’ and its report is a 16 pager, which goes straight to the jugular of the YPA’s main business to consider the Life Cycle Assessment of a Telephone Directory (what’s one of those, remind me?) though disappointingly, the report does not reveal any data from a directory LCA assessment that the was conducted by the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI).

The key conclusions are that the main components of a Telephone Directory Life-Cycle are paper production, printing, and end of life management (interestingly, distribution is not mentioned). But this is report is flimsy

and not terribly informative and closer to the bon ton marketing brochure which any self-respecting trade association cannot now be without. Jargon lovers will enjoy consumer search habits, recovery rate of directories, coldset ink, ZIP code, waste paper landfill leachate and more.

The power of an association is in the leverage of its membership and its ability to influence new directions Despite Sector Sustainability Reports being interesting, they provide only a very shallow and high level view of what’s happening in an industry sector.

Indeed, this is one type of report that the GRI framework accommodates less well. Often the direct impacts of the association itself are limited. The power of an association is in the leverage of its membership and its ability to influence new directions. I think this is an something that could benefit from a GRI sector supplement to help address the different ways industry associations could report more effectively on sustainability.

Elaine Cohen, CSR consultant, Sustainabilty Reporter, HR Professional, is the author of ‘CSR for HR: A Necessary Partnership for Advancing Responsible Business Practices’. www.twitter.com/elainecohen www.b-yond.biz/en.

The unedited version of this article can be found at csr-reporting. blogspot.co.il/2011/04/reporting-by-association.html

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Sustainability. It is not only about the planet,

it is also about the people For all the talk about saving the planet it is difficult to find ubiquitous examples of changing the way in which meetings are managed to comply with sustainable practice. It is such an exciting journey to work with those clients who seriously want to approach the planning of their conference to embrace a strategy to cover off as many aspects of sustainable management as can reasonably be incorporated.

With over 1,000 delegates attending the conference, there were plenty of opportunities to network and share ideas about ‘what works’ in improving student learning. When delegates travelled back to their school communities, it is expected Schooling for Futures will have made a strategic impact on student, teacher, school and community practice.

With school planning underway, visitors to the website were encouraged to access the conference proceedings as a valuable resource in the development of their school plans.

Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre

What made this particular conference worth singling out is that it had a track record of good but routine objectives and the Organising Committee undertook to make some radical changes to produce a sustainable event without lacking any of the shine it takes to achieve success.

The 5th Biennial Equity Conference was held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre on 22 and 23 August 2011. With a theme of Schooling for Futures, the conference broke away from conventional concepts and brought together delegates from schools,

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regional and state offices, universities and community agencies in a positive learning environment. A much soughtafter and highly respected speaker, Her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir AC, CVO, The Governor of New South Wales provided the opening address. Keynote presentations were delivered by overseas speakers Professor Bob Lingard and Sir Ken Robinson. Delegates were able to select from eight invited speakers, 70 workshops and 17 exhibitions and trade displays.

From the onset of the conference planning, the Organising Committee (OC) made a conscious effort to be ‘green’ and innovative The conference major sponsor Adobe generously provided a Creative Suite 5.5 Master Collection. This was a major prize in a schools competition. Teachers and community members will be able to use Photoshop and Illustrator along with other software applications to engage students in their learning in new and creative ways.

Equity 2011

YouTube dancers, Equity 2011

Sustainability initiatives From the onset of the conference planning, the Organising Committee (OC) made a conscious effort to be ‘green’ and innovative. arinex pty limited, the IAPCO PCO appointed to the project, worked the OC to develop and implement the following some of which may appear normal to some readers but required a brave step forward to change past habits.

1. The majority of conference marketing was conducted electronically, through email marketing campaigns and the conference website, with a large array of downloadable information. This was a significant change from the previous conference, where most of the marketing collateral were hard-copy.

2. Rather than a large programme book, smaller ‘z-card’ pocket-sized programmes were used.

3. Smaller conference satchels were ordered to save material and storage space.

4. All abstracts provided to delegates on a USB stick, rather than via a hardcopy abstract book.

5. Onsite, water stations were set up throughout the venue; and in preconference communications, delegates were encouraged to bring their own water bottles for refills.

6. Lunches, after much negotiation to overcome occupational health and safety issues, were trays of healthy sandwiches and salads which were served in a hygienic way that overcame the waste of paper lunch boxes and cutlery, crockery and wastage.

7. No pads and pens were provided during the conference, and delegates were encouraged to bring their own - this resulted in much less wastage of paper and pens, and also provided attendees with the opportunity to reuse existing notepads.

8. Name badges were returned on the Christmas tree like structure that appealed to the delegates and inspired them to place their name badge with the rest.

9. On day two Sir Ken Robinson beamed in live from Los Angeles to discuss the importance of providing a creative and personalised education for all students.

Presented via a Skype session, this reduced the need for international flights, was most effective and impacted positively on the budget as well as reducing the carbon footprint.

10. Without doubt the most impressive activity was a simulcast from schools throughout the state. Students were given a dance routine and other performance opportunities to learn and to video their performances at the same time as that performed centre stage at the convention centre. By doing this the conference incorporated hundreds more students in a simulcast via Youtube and engaged them actively in the conference without the loss of their time away from school, travel costs and carbon impost. It was ‘awesome’ and ‘cool’ and lifted the spirit of the whole conference to be able to share with so many fellow students, teachers and administrators across the state.

The outcome was that the 5th Biennial Equity Conference was a great example of a sustainable meeting that brought together the combined efforts of the conference committee, the PCO and all suppliers. A sustainable conference such as this is testament to a well-planned objective of intentionally reducing carbon footprints and wastage of resources such as water and paper. It is also a credit to those who came up with inclusive activities that used technology to involve a greater audience and expand the impact and value of the event on much greater numbers than those in the centre.

This article was provided by the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers, author Roslyn McLeod, OAM, Managing Director of arinex pty limited and Council Member of IAPCO. IAPCO represents today more than 115 professional organisers, meeting planners and managers of international and national congresses, conventions and special events from 41 countries. info@ iacpo.org / www.iapco.org

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UIA ı Union of International Associations

Sustainable development after Rio Picking up the pieces The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development of June 2012 - commonly known either as The Earth Summit 2012 or as ‘Rio+20’ - achieved a miracle. It ended up as a glass more than half full, and at the same time more than half emptY! Text Cyril Ritchie, Vice President of UIA

Cyril Ritchie

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The entire world of associations gravitating around this Conference - NGOs, trade unions, human rights bodies, women’s organizations, farmers, scientists, youth, indigenous peoples, and more - had over months and indeed years placed their hopes and expectations on the Earth Summit 2012 taking major steps forward towards achieving sustainable development, as had been the case at the Earth Summit 1992, also in Rio. But the closer we came to June 2012 the more it became apparent in the governmental negotiating process that short-term electoral, financial and political considerations were winning out over the long-term imperative of ensuring that future generations inherit a livable planet.

Over the year-long planning process, citizens and their associations put forward to governments often in specific detail - their ambitions for a Rio 2012 outcome that would lead to the social, economic and environmental transformations needed to make the planet truly sustainable. Some made it into the Final Declaration, even if in weak terms: green economy policies; a procedure to lead to establishing Sustainable Development Goals; strengthening the UN Environment Programme; going beyond the constraints of GDP to better measure human welfare and quality of life; corporate sustainability accountability.

But we live in the real world, the political world. So it is now up to all the many diverse categories of associations referred to above to redouble commitment and work: to hold governments to the few commitments they did make in Rio; to ensure implementation measures are put in place both at the UN and national levels; and to press ever harder for filling the gaps.

This will require using to the full the consultative processes within the United Nations System. It will require actively and imaginatively seeking partnerships across sectoral boundaries. And it will require pooling of human and financial

We live in the real world, the political world. So it is now up to all the many diverse categories of associations to redouble commitment and work and to hold governments to the few commitments they did make in Rio

But many eminently desirable - and eminently logical - goals fell by the wayside as negotiations dragged on until virtually the Conference Opening plenary, when Heads of State and Government arrived to do little more than endorse the negotiators consensus text. The declaration lacks commitment to zero deforestation goals, to women’s reproductive rights, to establishing a High Commissioner for Future Generations, to technology transfer, to eliminating fossil fuel subsidies.

resources to achieve effective results.

And most likely it will require overcoming some of the incomprehensions between the business sector and the non-profit sector, in the superior interest of ensuring a better future - a sustainable future - for the world’s people.

It won’t be easy. We must start today.

For more information, please contact uia@uia.org

What’s the Union of International Associations (UIA)?

The Union of International Associations - UIA - is a non-profit, independent, apolitical, and non-governmental institution in the service of international associations.

Since its foundation in 1907, the UIA is a leading provider of information about international non-profit organizations and a premium networking platform between international organizations and the meeting industry worldwide.

Main activities + Yearbook of International Organizations - contains information on over 64,000 international organizations active in all fields of human endeavour, in all corners of the world, and over centuries of history.

Available online and in book form. + International Congress Calendar - with information on over 350,000 international meetings. Available online, in pdf, and on paper. + Annual Associations Round Table features both open-space / networking and discussion oriented sessions as well as practical skills training sessions for associations.

See www.uia.be/roundtable Who can use the UIA’s research and networking platform? Everyone with an interest in international associations and cooperation: international associations, the businesses which provide services to them, media and press, research centres, universities, libraries, government offices. Associate Members have quick access to first quality material to benefit their business.

To join, see www.uia.be/associate-members.

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> N ord F rance

Northern France Hospitable par excellence

It’s no cliché to say the French Northern Region and hospitality make one. Though some of you won’t necessarily think about it when organizing your next meeting, movies, books… and my experience there show that any kind of association delegates will be treated like kings, no matter the size of the event. The French Northern Region is definitely a region worth (re)discovering. I was there for a short while not so long ago, at the invitation of Nord France Convention Bureau, which offers one-stop-shop services to associations like you, and was amazed to find a destination that has been able to transform itself in the last few years… and that won’t stop there.

Report Rémi Dévé

Dunkirk

A gateway to London/Brussels/Paris, close to the headquarters of regional, national and international associations, the French Northern Region might be one of the most easily accessible destinations, in the heart of Europe.

Going from Brussels to Lille for instance only takes half an hour by train, especially with the high-speed train provided by SNCB Europe. From there it’s easy to get around: Roubaix, with its old industrial or Art Deco buildings that

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have been turned into meetings places, is a mere 20 minutes away; Arras, nested in beautiful barocco settings, only 30 minutes; and if you’re more of a seaside kind of person, Le Touquet Paris-Plage or Dunkirk (‘the church in the dunes’ I was told) are definitely options worth considering.

My hosts during my stay were constantly emphasizing the fact that no matter the size or the prestigious character of your

events, you will be treated like a VIP. Karen Grandé, Business Development Manager at Nord France Convention Bureau, said: ‘We like to think that our added value lie in our human approach of the business. It doesn’t really matter if you bring us 50 top researchers, a 500-student conference or 5000 lawyers, you will always remember the way you were dealt with in the Northern French Region, like a peer that you are, like a human that you are…’

> N ord F rance Treasures and reputation Like you would expect, parts of Lille are all about art and history. The town dates back a thousand years and boasts a rich architectural, cultural and artistic heritage. As you stroll through the streets, you will see numerous treasures from different periods. There is also much culture in Lille, including several museums worth a visit: Lille Palace of Fine Arts, the second largest museum in France, the Hospice Comtesse Museum, which contains the town museum, or the LaM (Lille comtemporary art museum), located just a few miles outside Lille, which is the only museum to combine modern, contemporary and quite fascinating ‘outsider’ art. The latter one has several areas that can be used for events.

you go, while the latter is a quiet, natural resort, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, perfect for meetings with a twist.

With 100 million consumers accessible within a radius of 300 km, the region naturally attracts headquarters of major multinationals, like food-processing industries, mail-order business, information technology, mass-retailing and pharmaceuticals. Think about Auchan, Decathlon, La Redoute, Heineken, @Manuelle Gantrand Architecture

Lesser known, Dunkirk boasts in dynamism what it lacks in reputation. Of course its location on the seaside gives it a holiday vibe, and makes it perfect for nautical activities, but it’s also a destination that is proud of its past and its commitment to culture. The third-largest harbour in France, after Marseille and Le Havre, Dunkirk is a very welcoming town where you feel immediately at ease. It’s clearly divided into two districts - the Old Town with its famous free-standing belfry, part of the UNESCO heritage list, and the shore, where the only seaside congress centre lies, the Dunkirk Kursaal. Arras and Le Touquet Paris-Plage are also quite emblematic of the northern French region: the former screams history wherever

Bayer-Schering and many more… they’re all there! The North of France is also historically a leader in the technical textile sector. So when you, as an association, look for links with a destination, there’s simply plenty to know!

Accommodation and congress options In Lille: + 7,000 rooms, among which 4,500 are 20 minutes from Lille Grand Palais Congress Center, for up to 7,000 delegates In Dunkirk: + about 1,700 hotel rooms for all kinds of budget + Kursaal Convention Centre for up to 8,000 delegates In Arras: + 700 rooms in 2 to 4-star hotels + Artois Expo for up to 5,000 delegates In Le Touquet Paris-Plage: + more than 1,200 rooms, a fifth of which are in a 4-star hotel + Palais de l’Europe Convention Centre, for up to 750 delegates

LAM, Lille contemporary art museum

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We are all

very important people Brussels

London

38 min

80 min

Paris 60 min

nord-france-convention.com

@Ensemble et Cituation

> N ord F rance

Gare Saint-Sauveur, Lille

Grand Place, Arras

Nord France Convention Bureau Serving as a unique shop window for the Northern French region, the Nord France Convention Bureau promotes, bids for and coordinates all types of association events. Providing a service that is free of charge and confidential, the organisation aims to increase awareness of the region as a whole, supporting, motivating and federating all its local suppliers and ambassadors. They can take care of your site inspections, assist with bidding procedures with or without PCO and DMC, or in getting financial support from public authorities, help you find the right suppliers, from venues to catering experts… and much more.

Dunkirk's belfry

Those links are almost tangible in the academic arena as well. The French Northern Region boasts more than 100,000 students a year, 18 business schools, as well as 3,000 researchers scattered around 250 laboratories. Did you know for example that, with Europe’s largest university hospital centre, the city of Lille houses and trains scientists of tomorrow?

Economic clusters of competitiveness include sea research, trading industries, health/ nutrition, technical textiles and sustainable land transport and logistics, I-Trans being a world leader in this particular area.

Lille Grand Palais

Congress infrastructure All of the big cities in the French Northern Region boast ‘classical’ meeting places, mainly congress centres standing proud on the association meetings map.

Located in the Euralille district, just a few minutes on foot from the two TGV stations, comprising of the Zénith (for about 7,000 people) and large dedicated congress and exhibition areas, Lille Grand Palais, with its funny ‘eggy’ shape, takes pride in 45,000 m2 of modular space: its

convention area has 27 fully-equipped rooms , 3 auditoriums (seating up 300, 500 and 1,500 people) and about 20,000 m2 of exhibition space.

Cécile Hodson, Lille Grand Palais’ International Development Manager, says their strategy to attract association congresses is quite clear: ‘We work hand in hand with local representatives of our competitive clusters. That’s how, for instance, we successfully won the bids for the 8th European Conference of Deaf Blind International (500 delegates in August 2013) or the 42nd Union World Conference on Lung Health. But we also work very closely with all the local suppliers - hotels, the convention bureau, the tourism office, local institutions, etc. - so we can offer associations very competitive packages.

And as a venue, we definitely have assets worth considering: Lille Grand Palais is situated right in the city centre, at walking distance from the train stations.

It incorporates all the amenities the demanding association planner might have.

We have also a selection of nearby quality hotels and 18 years’ experience in events organising. That’s our added values!’

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a source of inspiration

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> N ord F rance

@Samuel Dhote

Kursaal, Dunkirk

La Piscine, Roubaix

Attracting 2,200 delegates, the 42nd Union World Conference on Lung Health is one of the events that recently took place at Lille Grand Palais.

Nuradha Castan, Scientific Programme Coordinator, explains what makes Lille1 a great destination: ‘Lille is a human-size, very welcoming city. Many hotels are at close proximity to the centre, there is an efficient public transport, system, an international airport, and good connectivity by air and train from several major European cities like London, Brussels and Paris. The Lille Grand Palais team was also very supportive and proactive. And we had a very helpful and good contact with the City Hall. We could hardly ask for more!’

Other congress venues include Dunkirk Kursaal, with 15,000 m2 of flexible space and a loveable Jean Bart amphitheatre, for up to 350 people, which boasts a 1960’s retro look. Other spaces in the centre consist of the Europe, Reuze, Congrès and Neptune-Poseidon areas, with as much as 3,500 m2 of adjustable structure. Worth noting is that Reuze offers an impressive interior deck with a breathtaking view of the sea. Last but not least are the Arras Convention and Exhibition Centre, which can

LAAC, Dunkirk

accommodate up to 5,000 delegates in its five conference rooms, and the Palais de l’Europe in Le Touquet ParisPlage, a multifunctional venue for up to 750 delegates. The latter destinations are specialized in sports events: many high-quality facilities are the home of top athletes training for the Olympics: tennis, water sports, horse-riding and golf have pride of place there! It may well garner interest from very dedicated association congresses…

Unusual meetings venues Of course, the French Northern Region is rich with historical buildings, just like you would expect. The good thing is that many of them can be used for meetings or receptions, or have been turned into venues solely for this purpose, as they are tangible witnesses of urban renewal.

In and around Lille, I was taken to three of them, all equally fascinating.

Constructed between 1927 and 1932, La Piscine is a museum of art and industry, located in Roubaix. Its name derives from the fact that it is housed in a former indoor swimming pool, with a notable, quite enthralling Art Deco interior. The museum’s collection combined elements of literature, fine-

arts, science and industrial products.

Outside opening hours, La Piscine can easily be transformed into a very special venue: they just cover what remains of the actual pool and there you go, you can organize a memorable gala evening (maximum capacity : 500 people standing, not to forget a cosy auditorium of 99 seats).

In Roubaix as well, there is the Condition Publique, a former silk conditioning place which opened its door in 2004 as a ‘cultural factory’: not only a place of cultural work and production but also a place where people can celebrate. With a beautiful stain-glass roof, its ‘verrière’ accommodates up to 600 persons, but there are also other options worth considering like the show hall, the former storage hall or the covered street (maximum capacity: 2, 000 people!). In Lille, the Gare Saint Sauveur is a former goods station, whose buildings have been converted into recreational areas and exhibition on the occasion of the events of Lille 3000 in 2009. In total, 6,000 m2 can be used for pretty much any kind of events.

1. The Lille Tourist & Convention Office recently launched a ‘Meeting Pack’ which helps coproduce events for over 1,000 people in the Lille metropolitan area. A tailor-made offer for associations! More info on www.lille-meeting.com

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> N ord F rance

FRAC, Dunkirk

Louvre-Lens

A bright future

French North Region, the hard facts + 4th largest economic region in France + 100 million consumers within a radius of 300km + Over 100,000 internationally known businesses such as Arc International, Auchan, Doublet, Roquette, Decathlon, Leroy Merlin, Bonduelle, Kiabi, Dalkia, Lesaffre, OVH… + 5 European capitals in less than 3 hours by TGV + Leading French region for the attraction of foreign direct investment (over 1,100 companies with foreign capital including Toyota, Tate&Lyle, Häagen Dazs, and many more) + Leading European region in the railway industry (I-trans international cluster) + Leading exporting region for the food processing industry in France + Leading French region in the commerce and distribution industry (La REDOUTE, 3Suisses, DAMART…) + 2nd French region in the field of logistics + 2nd French region in the automobile sector + 2nd French region for technical textiles + 2nd ranked digital centre in France ANKAMA video games

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Grand Stade, Lille

Dunkirk also boasts a few gems. The Musée Portuaire displays exhibits of images about the history and presence of the port, in a typical 19th century industrial building, a former tobacco warehouse. If you can organize cocktail receptions in there, the museum also manages the majestic Duchesse Anne, a German naval training vessel which you can rent for small gatherings of up to 100 persons.

The LAAC, the contemporary art museum, seems to be challenging the sky with its architecture. Nested in a formidable sculpture garden, it’s a great place for creativity… and events for up to 200 people.

Other options include Nausica Centre National de la Mer, a public aquarium located in Boulogne-sur-Mer, one of the largest in Europe, which accommodates 600 people cocktail style and can even host seated dinners in a real tropical lagoon - where you share space with the sharks swimming around! - or the castles on the way to Arras; Mont-Saint-Eloi abbey or the menhirs of Acq. In Tourcoing, there is also the Imaginarium, an avant-garde venue dedicated to the creative industries, and the 45,000 m2 of CETI, the European Centre for Innovative Textile which will open in October 2012. Last but not least is the imposing Palais Rameau which accommodates 1,200 people for a seated dinner in Lille.

The French Northern Region won’t rest on its laurels. In fact, it’s looking up to an even brighter future, when it adds a few other venues to its already rich portfolio. With the opening of Louvre-Lens, a planned branch museum of the Musée du Louvre, due to open in 2012 in the mining city of Lens, the destination will get a major boost: the venue will have 28,000 m2 of usable space, with semi-permanent exhibition space covering at least 4,000 m2. The entrance area has been already designed to accommodate high-end cocktails or VIP parties.

Lille will soon take pride in the brand-new Grand Stade Lille Métropole, a multi-use arena. It will have one particularity, which can be seen only here: the ‘Boîte à spectacles’, a space that is created by rising half of the field above the other half to allow music shows or other sports plays. The ‘Boîte à spectacles’ will have a variable capacity, from 6,900 to 30,000 seats, perfect for large conventions.

Last but not least, let me mention the FRAC in Dunkirk, where you can discover internationally renowned collections of contemporary art. Later this year, the FRAC will move to a former workshop shipyard, located in the port. There you will have plenty of space to meet (13,000 m2) as well!

Contact Valérie Lefebvre Association Support valerie.lefebvre@nord-france-convention.com +33 3 59 56 21 86 www.nord-france-convention.com

Experience the joie de vivre of Montréal, the only city in the world to embrace North American efficiency and a laid-back European mindset. In Montréal, we’ve got all the nuts and bolts to help you plan a successful event—like our ultramodern convention centre, the Palais des congrès (with more than 50,000 m2 of meeting space), over 26,500 downtown hotel rooms and Team Montréal, always on hand to make sure your event runs flawlessly. We’ll bring artfully creative, customized solutions to craft that extra touch of magic your attendees will never forget. tourisme-montreal.org/meet

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Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau presents

Eventful Interlaken 365 days a year

Imagine: You are enjoying the aperitif with a direct view of the Jungfrau massif. The arrival this morning along the lake was already an experience in itself. Your delegates reached their hotels on foot and had a successful meeting in the traditional and modern rooms of the Congress Centre Kursaal Interlaken. The evening will end with an outstanding dinner on a boat. You are already looking forward to tomorrow’s excursion in the stunning UNESCO World Natural Heritage region.

The congress and event destination Interlaken, in the heart of Switzerland, is surrounded by mountains, lakes and unique side locations (Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe, Schilthorn - Piz Gloria, Open-air Museum Ballenberg, etc.). All hotels (1,500 rooms in 3- to 5-star categories) are located within walking distance from the Congress Centre Kursaal Interlaken. This combination opens new perspectives for events - 365 days a year.

Easy and professional Interlaken can easily be accessed by train, coach or private car thanks to its excellent international connections. The most convenient way to reach Interlaken by air is through Bern-Belp. The airport offers direct flights from several European cities. The transfer time to Interlaken is 40 minutes.

The Congress Centre Kursaal Interlaken offers modern architecture combined with historic ambiance and plain classiness. The total surface of 5,000 m2 for events with a

capacity for more than 2,000 people is ideal for nearly every type of event. The Congress Centre has 19 different rooms altogether, of which three are halls of over 900 m2 (9,700 sq ft). This makes Interlaken one of the most attractive congress destinations in the Alps.

Successful events are based on exact planning, many years of experience, good contacts and most particularly attention to detail. This is Interlaken’s core competence.

They excel because they offer you an all-inone organisation for your event. They also provide special services for organisations, such as assistance in bidding for international conferences, assistance in the analysis, planning and organisation of events or the organisation of your congress secretariat.

Your success with satisfied participants is Interlaken’s aim: from the first contact to the reunion. The team at the congress bureau will facilitate the organisation of your congress for you. You can save time and money thanks to their know-how and local contacts.

CONTACT

+ For Interlaken Interlaken Congress & Events AG Sandra Schönmann Director of Sales & Marketing +41 (0)33 827 62 00 marketing@interlaken-congress.ch www.interlaken-congress.ch

+ For Switzerland Myriam Winnepenninckx Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau +32 (0)2 345 83 57 myriam.winnepenninckx@switzerland.com www.myswitzerland.com/meetings

HEADQUARTERS 29

Meeting planners are the real stars in Berlin.

We know all there is to know about arranging meetings.

convention.visitBerlin.com

Visit us at German Pavilion

Do you need to arrange a meeting, convention or any other type of event at short notice? If so, the Berlin Convention Office is on hand 24/7 to give you all the support you need.

We work closely with local partners across the city and can quickly provide you with relevant advice, help and information. With the Berlin Convention Office, you can rest assured that your event is in good hands. convention.visitBerlin.com

HQ > BERLIN

Berlin - the place to be for conventions ©Philip Koschel

Steeped in its evocative history and the rapid changes that have taken place over the past two decades, Berlin today exerts its own particular fascination.

Increase of convention and meetings National and international event planners discover Berlin as a perfect event venue. This is shown by the visitBerlin congress statistics for the year 2011. 115,700 events took place last year. They were attended by 9.7 million participants; this corresponds to 7 % more than in 2010. The number of room nights rose to 6.05 million (+9 %). The convention industry hence generates more than a quarter of all hotel room nights in Berlin.

Brandenburg Gate

On a worldwide level Germany’s capital is amongst the four major locations for association meetings. This is confirmed by the statistics of the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) for 2011.

With 147 events of international associations the German capital left metropolises like Singapore, London and Sidney behind. The leading destinations in the ranking are Vienna (181), Paris (174) and Barcelona (150).

Berlin tempts organizers with new venues At the beginning of 2013 a breath of New York air will be wafting over Berlin. This is when the luxury Waldorf Astoria Group opens their first new-build hotel in Europe. It will be located in the immediate vicinity of the Kurfürstendamm ©Philip Kosche

More than twenty years after the fall of the Wall and the reunification of Germany, the capital projects itself as a young, dynamic and cosmopolitan city at the heart of Europe which is constantly re-inventing itself. Boasting everything from art exhibitions to theatre productions the city is also home to three opera houses, around 180 museums and 150 theatres and stages. All in all, more than 1,500 events are staged each day.

©Wolfgang Scholvien

Meet Germany’s capital at IMEX America 2012, German Pavilion stand 418

and the Zoological Garden. The 31-storey Waldorf Astoria Berlin is going to feature a conference area covering more than 1,100 m2 and 232 luxurious rooms and suites. www.waldorfastoria.com

The German capital projects itself as a young, dynamic and cosmopolitan city at the heart of Europe In 2011 the temporary Humboldt Box opened on the site of the former Berlin City Palace.

Since then events have been possible across from the Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island.

800 m2 of space are available on two floors for events. Up to 400 people can participate and enjoy, amongst other things, the view from the 360˚ terrace. www.humboldt-box.com

Berlin Convention Office of visitBerlin The Berlin Convention Office (BCO) of visitBerlin offers professional support for the organisation of conventions, meetings and incentives. Customers benefit from its wide network of contacts and the free-of-charge sourcing and booking of hotel allotments.

The BCO-team will present Berlin from 9 to 11 October 2012 at IMEX America. Information is provided at the German Pavilion at stand 418.

More info on www.convention.visitBerlin.com

HEADQUARTERS 31

Convention centre by name.

Unforgettable destination by nature.

Set in the heart of South Africa’s beautiful Mother City, with the awe inspiring Table Mountain as a natural backdrop, the Cape Town International Convention Centre is far more than a venue, it’s an experience.

And with versatile spaces and services suitable to everything from intimate wedding receptions and black tie banquets, to international conventions or global exhibitions, the CTICC is guaranteed to put your event firmly on the map.

Featuring: – Up to 11 200 m2 of exhibition space, of which 10 000 m2 is column-free

– 33 function or meeting rooms

– Majestic city and mountain views

– Venues designed to maximise natural light – Comprehensive range of catering,

– 2 large auditoria

– Two top-class restaurants

– A magnificent 2 000 m2 ballroom

– An exquisite roof terrace

AV, and planning services – 1400 parking bays

For more information, or to book your CTICC experience, call us on +27 21 410 5000 today or visit www.cticc.co.za

HQ

> C ape to w n

For a unique event experience,

make Cape Town and CTICC your destination Situated at the foot of one of the world’s most iconic mountains, in the heart of South Africa’s vibrant and welcoming Mother City, the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) offers a unique combination of absolute flexibility, professional service and world-class facilities.

From its bright and airy double volume spaces and highly advanced technology to its scrumptious Afro-global cuisine and on-site five-star accommodation, every aspect of CTICC is designed with great experiences in mind.

What’s more, with easy access to some of Africa’s most popular and beautiful visitor attractions - like the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain and the Cape Winelands CTICC is far more than an event venue, it's an exceptional destination.

It’s also the first convention centre in Africa to gain three internationally recognised management system certifications simultaneously, and the first in the world

Green CTICC

to align its reporting to the sustainability requirements of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) - all of which represents your guarantee of our total commitment to the highest levels of quality, care, safety, and sustainability.

So, if you’re ready to transform your exhibition, conference, or any other event into a unique and unforgettable experience, make CTICC and Cape Town your destination of choice.

For more information or to book your event, visit www.cticc.co.za or contact CTICC on +27 21 410 5000

The CTICC has long recognised that sustainable business success requires that organisations make sound environmental practices a strategic imperative. As such, the CTICC has a dedicated environmental task team that advises management on trends and issues in environmental management.

This ‘green’ commitment is nothing new to the CTICC. From the first day of construction, the centre has worked hard to minimise its environmental impact and the proposed expansion of the CTICC will build further on the centres reputation as a truly ‘green’ event destination.

The CTICC is committed to working with conference and event organisers to ensure that delegates and guests also understand the need to minimise their impact on the environment. As such, it offers a range of customised event packages designed to suit your environmental management requirements.

The CTICC is able to assist you in planning and hosting an event that supports your organisation’s environmental values, meets your sustainability objectives, and demonstrates your environmental commitment to those attending your event.

HEADQUARTERS 33

CELEBRATING

The Global Meetings & Events Exhibition 27 – 29 November, 2012 Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain

Join EIBTM 2012 for Association Excellence!

Plan your next AGM or meeting and gain insight into the strategic organisational benefits derived from running events.

The world class EIBTM Association Programme is dedicated to delivering value and practical learning to improve one of the largest revenue generating areas of your association. Attend EIBTM and you will meet with international exhibitors, experts and association peers enabling you to gain insight into the strategic organisational benefits derived from running events and how to add value to your members, while earning revenue for the association.

Let us host you – Apply for your exclusive place today: www.eibtm.com/association Find us on: Organised By

HQ

Monaco

A Small Country with Great Potential Looking for an attractive destination where to organize your next event?

An affordable and friendly place offering good value for money?

Monaco is waiting for you!

Salle des Princes

To facilitate the organisation of your event, the Monaco Convention Bureau, the Grimaldi Forum Monaco and the Principality’s hotels set up a competitive offer, with solutions tailored to your needs, guaranteeing excellent value for money.

Imagine, on just 2 square kilometres 35,000 m2 of modular meeting spaces and more than 2,500 rooms near the sea with exceptionnal services. The Principality of Monaco is quite a welcoming ground with excellent hosting facilities, amazing infrastructures, and an impressive quality of life. It has definitely become a must-do destination on the international business tourism’s scene.

Let’s shine the light on all the advantages Monaco provides as a prestigious destination through its very competitive offer, ‘Monaco Meetings’ and its many assets and gratuities. For the events organizers generating more than 1,200 nights, ‘Monaco Meetings’ can include free coffee breaks and welcome cocktails, free internet access, free transport, special Convention Centre rates, negotiated hotel rates… making Monaco one of the most astounding destinations for conventions in Europe for big events, especially between November and March.

These many added values, provided not only by the Monaco Convention Bureau and the Grimaldi Forum Monaco, but also the hotel partners and the registered receptive agencies, really show how attractive Monaco is!

A very competitive offer called ‘Monaco Meetings’ will make any event a sheer success A dedicated website www.monacomeetings.com - will respond to any wish the event organisers might have. More than a just an offer, the synergy between all the MICE actors of the destination prove to all the organizers that their event will reach another dimension… by taking place in the Principality of Monaco.

12 reasons to choose Monaco + A one-stop-shop destination + An ideal location in the heart of Europe, less than two hours by air from the major cities + Close to Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport; easy access by taxi, helicopter, bus or train + A mediterranean climate all year round + A modern, eco-certified congress centre, internationally recognised by the industry + A hotel capacity of 2,500 rooms, with a real tradition of hospitality and in immediate proximity to the Grimaldi Forum Monaco + A territory of 2 square kilometers, everything at walking distance and perfectly safe + A strong, dynamic image to attract your participants + Harmonised rates and good value for money

Contact Monaco Convention Bureau Sarah Rico srico@gouv.mc 2a, bd des Moulins - 98000 Monaco +377 92 16 60 81 www.monacomeetings.com

©JC Vinaj

Grimaldi Forum Monaco ©DTC

©Olivia Marocco

> MONACO

+ A wide array of social activities: fine dining restaurants, casinos, lounge bars, shows and nightclubs… + 100 % GREEN destination with committed experts + A calendar of more than 1,000 international events

HEADQUARTERS 35

HQ > A delaide

Adelaide Strong in every way Jacob's Creek

Adelaide, South Australia is envied for its easy-going lifestyle - the wide-open spaces, the beautiful beaches, fine wine and wonderful food make it a highly

on the collective, collaborative approach of everybody involved in the local industry.

‘Team Adelaide’, as they call themselves, is the epitome of the commitment to securing major conventions and events, with a unified effort.

desirable habitat. With this in mind I was curious to see its offering to the MICE industry and I’m happy to report that its wonderful way of life transcends into the way in which it conducts business.

Report Rémi Dévé

Branded ‘the 20 minute city’ (everything seems to be a quick walk, a few tram stops or a short cab ride away), Adelaide has a compact core and the beaches are only 20 minutes from the centre. The city is also known for the numerous festivals taking place all year round: the bi-annual Adelaide Festival, WOMADelaide, Adelaide Fringe, Feast Festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, the Cellar Door Wine Festival, and Adelaide Festival of Ideas, just to name a few - and I’m not even talking about sports events! Adelaide is also the traditional home of the Kaurna people and today offers visitors an opportunity to experience their rich culture.

Vibrant meetings This vibrancy is present in Adelaide’s capability in hosting association meetings. My hosts at Adelaide Convention Bureau often insisted

HEADQUARTERS 36

Adelaide Convention Bureau has put together a Conventions Adelaide Program, which has proved to be very successful in winning conventions. Based on the foundation of aligning Adelaide’s convention bids with South Australia’s primary areas of industry and research, it engages South Australian industry leaders to secure association conventions from across their national and global networks. A key component of the program is the Conventions Adelaide Ambassador Group which consists of 65 industry leading specialists who assist in the promotion of Adelaide as a convention city.

Damien Kitto, CEO of Adelaide Convention Bureau, puts it like this: ‘In this ever-increasing global competitiveness, where the cost of winning business has augmented, where meetings are heavily incentivized, we have to stand out as a destination. Our ‘Team Adelaide’ approach enables us to offer hands-on experiences to association delegates. I believe we can provide them with a unique package found nowhere else.’

Award-winning The symbol of Adelaide’s proactive meetings industry might well be, in addition to Team Adelaide, the Adelaide Convention Centre, the first purpose-built centre in Australia. Located right on the River Torrens, in the city centre, with a variety of hotels for all kinds of budget at walking distance, it enjoyed a record year in 2011. The good news is that an ambitious expansion plan will significantly increase its capacity and flexibility, with the end result being three distinct interlinked buildings.

The first stage is underway - and they of course made sure they could run ‘business as usual’ throughout the expansion period which is due for completion in 2014. Stage two will be complete by 2017.

Adelaide's Riverbank Precinct

> A delaide Alec Gilbert, CEO of Adelaide Convention Centre, says: ‘Expansion and redevelopment of the Centre will re-establish Adelaide as one of the premier conference destinations and ensure its continued competitiveness in national and international markets. Notwithstanding its success to date, the ACC operates in a highly competitive global convention and exhibition industry which is required to provide larger and more multi-purpose space with the latest in facility quality and service.’

Aboriginal owned and managed arts centre and exhibits the work of both established and emerging indigenous arts. The 147 tiered seated Tandanya Theatre often hosts small conferences, right before a cocktail which can take place in the galleries.

Adelaide Convention Centre the hard facts

Today + Plenary Hall seating up to 3,500 delegates + 10,400 m2 of pillarless exhibition space + 14 serviced meeting rooms for up to 200 people In 2017 + Total area: 20,000 m2 + New plenary hall of approx. 3,500 pax + Over 20 new meeting rooms

Even better The even better news is that the redevelopment of the ACC is part of a bigger, unprecedented amount of development and investment in infrastructure, most of which will enhance the city’s functionality and services to the events industry and most of which will take place all around Adelaide’s Riverbank Precinct, in and out the ACC. Adelaide Oval, one of the city’s iconic sports venue, is part of the project: it’s about to undergo a major renovation due for completion in 2014. The new design will include more than 2,000 dining spaces, as well as hospitality suites, open boxes, BBQ terraces... There will also be the brand-new SAHMRI, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, which will enhance Adelaide’s reputation in health and medical research, ensuring a strong link between fundamental biology, clinical care delivery and policy.

The Australian experience What really makes the Adelaide experience enjoyable is that you really feel like you taste Australia as a whole when you’re there.

Whether it be in town or out of the city, it’s like Australia has come to you and just for you.

Downtown Adelaide, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural institute is Australia’s oldest

2017

+ Venue can be subdivided and configured within minutes as pre-function space, ballroom, exhibition or plenary space

Barrel room Seppeltsfield Wines

The National Wine Centre of Australia, which showcases the nation’s wine industry, is the perfect starting point for a great South Australian wine journey. Covering all aspects of wine-making, it’s all a very ‘design’ place that caters for smaller gatherings, a very flexible function venue for 10 to 1,000 guests with natural lighting and spectacular architecture.

Talking about wine, Adelaide is the heart of South Autralia’s booming wine industry.

Renowned wine regions such as the Barossa are a short transfer from the city and home to big brands like Jacobs Creek for example.

Most of the wineries can serve as meetings venues. In Jacob’s Creek Visitor Centre, catering for group lunches or gala dinners for up to 300 people is possible. Australia's largest Château, Château Tanunda is another valuable option. With its grand blue stone building and beautifully kept surrounding gardens, it’s available for use for functions for up to 470 people.

place, with one of the most refined restaurants in South Australia, while Novotel Barossa Valley Resort offers a dedicated conference centre, including ten function rooms, for up to 340 delegates.

If you feel like relaxing and unwinding, just hop on the tram and 25 minutes later you can lay on a pristine beach. My intense itinerary included a 45-minute beach experience (consisting mostly of sunbathing and swimming in crystal-clear water) in Glenelg, the popular beachside suburb of Adelaide. There the Stamford Grand Adelaide, reminiscent of an Art Deco building, rises on the coastline. It features impressive function facilities, including a Grand Ballroom for up to 500 people and thirteen function rooms.

And if you’re looking for a nice hotel to stay at in the Barossa, search no more! The boutique Louise is the high-end very exclusive

Contact Martin Radcliffe, Director of Sales & Marketing - Adelaide Convention Bureau martin@adelaideconvention.com.au +61 (0)8 8237 0129 www.adelaideconvention.com.au

2014

2017 2014

AUSTRALIA’S FIRST CONVENTION CENTRE WILL SOON BE ITS NEWEST. The Adelaide Convention Centre’s exciting two stage redevelopment will provide three distinct and individually iconic interlinked buildings.

Due to a carefully designed construction process it will be business as usual, so contact us now to book your event.

T: +61 8 8212 4099 sales@adelaidecc.com.au www.adelaidecc.com.au

HQ

©L.Martorell

City of Montpellier

©Montpellier Agglomération

> M ontpellier

ParkSuites Arena

Place de la Comédie

Auditorium Berlioz

Introducing Montpellier’s Park&Suites Arena the Park&Suites Arena in Montpellier, the 2nd largest multi-function room in France, is making a name for itself as the ideal venue for professional events in the South of France!

A new ultra-modern facility An incredibly versatile all-purpose venue inaugurated in September 2010, the Park&Suites Arena is managed by ENJOY Montpellier and boasts a leading edge design and all-round respect for the environment. All of its very flexible spaces make it easy for any event to be organized there: congresses, conventions, conferences, exhibitions, concerts, shows, and sports events.

the Park&Suites Arena & Exhibition Centre, the hard facts + 1 modular auditorium up to 7,500 seats + 135,000 m2 of exhibition space + 10 modular halls from 1,800 to 6,600 m2 + 75,000 m2 of outside space + Modular conference centre with 7 meeting rooms + Exhibition Centre with 15 breakout rooms

HEADQUARTERS 38

The Young Leaders/Managers Congress (‘Congrès annuel du Centre des Jeunes Dirigeants’ or CJD) was not mistaken when they chose the Park&Suites Arena to host their 34th Annual Congress, from 26 to 29 June 2012. In addition to the many young managers and business leaders attending the event, there were also a number of personalities from the world of politics. Over 1,800 people took part in the congress, with nine round-table conferences and 80 meeting rooms installed in the Exhibition Centre located on the same site as the Park&Suites Arena. The latter featured a central tribune, enabling the various speakers to take their turn before an audience with a 360° degree view of the stage.

With this success in mind, the Park&Suites Arena will again display its fantastic potential in the coming months by hosting the 108th ‘Congrès des Notaires en France’ (French Notaries' Congress) from 23 to 26 September 2012. This is set to be a huge event, with approximately 5,000 professionals expected to attend.

Today more than ever, the Park&Suites Arena is the ideal venue for perfectly managed, large-scale professional events.

ENJOY Montpellier ENJOY Montpellier is the trademark for the meeting industry in one of the most vibrant cities in the South of France. It represents a clear statement about the positioning of Montpellier which hosts more than 40 international association events every year.

The venues operated by ENJOY Montpellier - Le Corum Congress Centre, Berlioz Opera House, the Park&Suites Arena & Exhibition Centre, and Le Zénith Sud - offer a full range of modular solutions for all types of events for up to 7,500 delegates. ENJOY Montpellier’s dynamic and highly experienced team will support you from the bid process through to the organization of your event.

MORE INFO About Montpellier and other venues run

by ENJOY Montpellier: www.enjoy-montpellier.com Got a project? Get in touch: sales@enjoy-montpellier.com Tel. +33 4 67 61 66 32

HQ > M ala y sia

MyCEB goes global,

attracting more international conferences Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau, best known as MyCEB, has grown from strength to strength in establishing its global presence with appointment of Moulden Marketing, Marketing Challenges International and Gaining Edge as sales representatives in Europe, North America and Australia/New Zealand respectively.

These appointments are part of MyCEB’s strategic approach in securing more international business events for the country and expand its global market share to further reinforce Malaysia’s positioning as Asia’s business events hub.

A review of its 2011 business results showed the Bureau securing more than 49 international and regional conventions until 2016 in partnership with its affiliates. Its dynamism is

Conventions secured by MyCEB + 43rd Union World Conference on Lung Health 2012 - 2,800 delegates + 8th Design & Health World Congress & Exhibition 2012 - 1,000 delegates + 9th World Congress of Chinese Medicine 2012 - 1,000 delegates + 7 IAS HIV Conference in Pathogenesis, treatment and Prevention 2013 - 6,000 delegates th

+ Women Deliver Conference 2013 - 5000 delegates + The Global Summit of Women 2012 - 1,000 delegates + International Convention of Toastmasters International 2014 - 2,000 delegates + 12th International Congress on Obesity 2014 3,000 delegates + Human Genome Meeting 2015 - 1,000 delegates + International Federation of Training and Development Organizsations World Conference 2015 - 3,000 delegates + Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons 2015 - 1,500 delegates

HEADQUARTERS 40

The Honourable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, delivered the keynote address at the 25th World Gas Conference 2012 in Kuala Lumpur.

also reflected in ICCA’s latest stats: Malaysia indeed retains its position as the Top 10 Meetings Destination in Asia Pacific and 29th in the world, while Kuala Lumpur makes the Top 5.

With cornerstone initiatives such as the Kesatria 1Malaysia Programme launched early this year, MyCEB has taken another step forward in benchmarking itself against other global players. In this Programme, the Bureau has appointed a total of 17 Kesatrias (meaning ‘Knight’) or industry champions from various key economic sectors such as science and medical, oil and gas, IT, research and innovations who will assist in identifying and encouraging other potential local hosts to bid for and stage international conventions in Malaysia.

Mr. Zulkefli Hj Sharif, Chief Executive Officer, MyCEB said, "In 2011 we also launched our business events brand campaign with the tagline ‘Malaysia - Asia’s Business Events Hub’. Ranked the most peaceful country in South East Asia, Malaysia has also been placed in the top three as one of the Most Price Competitive Country in the World for Travel 2011. These accolades support the new tagline which communicates Malaysia’s proposition as a strategic gateway

to Asia for meetings." The new branding is part of MyCEB’s progressive approach towards achieving its mission to position Malaysia among Asia Pacific’s top five meeting destinations by year 2020.

3rd Global Women Deliver Conference 2013 To be held from 28-30 May, 2013 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, the 3rd Global Women Deliver Conference 2013 will bring together views from around the world to call for action against maternal deaths.

Organised by the Women Deliver headquartered in New York, United States of America, Malaysia is the first Asian country to be given the honour to host this landmark conference.

It is expected to attract 5,000 delegates.

Malaysia was chosen to be the host country due to its status as a fast growing democratic and liberal progressive country with stability and sound socio-economic and developmental policies. Malaysia is also noted for its efforts to improve women’s health and reduce maternal mortality as a national initiative and priority. www.myceb.com.my

HQ

> M eetropolis

KÖLNDÜSSELDORF

The Meetropolis: We custoMICE your meeting Two metropolises, one experience, The Meetropolis: Discover this unique destination for your successful convention.

With their concept KÖLNDÜSSELDORF - The Meetropolis, the Rhine River metropolises have been awarded project support from the European Union and the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia designed to further strengthen MICE business. The two diverse metropo-lises on the Rhine have bundled their attractive offers and will market themselves even more strongly on the international market as a congress destination region: Come and visit us at the IMEX America in Las Vegas on October 9-11, 2012.

The Meetropolis offers the best conditions for your successful MICE activities!

Cologne & Düsseldorf. The Meetropolis is waiting for you.

Contact Verena Vaßen v.vassen@meetropolis.de

Five good reasons for The Meetropolis + The central location with an outstanding infrastructure guarantees maximum accessibility and mobility for journey and stay. + Concentrated experience of conventions, know-how, a wide variety of venues plus quality of service establish the basis for stress-free success. + Various synergies offering excellent scientific and research skills in the region provide an extra edge, interested parties and speakers for your topic. + The proximity to German and international business ensures inspiration, insight, audiences and valuable multipliers. + The Rhineland embodies a piece of Germany's traditional and modern culture, and its people with their cordial mentality turn it into a unique experience.

www.meetropolis.de

CustoMICEd Conventions

KÖLNDÜSSELDORF – For custoMICEd conventions on the Rhine. Perfect access thanks to two international airports and an outstanding meeting infrastructure combined with a cheerful Rhineland welcome – that’s what makes KÖLNDÜSSELDORF such a special venue for your event. We’ll be happy to assist you with your wishes and ideas.

Come and meet our Meetropolis team at the IMEX America at Booth 424-35.

www.meetropolis.de

We custoMICE your meeting.

Conferences, Meetings, Dining and Events

‘Our job is to give the client, on time and on cost, not what he wants, but what he never dreamed he wanted and, when he gets it, he recognises it as something he wanted all the time.’

DENYS LASDUN – ARCHITECT

Tel: Fax: Email: Web:

+(44) (0)20 7034 4900 +(44) (0)20 7224 0900 events@rcplondon.ac.uk www.rcpevents.co.uk

Royal College of Physicians 11 St Andrews Place Regent’s Park London NW1 4LE

HQ > RCP

Royal College of Physicians

World-beating unconventional convention centre Sitting amongst the rows of 19th Century terraces on the edge of London’s Regent’s Park, is the

specialise in international events aimed at approximately 300 delegates and are absolutely thrilled to have won.’ explains Clive.

strikingly modernist Royal College of Physicians (RCP).

Apart from being England’s oldest medical institution founded in 1518

by Henry VIII, the RCP is also a very successful London venue that sells its meeting facilities to groups from all over the world. This captivating venue is so successful in fact, that the International Association of Congress Centres recently named it the ‘World’s Best Convention Centre.’

‘It’s a rather overpowering title,’ says general manager Clive Ostler. ‘Although we are - in AIPC terms - a convention centre, our boutique facility, location, heritage and customer service allow us to offer delegates experiences they cannot get at large venues. It’s probably true to say that we are an unconventional convention centre.’

The RCP won the ‘world’s best’ accolade in July at the AIPC conference in Amsterdam. The venue was a surprise choice for some as it beat stiff competition from some of the largest and best-known venues in the world. ‘We

The RCP is a fascinating space, with a surprising range of locations. The grand Dorchester Library is home to some of the world’s rarest books and manuscripts, whilst the two lecture theatres are fullyequipped to host modern conferences.

The numerous other locations are wellrehearsed in hosting activities such as exhibitions and break-outs.

This unusual convention centre also shows its credentials in other ways.

Delegates can relax after a conference with a barbecue in the fascinating medicinal garden, or they can wander the RCP’s magnificent museum collection.

The building itself is equally as intriguing.

The RCP’s iconic London home is one of only a handful of post-war structures to achieve Grade I listed status. The building was designed by famous British architect Sir Denys Lasdun. Lasdun was later awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Trustees Medal in recognition of his work at the RCP, considered to be ‘the best architecture of its time anywhere in the world’.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the RCP’s award win is that finalists were judged on the basis of customer satisfaction surveys. A ‘blind’ evaluation process was also carried out by an independent global research company to ensure an objective analysis. The RCP was first in five out of eight key performance indicators.

The RCP’s service ethos is perhaps best encapsulated by Sir Denys Lasduns’ philosophy. ‘Our job is to give the client, on time and on cost, not what he wants, but what he never dreamed he wanted and, when he gets it, he recognises it as something he wanted all the time.’

More info +44 20 7034 4900 events@rcplondon.ac.uk www.rcpevents.co.uk

Fast facts + Number of meeting rooms/event spaces: 26 + Location: 11 St Andrews Place, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4LE + Biggest meeting room/space: Wolfson Lecture Theatre, 300 people

HQ > SECC

Trees for Life take care of the Scottish Caledonian Forest

The Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) A sustainable approach on all fronts

For once, we won’t talk about our Meetings Forest, which is steadily growing, but mainly about the co-founder of it and our partner in this sustainable project: the SECC has a long history of being sustainable on every front, and recently launched an all-round campaign about it.

SECC

PCMA in Glasgow The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) brought their inaugural Global Corporate Summit in Glasgow this July. The summit was an invitation-only event for senior professionals responsible for global corporate planning. They discussed the challenges executives experience when staging international events.

Ben Goedegebuure said: ‘This is a hugely significant event not just for Glasgow and Scotland, but for anyone working in the meetings and events industry. We were honored to be hosting an event of this importance; it underlined the growing stature of both the SECC and Glasgow on the global events scene and its place as the destination to hold thought provoking and ambitious summits.’

HEADQUARTERS 46

The Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) launched its Good Business 2012 campaign, a series of initiatives by the venue focused on maximising the venues positive impact on its local, national and international communities. The campaign includes a series of partnerships the venue has developed with local community organisations including Project Ability, which works with adults with learning disabilities and mental health issues, Trees for Life (which you know by now!), and the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy, as well as international charities that have built relationships with the SECC over the last 25 years.

Director of Sales at the SECC. ‘The focus on responsible business seems to have been lost in the economic downturn. We believe that supporting good business now, when times are a little harder, underlines our commitment to working responsibly across our operation.’

However the campaign will cover more than just charity and environmental commitments, it also includes a commitment to do business in a fair and reasonable way. ‘We pride ourselves in doing business responsibly and better,’ comments Ben Goedegebuure,

More about the Meetings Forest: www.headquartersmagazine.com > Meetings Forest

He continues: ‘As a venue we host a wide spectrum of events that stimulate conversation, knowledge and business, we want our own venue to reflect these standards and be a force for positive business across the communities we work in.’

More about the SECC: www.secc.co.uk

And remember a tree costs just £5!

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